No matter what editing procedures you undertake, mistakes can happen. So how do you prevent errors before they wind up in your book? Read on...

1 - Employ an editing service.

The most common mistakes are minor, for example incorrect word use (their, they're, there) and simple misspellings.

2 - Get a second (and third) set of eyes.

Even if you don't wish to pay a professional, anyone who reviews your document will find mistakes you invariably miss. It is a function of the brain called "cerbrainiumitis." Okay, okay, that term is made-up -- but the truth is, you're much more familiar with your manuscript than anyone else, and as a result, apt to miss obvious mistakes simply because your eyes glaze over them.

3 - Read your manuscript backwards.

Reading material backwards is the antidote to "cerbrainiumitis" because a critical view of the English language cannot be corrupted by the flowing exposition you have massaged into sparkling prose. When you read your manuscript backwards, your book becomes just a collection of words, and those mistakes literally jump off the page.

4 - Read your manuscript out loud.

When you are forced to say the words out loud, your brain is forced to slow down and concentrate on the material. Bonus - you may discover stumbling blocks like awkward sentence structures and choppy dialogue.

5 - Use the right kind of publisher.

What do you do when that 5,000 print run costs $10,000 and features a grave error that cannot be dismissed? Your best recourse upon discovering an error is typically a sticker and a sense of humor. But an on-demand publisher that allows you to revise your book after publication (for a reasonable fee) means you are never stuck with your blunders.