What stage in the writing process should a writer target errors their writing?

While some minor errors can be caught during the drafting stage, the most effective time to target errors in writing is during the editing and proofreading stages.

* Drafting: Focus on getting your ideas down. Don't worry too much about grammar and mechanics at this point.

* Revising: This is where you focus on the big picture – content, organization, argumentation, and overall effectiveness. You might catch some glaring errors here, but the primary focus is on substance.

* Editing: This is where you focus on sentence-level issues: grammar, style, clarity, word choice, and tone. This is the primary stage for error correction.

* Proofreading: This is the final stage, focused on surface-level errors like typos, spelling mistakes, punctuation, and formatting. It's best done after a break from the writing, with fresh eyes.

Therefore, while you might spot and correct some errors during drafting and revising, the dedicated stages for targeting errors are editing and proofreading.