First amusement park tip when you’re mentally a teenager living in a 40-something body, is do the things you know won’t make you sick first. Enough said.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is phenomenal and literally made me giddy and permanently overflowing with “pinch me I’m dreaming” awe. Walking into snowy Hogsmeade with the impressive Hogwarts School of Wizarding in the background (Hogwarts Express to the right, naturally) was brilliant. The staff were great, helpful and in character all the time.

Proofing in real life: A digression

I start writing in my head. I think through a theme for the piece, what an accompanying image might be and if I can take that photo and a few opening sentences. This usually drives me to the computer.

My first draft is brilliant, naturally. Until I read it and discover I’m a hack in writer’s clothing. This is followed by two hardcore edits. But the real money, so to speak, is in the final proofread.

The proofread is when I read it like a regular person, full of the criticism and worldly conceit of the common (wo)man. This is when the words and phrases get trimmed and polished into gems of emotion and nuance. YES, i said gems of emotion and nuance! Proofing is what some of the great Harry Potter attractions need.

Okay, I’m a fanatic

There were opportunities to add interactivity in the long wait lines-in the arboretum for example. The hanging plants (fake) could be spraying the looooong line of riders waiting underneath in the cleverly engineered queue system. The winding hall to the Dragon Challenge (the ride that kicked my a$$ for the rest of the day) could have had more “story” about the Tri Wizard Cup, competing dragons, etc. Yes, I am a true Potter geek.

It was still a fantastic experience, and i would definitely go back, water gun plants or not.

What about you? As a writer, do you proofread in real life?

Nala