Careful proofreading is essential to ensure that a book is ready for publication. Every book released by a publisher is professionally proofread at least once, and authors who want to be taken seriously need to pay the same attention to quality.
Remember, as a proofreader I’m not here to judge – everyone makes mistakes. But readers do judge, which is why professional proofreading is important to your reputation as an author.
Remember, as a proofreader I’m not here to judge – everyone makes mistakes. But readers do judge, which is why professional proofreading is important to your reputation as an author.
Why work with a proofreader?
I’ve been proofreading for authors and publishers for more than 20 years and I’m yet to receive a manuscript that needs no input. There are always mistakes and inconsistencies to correct.
Even if the author is a fantastic writer.
Even if the copy editor is a fantastic editor.
Even if the typesetter is a fantastic typesetter.
It’s inevitable that the final manuscript will contain the odd mistake because humans make, and miss, mistakes:
The proofreader’s role is to perform a quality check, looking for the little errors and inconsistencies that have slipped through the net. If you want your book to be of the standard of a traditionally published book, then you need this quality check.
Even if the author is a fantastic writer.
Even if the copy editor is a fantastic editor.
Even if the typesetter is a fantastic typesetter.
It’s inevitable that the final manuscript will contain the odd mistake because humans make, and miss, mistakes:
- The author misses mistakes because they’re too close to the material and they have blind spots; they read what they think they’ve written rather than what they’ve actually written. In addition, the author doesn’t always realise that a mistake is a mistake; they’re not an expert in the English language.
- The copy editor makes hundreds or thousands of revisions to polish the writing, but they may miss the odd one.
- The typesetter (if the proofread is taking place after the book has been laid out) may introduce an issue here and there, such as splitting a word awkwardly over a page.
The proofreader’s role is to perform a quality check, looking for the little errors and inconsistencies that have slipped through the net. If you want your book to be of the standard of a traditionally published book, then you need this quality check.
|
‘Charlie has passion for her work and it shows. She is thorough, exact, accommodative, imaginative and an absolute pleasure to work with.’
Sif Sigmarsdóttir, Author |
|
My proofreading service
I proofread books in UK English and US English. As I go through a book, I’m looking for:
As I proofread, I’m not looking to improve the writing style (that’s the copy editor’s job). I’m just looking for the black-and-white issues in the book and correcting them.
I proofread in the following formats:
- Spelling mistakes and inconsistencies in spelling
- Punctuation errors
- Missing words
- Repeated words
- Misnumbered pages or chapters
- Mismatched running heads and chapter titles
- Inconsistent formatting
- (Non-fiction) Misnumbered sections, tables, figures, plates, footnotes/endnotes and/or references
- (Non-fiction) Errors in the table of contents, e.g. incorrect headings or page numbers
- (Typeset books) Layout glitches, e.g. missing indents or extra spaces
As I proofread, I’m not looking to improve the writing style (that’s the copy editor’s job). I’m just looking for the black-and-white issues in the book and correcting them.
I proofread in the following formats:
- Microsoft Word document: Marked up using the Track Changes tool in Microsoft Word.
- PDF document: Marked up using the highlight and comment tools in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Paper proofs: Marked up using the British Standards Institution’s proof-correction marks.
|
‘If you want your books to shine, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve worked with Charlie on all of my books and she’s brought each one to a higher level. I can’t thank her enough and recommend her without reservation.’
Christopher Greyson, Author |
|
Key questions about proofreading
How much will it cost?
My rate for proofreading starts at £8 per 1,000 words. For more information on pricing, visit my FAQs page.
How can an author prepare for proofreading?
The best preparation for proofreading is to finish editing the book. It’s really important that you send your proofreader the final manuscript. If you revise the book too much post-proofread, you’ll need another proofread.
If you have a style sheet for the book (often created by the copy editor), then please send this over. It’s a useful reference while proofreading.
If you have a style sheet for the book (often created by the copy editor), then please send this over. It’s a useful reference while proofreading.
What comes after proofreading?
Following the proofread, the author checks and integrates the revisions (and tries to resist the temptation to carry out new edits!).
Many authors feel confident that the book is ready to publish after one round of proofreading from a professional proofreader. Some, however, prefer to follow the process of the larger publishing houses and commission two (or more) rounds of proofreading. For more information, you can read my blog article ‘How many rounds of proofreading does your book need?’.
Many authors feel confident that the book is ready to publish after one round of proofreading from a professional proofreader. Some, however, prefer to follow the process of the larger publishing houses and commission two (or more) rounds of proofreading. For more information, you can read my blog article ‘How many rounds of proofreading does your book need?’.