Proofreading comes at the very end of the process, after the book has been edited, and usually after it has been designed and laid out. It is a final quality check before publication to find residual spelling, punctuation and grammar issues, and anything else that has been missed or needs tidying up.
If your book hasn’t had previous rounds of editing, it’s probably not yet ready for proofreading.
During a proofread I look at:
- spelling and punctuation
- grammar
- consistency
- layout and formatting
- removal of extraneous spaces and lines
- chapters (numbering and chronological order)
- tables and images
- footnotes
The emphasis is on clarity and consistency, ensuring your work looks professional and meets industry standards and expectations in formatting. When I am proofreading I make only those changes that are absolutely necessary, respecting your story and voice, and any editing work that has been done previously. You remain in charge – you are free to accept or reject any of my edits.
What you’ll receive
When you hire me for a proofread, you’ll receive:
- Your manuscript fully proofread, either using Word’s Track Changes facility, or a marked-up PDF. You are then free to go through the document to review the edits and accept or reject them as you wish
- A clean version of the edited manuscript with all the changes accepted, for your reference
- A style sheet which documents choices made in regard to spelling, punctuation, hyphenation, capitalisation and so on – for your reference
While MS Word and Adobe PDF are the industry standards, I can also work in other applications. Please contact me to enquire.
If you’re not sure if proofreading is what you need, do feel free get in touch!
I’ll be happy to talk you through it and can offer a free 1000-word sample edit to illustrate.
Cost and timescale
Both the cost and the timescale will depend upon the length of your book and the level of proofreading it requires. I usually like to quote a project rate, so we both know the cost up front, and I offer payment in instalments.
You will normally need to book your proofread in advance so that I can fit your work into my schedule. That way I can be sure to allocate the time it deserves and meet the deadlines we agree on.
To enquire
Send me an email! Please include the name of your book, the genre and the wordcount. Please also tell me what your plans are (such as seeking a traditional publishing deal or self-publishing) and whether your manuscript has been through any previous rounds of professional editing, plus any other details you feel might be important.
I’ll get back to you and we can take it from there!