You know when you’re reading a book and suddenly – BAM – you spot a typo, and it pulls you right out of your delicious reading experience?
Yeah, I hate that, too.
Proofreading is the final stage of editing before sending the text to print. This editing is traditionally done on ‘proofs’, i.e. the text presented in the layout as you would see it in a book, hence the word ‘proofreading’.
How do I know if I need proofreading?
If you…
- have already had your book copy-edited
- have edited and edited and edited it again – it’s as polished as it can get
- basically feel it’s ready to go out into the world – whether in print or online – but need to make sure it’s 100% typo-free and everything is correct
At proofreading stage, I go line by line, word by word, and check that everything is totally, utterly, irrevocably perfect. No typos left; all styling consistent; formatting correct across the board; making sure nothing looks weird or out of place.
Basically, this is not where I’ll give feedback on your characterisation or point out plot holes. All of that should long have been dealt with by the time you reach proofreading stage – the very last stage before hitting the publish button.
Rate
I calculate fees based on a sliding scale, starting at £8 per 1,000 words. Please get in touch for a fee tailored to your word count.
Red Pen Vigilante 