One Last Read Before Your Book Meets the World.
Proofreading is the final pass, on the final files, by a fresh pair of eyes. It catches what everyone else has stopped seeing.
What a proofread covers
- Grammar
- Spelling (Australian, British or US, as agreed)
- Punctuation
- Typographical errors
- Consistency of names, terms, numbers and hyphenation
- Formatting checks: headings, spacing, indents, page furniture
- Final manuscript review
- Ebook and print proof review where applicable
Proofreading is not editing
A proofread does not restructure chapters, rewrite sentences or resolve plot problems. It checks a manuscript that is otherwise finished. If we find that a manuscript needs more than a proofread, we will tell you before we start rather than proofread around problems that editing should fix.
No proofreader can promise a book with zero errors; the industry standard is to remove the overwhelming majority of them, and to do it on the actual files that will be printed or uploaded.
Common questions
Should I proofread before or after formatting?
Ideally both: a proofread of the final manuscript before typesetting, and a shorter proof check of the formatted pages or ebook, because layout introduces its own errors.
How is the proofread delivered?
As tracked changes in Word for a manuscript, or as annotated PDF comments for typeset pages, with a short summary of anything that needs your decision.
Ready to talk about your book?
A confidential conversation, a clear scope and a written quote. No obligation.