PROOFREADING
What is proofreading?
Proofreading is usually a final clean-up after the document has been laid out (formatted) for publishing.
I comb through your formatted text to find any typos, spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, or formatting issues. I apply a consistent style to your text so that your readers can stay immersed in the story.
At this point in the process, any major changes will have knock-on effects with layout, so I take a minimally invasive approach and will offer you practical and effective solutions.
STYLE SHEET
A document outlining the choices that have been made, such as spelling, punctuation and other preferences.
MARKED-UP MANUSCRIPT
Your text with the changes tracked and visible so you can approve them or reject them. It’s your book, so you always have the final say.
CLEAN COPY
A copy of the manuscript with all your approved changes accepted, and no comments or tracking left in the text, ready to publish.
What kind of software do I use?
Depending on the format of the file you send me, I can proofread using Adobe, Microsoft Word, or InDesign. For novels, Microsoft Word is the most efficient option, whereas InDesign and Adobe are better for things like magazines or game guides, or books that have already been formatted. I’ll work with what you’ve got to make this as simple as possible for you.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
My rates are based on the suggested hourly rates put forth by the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, and are competitive. You can get a rough estimate of how much it could cost based on your word count on my pricing page. I offer payment plans and a discount for books over 100k words.
It’s better to send your whole manuscript so I can get a big picture view of all its needs. The beginning and end of a manuscript tend to be the cleanest, and if you’ve got a list of references, lots of graphs or images, or some interesting formatting, those are all things I’ll consider while assessing its needs. I’ll do a 1000-word sample edit so you can see if my proofreading style works for you.
I can, but not during a proofread, for several reasons: first, any big story-level changes you make now will probably introduce new errors, which means you’ll need another round of proofreading afterward. Second, I use a different part of my brain for proofreading, so it’s inefficient to focus on the little details and the big picture ideas at the same time.
If you need this kind of feedback, you might need a line edit instead.
Absolutely! I already use Vellum for book layouts, so if you’ve got your book layout already done in that software and have the original .vellum file, or you’ve added layout on to one of my editing packages, I can apply your approved proofreading changes to the manuscript while being careful not to introduce new errors. At the end of it, you get the ready-to-publish file in ebook and print format.
Well, it’s your manuscript, so you can do as you like, but I don’t recommend this. Proofreading won’t catch a plot hole or a plodding pace. It depends on your goals for the manuscript.
This depends on so many different factors, especially the type of writing it is, how complex the sentences are, or how much help the text needs. I can give you a time estimate by doing a free 1000-word sample for you. My average turnaround for a 90 000-word manuscript is about two weeks. I am usually booked a few months in advance, so plan ahead!
As much as I am loath to share high-level spells from my spellbook, Gecko Edit gets my highest recommendation for editing services performed for reasonable rates. CAUTION: Do not engage her services unless you want your books to have the correct semicolon usage and wish to demonstrate that you know the difference between hyphens, en-dashes, em-dashes, and minuses. I told you this was high-level magic.
Traditional Proofreading
Before computers were small enough to fit in our pockets, proofreaders worked with pen and pencil on printed versions of the manuscripts. Those printouts looked exactly as the book would look when published. They were called “proofs” and proofreaders would carefully compare them to the edited manuscript to make sure all the changes had been applied correctly. If they spotted an error, they’d mark it with a BSI symbol, and a matching one in the margin.
These days, however, most publishing is done digitally, so proofreaders work either on PDF proofs or, more commonly with indie authors, directly on the Word file. In Adobe, I use BSI stamps or Adobe’s commenting feature, depending on my client’s preference.
I’m happy to do it either way, though working with printed-out page proofs can be logistically tricky when a client lives in Cambodia! The most time- and cost-efficient option is to do it digitally. It’s better for the trees, too.
I was directed to Katherine Kirk by my publisher and she was a fortuitous discovery. I’m more than pleased that I contracted with her to edit my latest book. Upon reviewing her edited manuscript, I see the attention to detail and the thoroughness of her work. She was prompt and was quick to correspond with questions and concerns, and she completed the edit quickly. Her rate was more than reasonable. I couldn’t be more pleased, and I look forward to having her edit more of my work. Thank you, Katherine.
Find out more about the publishing process
Proofreading, copyediting, line editing—it’s all so confusing. I’ve written this handy guide to help you know what should happen, and when.
Send me a sample
The best way for me to get an idea of how much work needs to be done on your manuscript, so I can give you a quote and estimate the time, is by sending me your manuscript so I can do a free sample of 1000 words.
An added bonus? You get to have a peek at the quality of my work, so you can see if I’m a good fit for your needs.
Get your book ready to publish
Tell me about your book, send me a sample, and let’s get it out to your readers.