Sharon Gray – Professional Proofreader
Proofediting is especially geared to the needs of self-publishing authors who haven’t got the support of a traditional publishing house to organise multiple rounds of editing.
It works like a supercharged proofread where I look at the standard issues identified during a proofread but then also take a closer look at the writing itself, to help smooth out the readers’ experience and stop authors worrying about bad reviews.
When I do a proofedit for an author, I do all the tasks included in a straightforward proofread, looking for:
and then go further to include:
But, please note, this is not a developmental edit or a thorough line edit, and
it doesn't include extensive rewriting.
A proofedit is a little more expensive than a proofread. For a manuscript of:
30,000 words, approximately £450
50,000 words, approximately £650
100,000 words, approximately £1020
150,000 words would be almost £1370.
It works like a supercharged proofread where I look at the standard issues identified during a proofread but then also take a closer look at the writing itself, to help smooth out the readers’ experience and stop authors worrying about bad reviews.
When I do a proofedit for an author, I do all the tasks included in a straightforward proofread, looking for:
- errors in spelling
- errors in punctuation
- errors in grammar
- use of homophones and homonyms
- inconsistency of punctuation and spelling conventions (like commas, quote marks and UK alternative spellings)
- inconsistencies in style (like capitalisation and hyphenation)
- inconsistencies in the formatting of headings, titles, headers and footers
- layout issues like misalignment of text or illustrations
- any skips, jumps or repetitions in your chapter and page numbers
- hyperlinks that don’t go to the correct website or page
- missing or incorrect labels on illustrations.
and then go further to include:
- suggestions for replacements for overused or repetitive vocabulary
- suggestions for rewriting clunky sentences that might be confusing for the reader or which allow scope for misinterpretation
- making sure all the English idioms and metaphors make sense
- checking and suggesting corrections for obvious factual errors
- highlighting possible sensitivity and inclusivity issues
- pointing out areas where there might be copyright permissions to check.
But, please note, this is not a developmental edit or a thorough line edit, and
it doesn't include extensive rewriting.
A proofedit is a little more expensive than a proofread. For a manuscript of:
30,000 words, approximately £450
50,000 words, approximately £650
100,000 words, approximately £1020
150,000 words would be almost £1370.
© Bedwas Editorial Services, 2022
Photo by Annie Spratt at Unsplash