A proofread addresses any visual issues that remain in your manuscript in the text or formatting. It is typically only performed on a final draft, such as a proof you’ve received from your book formatter.
What you’ll receive in a proofread:
- A complimentary formatted version of your manuscript to start the process of proofreading. (Please not that I am not a graphic designer, so these formatted files may have some limitations as to what can be changed.) This is part of my process because I don’t want you to get disappointed if you format it later and see some errors.
- Notes on what errors I’ve identified for your review, including:
- Misspellings
- Corrected punctuation
- Changes to capitalization where appropriate
- Typos not caught by previous editors
- Adjustments of page layout to ensure all your headings are placed appropriately
- Arrangement of front and back matter
- Notes on any images that could be improved with higher-resolution
- Adjustments to title case on titles, headings, and subheadings
- An opportunity to reject any corrections you choose to ignore or disagree with
- (If I created the formatted file) A fully corrected manuscript
It’s also important to understand what a proofread is NOT:
- Grammar is not typically adjusted in a proofread. However, I am happy to point out any potential issues if there are only a few areas that need some work. (If there are a lot of grammar issues in the manuscript, a proofread should not be performed, as it would be doing a disservice to you.)
- There is no error checking in a proofread, so any mistakes in quotations or footnotes/end notes/bibliography are the author’s sole responsibility.
- No structural issues will be addressed with a proofread.
- A proofread is not the same thing as a copy edit; therefore, it should not be a substitute service for it.
- It is also not a critique or content edit. All of those potential issues should be already taken care of by this point.
However, even though these things won’t be the primary focus of a proofread, I will certainly let you know of any lingering issues in your manuscript.
Contact me today if you’d like to talk about getting a proofread on your manuscript.