Many people are confused about the difference between ‘editing’ and ‘proofreading’. This is understandable as the two definitions are often used interchangeably. However, there is indeed a distinct difference between the two.
What is proofreading?
The term ‘proofreading’ originates from the process of book printing and publishing.
Just before a book is printed and bound, ready to be sold at bookstores or online via websites such as Amazon, a final, laid-out copy is printed. This is how it will appear in book format, the only difference being probably the paper that the book is printed on.
This document is called the ‘proof’ of the book and sometimes – depending on which publishing house you use (publishing companies each have their own internal jargon) – this document is called a galley.
It is then the proofreader’s job to make sure that the proof is ready for print.
But what EXACTLY does the proofreader do?
As I said above, the proofreader will check the final document to make sure that it is ready for print. Things that they’ll check for are:
- Spelling and grammatical errors.
(Note that the proofreader will only check for obvious errors. If he or she doesn’t like how a sentence or paragraph is worded, but the text is grammatically correct, they will leave this be because if the proof comes back with more than a certain number of changes, another proof will have to be printed which costs the publishing house more.)
- Misaligned margins and spacing.
- Correct picture placement.
When would you need a proofreader?
If you have anything that is being printed for distribution to the public, a proofreader needs to have a look at it before it goes out and catch any errors that may have been missed in the editing stage.
Why should you choose me as your proofreader?
I was classically trained in proofreading techniques and pay incredible attention to detail. So any document that you get meto proofread will come out 100% error free.
In addition, I am also up to speed with the latest proofreading and design software so whatever format your document is in – from InDesign to Word – I’ll be able to proofread it.
What do I charge for proofreading?
I charge R23 per page for proofreading.
If you want to find out more about what I can offer you, fill in your details here and I will get back to you shortly.