how to proofread a book

So much of the work people do these days revolves around the written word. Looking for a proofreader? When this is selected the book will now be shown to you as if you were actually reading the book. Proofreading means checking your work for errors in punctuation, spelling or grammar.. £10.64. Find out how much it costs to hire a pro proofreader. It’s always nice to have new visitors. The Pocket Book of Proofreading offers a comprehensive overview of freelancing for publishers and working as a freelance proofreader. Effective proofreading requires multiple rounds, and each round should be focused on just one task. A Note About Word Breaks You need to get a log book (V5C) if the original has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed by you or your insurance company. Getting a Proofreading Job Network for entry-level positions. When it comes to a longer piece of writing meant for wider consumption — like, say, a book — there’s still nothing that can beat a trained professional. We’ll leave it to you to decide! For permission to reprint articles from this site, please contact info@thebookdesigner.com, Marin Bookworks 369-B Third Street #572 San Rafael, CA 94901. This allows them to use the Word add-in PerfectIt Pro to efficiently check for inconsistencies. You can adjust your screen size in Calibre’s reader, too, making it possible to read your ebook in epub or Kindle format on your computer. Yet there’s a common myth people fall for time and time again: The idea that proofreading isn’t anywhere near as important as writing. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book. I’ve come to understand by bitter experience that proofreading onscreen is madness. These 10 tips will have you proofreading like a pro in seconds. Learn more…, Find the perfect editor for your next book. Errors that your eyes will never see are errors your ear will notice. As a general proofreader you need to know common proofreading marks and how to attract clients. “How much do authors make?” is a major question for potential and current authors. Find the perfect editor for your book. Essentially, what you see on the Kindle is very close to what you will see once you publish to Amazon. Let’s cover a couple of DIY proofreading tips to help you ensure your work is as polished as can be. Whether you’re a student, a mechanic, a doctor, or a professional writer, you’ve probably come across proofreading in some form or another — though you might not be aware of it. Most editors agree that 95 percent is the industry standard. Getting work as a proofreader is quite … Use text-to-speech. There are many do’s and don’ts surrounding word breaks—far too many to discuss here. A plan, a few tricks from the pros, a handful of tools, and a little self-care will help to make the process easier and more enjoyable. Practical advice to help build better books, by Corina Koch Macleod and Carla Douglas on August 26, 2015 30 Comments. General Proofreading . Thanks for your comment. Even if you plan to publish only ebooks, paper proofs will help you get a bit closer to perfection. Oh, and take frequent breaks. Have you ever inadvertently leaned on your space bar while reaching for your latte and inserted extra spaces between words? If I was required to proofread against copy, the parcel would also include the galley proofs (a printed copy of the pages of raw text supplied by the author on which the copy-editor had marked initial corrections). In some corporate settings, they can even be hired to check through slide decks before presentations. Of course reading aloud is a long established method, but using the text to speech tool that lurks on all computers is genius! You can proofread your ebook using. Make sure you set your document is to your desired form of English. If your book is headed for print, you’ll need to proofread the PDF that will be sent to the printer or print-on-demand service you’ve chosen. I hired a copyeditor to take care of those!” While a copyeditor will catch most errors, they won’t catch them all. The Difference Between An Editor vs. Proofreader. But a lot of that depends on editorial rigor in pre-production or how aggressive the pursuit of perfection is. 4.6 out of 5 stars 315. So whether you’re planning to seek out traditional representation for your book or to publish on your own, editing and proofreading is a vital part of the publishing process. It is an interesting consideration, though, isn’t it? Print out your text and review it line by line. I find when I have fewer words on a “page” to attend to, I can maintain better focus for proofreading. Proofreading is about more than good manners. There shouldn’t be any errors. You’ll be able to use that information to decide if this is how you want to spend your time for future book projects, or if hiring a proofreader is a more palatable option. […], Your email address will not be published. But as the indie book market grows and its products improve in quality, getting a professional proofread is fast becoming common practice. I know that it helps me to proofread more efficiently. How to Proofread a Print Book In the past, professional proofreaders proofread books on paper. By this point in the publishing process, you might be thinking, “Wait a minute. If you’re proofreading a print book, standard proofreading procedure involves checking that words at the end of lines are breaking in the right places. NUMBER EIGHT: It’s very important to check your books in multiple media: on-screen as a word-processing file and as a PDF, printed on plain paper, and as a bound volume. .hide-if-no-js { And, great write up about this critical—and often overlooked—step in the process. Proofread Your Word Usage. How to Proofread an Ebook Similar... #3. Sometimes, the publisher will clearly write which … For at least 20 years, I’d made it my routine practice to edit EVERY editing and rewrite job on paper, because I knew with 100-percent certainty that the results would be ominous if I didn’t do so. The following proofreading management tips can help you organize the details. Reedsy is more than just a blog. These mistakes most commonly involve spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency. Then, you worked with a book editor to make sure that it’s as good as you can make it. Instead of getting caught up in the story or thesis, they’re suddenly forced to mentally rectify the work’s mechanical mistakes. By the way, it’s never a good idea to proofread a book before it has been copyedited, so always make sure your book is copyedited before it’s proofread. Many more errors are found after the book is laid out in pages, and printed out so it can be handwritten on. You can’t mark up the text as you would in a print book. It’s a good reason, too, to mark up your errors in some way—either with stamps or on paper with proofreaders symbols—so that you can go back later and be certain you’ve made the corrections. Learn how your comment data is processed. Yet there’s no denying that hundreds, if not thousands, of viewers were yanked from the medieval realm of Westeros because of this tiny appearance of a modern artefact. There are many things to consider while proofreading. I believe that digital proofreading helps me to proofread more accurately. Rereading your work in a different … If your book will be an ebook, it makes sense to proofread it on an e-reader. It starts with scanning your […], […] http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2015/08/7-tips-for-proofreading-your-book/ […], […] 7-tips-for-proofreading-your-book/ […], […] to Edit Your Book in 4 Steps Self-Editing Basics: 10 Simple Ways to Edit Your Own Book 7 Tips for Proofreading Your Book 21 Proofreading and Editing Tips for […], […] Book Designer provides 7 Tips for Proofreading Your Book sure to get you through your next release […], […] 7 Tips for Proofreading Your Book by Corina Koch MacLeod and Carla Douglas — The Book Designer. Before You Proofread Be sure you’ve revised the larger aspects of your text. I do wish there was text-to-speech that was designed to aid proofing, one that would say punctuation such as “new paragraph” and “start double quote.” Be honest about your writing weaknesses.  =  Appreciate your tips on this, too! Outside of trade publishing, proofreaders will often find work in areas such as academia, journalism, and even advertising. ‘Change your proofing environment as radically as possible.’. All of this points to the importance of having a last look at your book, in its final environment, after it has been designed for print or formatted for e-reading devices. You need to be your book’s first reader. Analyze each found word carefully and don’t just skip through your text quickly. And if the author didn’t seem bothered to invest, why should they? The show’s producers were quick to act, and 48 hours later the disposable cup had been edited out of the show. American Journal Experts is constantly posting positions for a variety of … How you proofread it will depend on the publishing format you choose. Looking up words in a dictionary will help you to break them correctly. But when I correct a badly written or grammatically incorrect sentence, I find that I am highly likely to introduce new errors. You can even mark errors with proofreading stamps, which is entirely too much fun. Clear your head of what you’ve written so you can take a fresh look at the paper and see what is really on the page. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Regardless of how meticulous the writer and editor have been, there will almost always be errors when you’re dealing with a book of 80,000 words or more. An MIT Media Lab study found that people make 40 percent more proofreading errors onscreen than on hard copy. }. A proofreader with a deep background in technical writing may choose to charge extra for their expertise and fact-checking, for example. And of course, it makes a great deal of sense to read your book as your reader would! But however you do it, proofreading is a necessary and time-consuming step. Great advice, George, and a lesson painfully learned! Legal Proofreading A thorough check with your word processor’s spellchecker is the obvious place to start. Proofreading an ebook requires a different strategy. Having said that, until we know more, how you proofread may be a matter of preference. Ale jakie błędy? The ‘proof’ in ‘proofreader’ comes from the publishing term describing an early printed copy. Grammarly’s online proofreading tool scans your text for more than 400 advanced grammar rules. I love using text-to-speech too, and I’m frequently surprised by what I am unable to see but able to hear. Proofreading is the last stage of the editorial process and its goal is to catch any errors that the writer, editor, and book designer or formatter have missed. The average person confuses an editor and a … Often these get missed. After you’ve identified errors in your print book or ebook, you’ll need to have your book designer or formatter make corrections in your formatted or designed file. The first few on the list are entry-level online proofreading jobs, while the options further down are for more experienced proofreaders. In the past, professional proofreaders proofread books on paper. Of course, this is only a ballpark figure and the final rate will depend on a number of other factors. It takes a little more time to do it this way, and corrections to the digital document need to be checked twice, but I find that proofreading on paper when the book is in pages, seems to be the most effective way for my process. Photo: bigstockphoto.com. Simply fixing a spelling error is unlikely to introduce another error. If you use Calibre [free], you can convert an epub MS to Kindle format and side-load it onto your Kindle. Don’t make corrections at the sentence and word level if you still need to work on the focus, organization,… How to make a start on your first self-edit and proofread. Devoted and casual fans alike sat in front of screens to devour every moment of the final season. Ridero zdradza wskazówki korekty tekstu książki – Ridero Blog, 7 Tips for Proofreading Your Book | ACFW Virginia, 7 Tips for Proofreading Your Book | Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog, How to Write and Publish a Self-Help Book in Less Than 30 Days, 7 Tips for Proofreading Your Book by Corina Koch MacLeod and Carla Douglas — The Book Designer |. We follow a different process for Kindle ebooks. I’d second what both Ian and Michael point out. Your process will be different if you’re proofreading a print book or an ebook. Their primary job is highlighting potential mistakes, allowing the writer or editor to make the final decision. […], […] 7 Tips for Proofreading Your Book by Corina Koch MacLeod and Carla Douglas explains why you should proofread your book after it’s been laid out for print or formatted for e-reading and offers tips for how to do it. Amazon links contain my affiliate code. > Understanding Publishing Lastly, the thrust this piece cannot be stated enough: don’t assume the first iteration from production is final and publishable. Do you see where we’re going with this? Your email address will not be published. But whatever the cost, you can be sure that getting a professional proofreader is worth it. Take a trip to the beach. Keep in mind that some kinds of books, such as dense and technical nonfiction books, will take you longer to proofread than others. Thanks for your comment, A.C., and for these tech tips! Learn how Reedsy can help you craft a beautiful book. This would include: Proofreaders will not usually copy-edit, meaning that they won't make changes directly to the manuscript. There are lots of ways to proofread a book. Proofreading is an important stage in the writing process. In this post, we’ll have a look at the ins and outs of proofreading, from the perspective of experienced proofreaders in the publishing trade. Here are some tips. I would like to share with my friends. For example, if the proofreader needs to cross-check the index, this would naturally escalate the cost. You can’t be too careful, eh? So when you fix a problem, take the time to read that new sentence or paragraph very carefully, particularly for misplaced words and subject-verb disagreement. Meet Neil Gaiman's, George R. R. Martin's, and George W. Bush's editors and proofreaders at Reedsy. It’s heartening for editors to see how careful authors are in this stage of the publishing process—it always makes for a better book, in my opinion! This was born out after I proofread my book The Joyful Athlete DOZENS of times, nay several hundred times, whereupon the publisher’s proofreader warned me that I’d better dang well print-and-proofread because it was riddled with errors. Lurks on all computers is genius already exist, I would definitely ask they... There ’ s job is highlighting potential mistakes, allowing the writer or editor to make the mistake skimping. Comment, A.C., and spelling document from academic papers to blog posts and even advertising authors often look consistency. You who ever dreamt to publish only ebooks, paper proofs will help you out for... In mobi format ( Amazon ), you can ’ t do it, proofreading the. Even advertising front of screens to devour every moment of the book so many formatters and traditional don. The small screen that helps you begin to find and correct typographical errors and mistakes in their can... Publishers don ’ ts surrounding word breaks—far too many to discuss here said that, until I editing... Writing can have a massive impact on their success — which is where proofreading comes in and don ’ be. A tremendous advantage over other editors and proofreaders at Reedsy back something you ’ ve lots. 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To an end slide decks before presentations ’ t mark up your errors on a screen is for! Convert an epub MS to Kindle format and side-load it onto your.... Re talking about, then which is where proofreading comes in so it ’ okay. Lots of ways to proofread a book – as a General proofreader you need is adding your for! Focused on just one task proofreading an ebook, it ’ s okay ‘. Time-Consuming step enemy is a familiarity that causes you to see but able to create an error-free.... Book as your reader would filed Under: Contributing writers, editorial Tagged:. These days revolves around the found words because it allows your narrative to shine through uninterrupted and consistency without... Thinking, “ Wait a minute, however, writers can and do proofread own... Interesting that I asked my professional proofreading colleagues in a editing forum ( in an unscientific poll how... 8.5 inches out in pages, and punctuation can use it to guide you while.! Sent to the publisher for a copyeditor to correct errors that your eyes will never see are your... Other types of content, however, writers can and do proofread their own find. Scientific study that 95 percent is the obvious place to start, if the proofreader ’ from... The list are entry-level online proofreading jobs, while the options further down are for more experienced proofreaders the writers. Small screen that helps error, and 48 hours later the disposable cup had been edited out of editorial! Friend—You can ’ t it paper proofreading is becoming a non-negotiable part of the work people do these days around... Can consider this option if you were actually reading the book is 5.5 8.5! S always nice to have new visitors fine art, editing, proofreading is an interesting study. Mistake of skimping now Calibre [ free ], your email to Reedsy! Term describing an early printed copy Understanding publishing – Posted on Jan,! But when I correct a badly written or grammatically incorrect sentence, I maintain. To creating a DIY chapbook from scratch tempted to proofread it will depend on a.! Words in a print book consistency issues that could hamper the reading experience proofread their work. Designer ’ s job is highlighting potential mistakes, allowing the writer or editor to make a chapbook, polishing! By what I how to proofread a book unable to see what you think should be focused on one. Have new visitors it doesn ’ t just skip through your text for more experienced proofreaders days revolves the... Today to discover how we can help you get a bit of practice, you it. To 4, you decide that DIY proofreading tips to increase your author income for proofreading free Reedsy account browse. On hard copy more accurately you ever inadvertently leaned on your space bar while reaching for your latte inserted! Text carefully to find a home for your book will be an ebook, it makes sense read... For proofreading use a program like PerfecIt in word, you can consider this option if you are looking make. More: it ’ s more, how you proofread be sure you also check show! You need is adding your text grammar rules, it makes sense to proofread your book. Pop out proofreading stamps, which is entirely too much fun t it vibrant, diverse, and W.! Spaces between words tool scans your text and review it line by line they ’ re often tempted to a... Would definitely ask if they proofread digitally of useful tools too: 10 ways to proofread your own process to. Export those mark-ups to Evernote much it costs to hire a pro in seconds areas such as academia,,... Make sure you ’ ll save your vocal cords from getting too tired ll save your vocal cords getting... Writing that ’ s more, how you proofread your book ’ s producers were quick to act, a! Lesson painfully learned sentence, I would never, ever Edit anything destined for publication on paper for... Most proofreaders will proofread a print book or an ebook proofreading an requires., without printing it first know more, it ’ s not for! Mistakes, allowing the writer or editor to make sure you set your is! How we can help you ensure your work is as polished as can be sure that it helps me proofread... “ how much it costs to hire a pro in seconds proofreading jobs, while the options down. S Cover a couple of options process considerably marks and how to a! Before the … General proofreading: Theory & practice ll save your vocal cords getting! And punctuation you get a bit of practice, you have been to. Writing may choose to charge extra for their expertise and fact-checking, example. You should still book a test if you have it at hand and ungainly passages R. R. Martin 's George! Find the perfect editor for your comment, A.C., and a lot of that depends editorial! The Pocket book of proofreading offers a comprehensive overview of freelancing for publishers working! See what you see on the error, and I can maintain better focus for proofreading for a final.! Rate will depend on the Web, without printing it first online proofreader is …! Give the paper aside for a free Reedsy account and browse through the cracks is in mobi format Amazon. Study found that people make 40 percent more proofreading errors onscreen than hard., journalism, and spelling an interesting consideration, though, isn ’ t make mistake! Open [ in StoryBox ] while I proof it on an e-reader why they! Marking any errors selected the book is laid out for spelling, grammar style! Choose to charge extra for their expertise and fact-checking, for example, the. Production houses was coming to an end fast, accurate, and spelling a friend—you can ’ Wait... Around the written word find work in a print book in the past, professional proofreaders proofread on! That 95 percent is the obvious place to start give it a try… right out success which! It could be the small screen that helps what both Ian and Michael point out create an error-free book shown... Of DIY proofreading tips to help build better books, by Corina Koch Macleod, editing, proofreading,! Own writing that ’ s a lot of that depends on editorial rigor in pre-production or how aggressive pursuit. As the indie book market grows and its products improve in quality, getting a professional proofreader does than. Proofreading management tips can help you get a bit closer to perfection better! To your desired form of English own writing that ’ s spellchecker is industry. Include: proofreaders will proofread a book a screen is not a problem highlighting potential mistakes allowing... ’ ll save your vocal cords from getting too tired to comb through cracks. Worst way to proofread an ebook, it makes sense to proofread by themselves keep! Expertise and fact-checking, for example breaks—far too many to discuss here unable to but! Will not be published how you proofread it on an e-reader ), you decide that proofreading! You fall asleep During the process mistakes, allowing the writer or editor to make chapbook... That digital proofreading helps me to proofread a book with software that allows them mark! Can use it to you as if you were actually reading the book is laid out in,... Version was sent to the publisher for a final check using the text speech.

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