Why You Probably Aren’t Looking For A Proofread

One of the scariest things I hear clients say is the phrase, “I just need a proofread.”

Don’t get me wrong, proofreading is AMAZING and absolutely one of the necessary steps on the road to publishing your book.

However, I find that most authors are confused about what proofreading is and when it should be done.

Proofreading is the absolute last step in your editing process.

Think of your proofreader as the last line of defense in catching any typos or formatting issues that may have snuck through the rest of your editing process.

Your proofreader is double-checking everything looks perfect. They are not editing your book.

Most people who ask for a proofread are actually in the line editing or copyediting stage of their editing process.

Both line editing and copyediting are sentence-level edits where your editor is helping you improve your manuscript. With line editing, the editor is looking at the flow of your sentences. With copyediting, your editor is looking at the mechanics. Some editors will offer these services as a combined package.

Once you’ve completed all those revisions and formatted your book, you’re ready to seek out a proofreader. A proofreader is looking at the formatting of your manuscript and checking for typos. This is where that one random ‘then’ when it should say ‘them’ is hopefully going to get caught!

If you’re looking to learn more about the different types of editing and how you should utilize them, check out my free guide, Everything You Need To Know About Hiring An Editor!