FAQ
Can’t I edit and proofread my own project? Yes, but you’ll miss what an experienced third party would notice. When editing our own text, it’s challenging to attain a full or even satisfactory perspective. Nor can you trust automated grammar- and spell-checking programs – they’re notoriously unreliable and are no substitute for experienced human judgment.
What do you proofread? How do you edit? I edit reports, essays, articles, websites, letters, brochures, and books. Most documents I receive are in Microsoft Word, and I use the “Track Changes” feature to show all suggestions, changes, and comments. I use the Chicago Manuel of Style unless otherwise requested.
What is your education and experience in proofreading? I am a certified proofreader and a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance. You can find my author’s page here.
How do I know you’ll do what I want? Communication is the key to our success. I’ll provide a preference and style sheet before I start proofreading. This allows you to be as clear as you want regarding style, whether CMOS or AP, and any additional guidelines. This will give a clearer path to better proofreading. If you’re unsure if your project needs more than a final polish before publication, we can discuss other options.
Is proofreading necessary? Absolutely! Even the most experienced writers need another pair of eyes to sort through the smallest of details. While some software can catch a small portion of errors, they do not catch word choice errors, sentence construction errors, pronoun errors, punctuation errors, or contextual errors.
What’s the difference between copy editing and proofreading? Copy Editing and Proofreading are NOT the same things. They are separate stages of a writing project.
Copy Editing: The role of the copyeditor is as broad as it is important. Copyeditors correct spelling, grammar, usage, and punctuation, check cross-references, and prepare the style sheets that guide consistency and accuracy across the manuscript.
Proofreading: Proofreaders check the text for errors, including typographical errors and problems with typesetting specifications and page makeup. They compare the latest stage of the project to earlier stages and make sure changes have been made correctly. A proofreader has a very specific job. Essentially, a proofreader will do the following:
- Read the document.
- Find the errors.
- Mark the errors.
- Return the document.
How much do you charge, and how do I pay? I base my rates on the Editorial Freelancers Association guidelines. Much is dependent on the amount of polishing and correcting that is required for each project. I will also need an approximate word count and any deadlines that may apply. Without these, I can’t provide a quote or confirm my availability. I accept funds through PayPal.
Let’s make something together.
Christina's Proofreading 