Do I Need a Professional Proofreader?

Why hire a professional proofreader?

You’ve completed your manuscript. It’s almost time to submit it to publishers. But before you send it off, one thing remains: it needs proofreading. Who will do it? Some writers choose to proofread their work themselves, or have their friends do it. However, there are professionals whose business it is to produce readable, accurate written material: trained, qualified and experienced proofreaders, who can help increase a writer’s chances of success.

 
What do proofreaders do?

Proofreading involves the examining of text, checking for spelling errors, grammatical errors, punctuation errors, lack of consistency in usage and layout (fonts, spacing, usage of bold, italics, underscore etc), for accuracy in the text and references and for typesetting errors. Proofreaders may work on books, magazines, newspapers, websites, specialist publications such as academic journals and technical manuals, newsletters, brochures and catalogues. This list is not exhaustive. Proofreading covers a lot but it does not include re-writing or changing the writing style of a document.

Five good reasons to hire a proofreader

1.     Proofreaders offer a trained, fresh pair of eyes. (Being over-familiar with your work, you will find it difficult to spot mistakes - inaccuracies will go unnoticed, and your brain will interpret what it wants or expects to read.)

2.    It may be more affordable than you think - rates vary and are often negotiable.

3.    By making sure that your documents are correct and error-free before sending them to the printers, you will save on the cost of having them re-printed, and save time.

4.    You will have flexibility concerning the proofreaders’ recommendations. For example, if using Word’s mark-up facility, a proofreader can mark suggested changes or make comments in red and you can choose whether to accept some or all of the changes.

5.    You will have more free time to concentrate on other aspects of your career, and on writing!
How much do proofreaders cost? How long will it take?
 
Freelance proofreaders usually negotiate their own fees and their rates are by the hour. The proofreader and client agree on a fee that is appropriate for both parties. The Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) suggests a minimum hourly rate of £19.25 ($29.16). However, in reality, proofreader rates vary and start at £12 ($18) per hour. Fixed fees are sometimes possible if the project is extensive.
 
The number of words proofread in an hour depends on the extent of a document's errors. For a straightforward document, a rate of about 10 pages per hour (with about 300 words per page) is the average. With poorly written text, a rate of 1,000 words per hour is more likely.
 
When setting rates, proofreaders consider the nature of the work (the command of English, severity of errors etc), the client’s budget, and the estimated time the project will take to proofread.
 
Tips on working with proofreaders
 
1.     Keep the manuscript simple.

 
2.     Be clear about your budget and be realistic about what you can expect a proofreader to do for the   money that you have available.

3.     Know the difference between editing and proofreading.

4.     Choose a professional with good training and/or experience and, where possible, the relevant subject specialism or skills.

5.     Brief the proofreader well, pay the proofreader reasonably and promptly, and make the most of their expertise.

6.     Provide the proofreader with your terms and conditions, or ask if they have their own.

7.     Give plenty of notice when there is a deadline, and let the proofreader know in reasonable time if the schedule changes.

8.     Make sure the proofreader has all the necessary final documents to proofread and the relevant information about the project and the people involved.

9.     Treat the proofreader as part of your team helping to bring your publication to fruition - encourage them to raise questions as necessary.

10.  Always acknowledge receipt of the proofed documents, and ask that they do the same when you send them the proofs.

11.  Give some constructive feedback at the end of the job.

12.  Feel free to send the proofreader a copy of the product when published.
 
(Source: the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) Using copy-editors and proofreaders. Available at: http://www.sfep.org.uk)
 
About the Author:

Alice McBrearty runs Spectrolight Proofreading, a professional proofreading service tailored to meet the needs of any company or individual involved in the production of text. Previous clients include Creative Writing Institute [www.cwinst.com], university and college students and non-native English speakers. She is a graduate, trained and certified by the pre-eminent publishing training organisation, the Publishing Training Centre in London, and an Associate of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders.
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Visit: www.spectrolightproofreading.wordpress.com