Investing in proofreading services to polish your content and apply your tone of voice is a great move for looking more professional. Get the best from a proofreader by understanding how to choose the right person and communicate with them. Done well, you’ll develop an easy relationship where you can rely on them to understand your needs quickly and deliver the results you need.
This blog will explain what a proofreader does, how to find a good fit and how to work with a proofreader.
What will a proofreader do?
Proofreaders are used once a manuscript or piece of text is complete. If you use editors to help create the text, the proofreader is the last editor to look at a piece of text before publication. Proofreaders are useful because no matter how many times a writer checks their text, there will always be mistakes that the writer or copy editor can’t see. Writing apps can help but there are things still only humans can catch and understand due to context, such as correcting the phrase ‘I own a car’ to ‘I won a car’.
You can find a proofreader who will work on whatever format or platform you prefer, whether that’s a PDF file, MS Word, Google Doc, Pages, or a Canva file. (Remember to keep the master copy for yourself before sharing a file in case anything goes wrong.)
A proofreader will also help correct formatting and layout issues by checking that margins, page numbers and images are placed in the best way, ensuring content looks the best it can.
Find a proofreader
There are many ways to find a proofreader and you can read my blog here. Always look for someone with:
- Training
- Experience
- References and testimonials
- Experience proofreading in the field you work in e.g. finance, social campaigns, e-commerce, animation
- An offer to proofread a few hundred words for free so that you can decide if they are the right fit for your needs.
If they have a portfolio on their website, have a look, but bear in mind that not all proofreaders can showcase their work due to client’s requesting confidentiality.
Allow for a reasonable amount of time
Proofreaders need time to do their job. You also need to build in time to allow yourself time to go over the corrections and comments they make. The average amount of time a proofreader can sit at a job is about six hours a day before it impacts their concentration, health, and wellbeing.
Also be aware that some proofreaders and editors charge additional fees if the turnaround is very tight and requires them to work unsocial hours.
Provide a project brief
Provide an explanation of the project and samples of similar work if possible, details of your brand style, house style or style sheet (if you have one), and anything else that will help your proofreader understand your goals, the context of your text, a description of your audience, your preferences, and concerns.
A basic brief should explain:
- What your document is (e.g. fiction, ghost story intended for 9-11 age range)
- Explain what the background or purpose of the text is (e.g. public health communication about the benefits of mindfulness and journaling)
- Who the audience is (women, age bracket 55-65, experience of casinos in the 1970s)
- What the client wants the proofreader to focus on (particular weaknesses)
- What the client does not want changed, (e.g. you want quotations and anything written in dialect to be left as is)
- How you want corrections to appear, (e.g., MS Word Track Changes, Canva comments, PDF comments, changes made directly onto the document)
- How many words/pages is the job?
- Are there illustrations, photos, tables, captions and graphs to check? (The proofreader will need extra time to check these).
- What is your preferred English (British-English, US-English, Canadian English, Australian-English, South African English)?
- State your preferred dictionary (e.g. Collins, Oxford, dictionary.com, Merriam Webster).
- Is there any other information the proofreader needs access to?
- Explain the Terms you expect the proofreader to agree to. Proofreaders running their own business will usually have a template for clients to agree to if the client does not have one. You can negotiate aspects of the agreement.
- How will the document be sent and returned (upload to shared folder in Google docs? Email? Courier?).
- If you want someone who is skilled in dealing with a particular type of writing or subject area (e.g. financial, academic, medical) state this in your job hire brief.
This should cover the basics and offer your proofreader a lot of information to go by, which means you will get a better quote and a better result.
If you give your proofreader the right type of information and enough time to get the work done, you can expect good results that should help you meet your goals. With more projects, you may even find yourself building a good long-term working relationship with your proofreader!
Would you like more advice?
Email hello@nazneenes.com if you have any questions – I’m always happy to help and advise (no hard sales, I promise).
