Get the best from your proofreader by understanding how to select someone and communicate with them.

Proofreaders are used at the end of revising texts

Proofreaders are best used when a manuscript/piece of writing is complete (and after copyediting if you have used a copyeditor) but before publishing/making your document public. You text can be sent as a Word or Google document, a PDF, or a design on Canva. If you make changes to the content of your document or manuscript after the proofreader has looked at it, small errors may creep in which you will probably miss because our brain finds it hard to spot mistakes in our own work.

Find a proofreader

There are many ways to find and hire a proofreader. Always look for someone with training and experience, and who can provide references and testimonials. If they have a portfolio on their website, have a close look but bear in mind that not all proofreaders can showcase their work due to confidentiality reasons. If you want someone who is skilled in dealing with a particular type of writing/subject area (eg. financial, academic, medical, science fiction novels) state this in your job hire brief.

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 mark ups (corrections and comments). The average amount of time a proofreader can sit at a job is about 6 hours before it impacts their concentration, health, and wellbeing. 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, your style sheet (if you have one), and anything else that will help your proofreader understand context, readership, 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 mark ups to appear, (e.g., red text boxes, MS Word Track Changes, Canva comments, PDF comments, changes to be 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)?
• Do you have a preferred dictionary (eg Collins, Oxford, Chicago, Merriam Webster)?
• Is there any other information the proofreader needs access to?
• Is there a house style? (Corporates and publishing houses will have these but all writers and small businesses should have one too). If you don’t, you can ask your proofreader to make one for you – it’s an add on that will be worth it in the long-term. You can also create one yourself – the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) offers a guide you can purchase.
• Do you have a set of 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?).

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.

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