Proofreading
Proofreading is the first stage of any editing process. It consists of reviewing the text thoroughly for errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. The entire text is read through and manually edited to ensure the spelling, punctuation and grammar is absolutely perfect. This is a vital service for any budding author.
What types of text do you proofread?
Anything in a written form, really! I specialise in books, novels and other types of fiction proofreading.
Why does my book or novel need proofreading?
The long and short of it is that if your book contains spelling, punctuation or grammar errors, it is far less likely to find a publisher. As a writer, I'm sure you had a certain number of emotions or subtleties that you wanted to convey through your book. Mis-using punctuation and capitalisation (and the best of us do it) can very easily give a completely different meaning to pieces of text. The story you are trying to convey is absolutely paramount to your book or novel, so it's vital that you ensure the text is free of spelling and punctuation errors.
What does the proofreading service entail?
The book and novel proofreading service covers spelling, punctuation and grammar. I will ensure that your book or novel is free of spelling errors, uses correct punctuation in the right places and that it is grammatically sound.
What if I wrote things like that for a reason?
Fear not! I am a fiction writer myself, so I know how important style and effect is. It can be infuriating when proofreaders or editors change things because they think they know better or they don't understand the style and effect the writer is trying to convey. What sets me apart from other service providers is that I will take the time to talk through the piece with you in order to understand the elements of style you have used and the way in which you write for effect. It's paramount that your voice is not lost in the proofreading process.
How long does it take?
That really depends on the length of the text and my current workload. However, if you have a particular deadline, I will always meet it. I have even proofread full-length novels within a working day, as this testimonial shows:
"By ten o'clock that morning I was in a panic. The deadline for my novel was midnight and my work needed basic editing to bring it to completion. After a quick Google search I found Adam, who was most helpful. He reassured me and gave me a very good price. At 6:15pm the work was finished and in my inbox. He did a fabulous job and set my mind at ease with his professional manner. I would recommend him every time."
The above testimonial was kindly provided by a client for whom I proofread an 80,000 word fantasy novel with an extremely tight publication deadline and just goes to show what can be done in a short space of time.
How much does it cost?
The cost depends on a number of factors, including:
- The word count of the book or novel;
- The timeframe in which you need the work completed; and
- The level of correction required (a sample chapter is always useful to help me gauge this).
Please contact me for a quotation.