Old cloth-bound classics on a wooden bookshelf.

Types of editing · Step 5 of 5 · the final pages

Proofread

One last look at the typeset pages before they go to print.

2.2¢ a word · $250 minimum

What you get

What the edit covers

Typos that slipped through

The small errors every book has, even after a copyedit.

Layout problems

Bad line and page breaks, a line stranded at the top or bottom of a page, page numbers, running heads, and a contents page that matches the chapters.

Ready for the printer

A clean set of pages you can send with confidence.

Is it right for your book?

When it fits, and when it doesn’t

It’s right for you if:

  • Your book is formatted and nearly ready to print.
  • It has been copyedited.
  • You want one last careful read by someone who hasn’t seen it before.

Choose something else if:

  • The text isn’t final yet. A copyedit comes first.
  • You want the writing improved. That’s a line edit.

Questions

Good to know

Why proofread after formatting?

Because turning a manuscript into book pages can introduce new problems, and only the final pages show them.

Can a proofreader fix bigger problems?

A proofreader will flag them. Rewriting at this stage means changing the layout too, so bigger changes cost more here than earlier.

Is a proofread part of formatting?

No, it’s separate. Formatting makes the pages; the proofread checks them.

Not sure which edit you need?

Tell us about your book. We’ll read a sample and recommend the edit it needs, with a written quote.