Proofreading

What is proofreading?

Proofreading is the last read-through prior to hitting the ‘Publish’ button. Aside from the usual spelling, punctuation and grammar issues, it’s the last chance to make sure that the following items are correct, just to mention a few:

  • Layout – is everything in order and are the margins correct?
  • The text itself – are there any spelling, punctuation or grammar errors? Are there any copy editing changes which may not have been taken up correctly?
  • The table of contents – are all relevant items included, are they correct and are the page references correct?
  • Page headers and footers – if one shows the chapter’s title, do they all update correctly from section to section? Are they all aligned correctly and consistently? Do they reflect the correct page numbers? Are they supressed on blank pages or section break pages, if desired?
  • Image captions – do they relate to that image? If numbered, is the numbering correct?
  • Title page – do the title, sub-title and author name match the imprint page and the cover?
  • Cover – do the title, sub-title and author name match the imprint page and the title pages in the book?

There may be other things to check and, depending on the publication itself, not all of the above will apply, but this should give you an idea of some of the things a proofreader looks out for.

What do I proofread?

  • Annual reports
  • Biographies (and autobiographies)
  • Job ads (you don’t want to put your best candidates off by having a badly written ad!)
  • Marketing materials (digital and physical)
  • Non-fiction
  • Novels and other works of fiction
  • Position descriptions
  • Websites

What don’t I proofread?

  • Academic writing
  • Theses

What formats do I proofread in?

  • PDF using mark-up/comments
  • Printed, hand-marked, scanned and emailed back (a surcharge may apply for printing)
  • Screenshot web pages with notes added if only minor alterations needed
  • MS Word using Track Changes

Why choose me?

After obtaining my Diploma of Professional Writing (Professional Editing & Proofreading) from the Australian College of Journalism in 2005, I began freelancing as a proofreader, quickly picking up work from business people and several organisations.

In 2008 I sat the Accreditation exam for IPEd (The Institute of Professional Editors Limited) and became one of the first 108 Accredited editors in the country. I held Professional membership of IPEd for 10 years until 2018, when I let it lapse due to my increased focus on building IndieMosh, the self-publishing service I developed for Australian authors.

I am currently an Associate member of IPEd and still enjoy copy editing and proofreading.

What are my rates?

As at July 2025 my proofreading rates are generally $0.03 (or 3 cents) per word, or $80 per hour ex-GST. (I am not currently registered for GST.)

I will usually quote on a per-word basis and then time the job. If the total time taken times my hourly rate is less than 90% of the cost when using the word count times the per word rate, then you will only be charged the actual time taken.

Please note that I will ask to review the document prior to quoting. If the quote is accepted, I will require a 50% deposit prior to commencement, with the balance payable on completion.

Find out more

If you have a project you’d like an obligation-free quote on, or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out via my Contact page.