Proofreading

What is proofreading?

Proofreading is the last read-through prior to hitting the ‘Publish’ button. 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 will 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
  • 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
  • Word using Track Changes if no other option available

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 view the document prior to quoting.