What is Proofreading?
WWW #61 What is Proofreading?
When you have written a manuscript and it has been edited fully, that is called a “proof.” AKA a manuscript ready for publication. This means there are no errors, all the editing has been done, and it should be ready for printing. Then, the final reading—called proofreading—should be completed.
As an editor, I often get asked for proofreading then receive an unedited or incomplete piece. Let's talk about the difference and what proofreading means in the publishing world.
Editing Versus Proofreading
As a student, you’ve probably heard the phrase, “Always have a proofreader review your work.” In that setting, this usually meant a classmate read your work, provided corrections, and gave feedback. It was a peer edit. The term was commonly used interchangeably but proofreading in the publishing industry does not mean reviewing a paper at just any stage. It exists at a very specific step in the process.
In the publishing industry, editing and proofreading are two different steps. Proofreading is done once all the editing has been completed and the work is clean of errors. The proofreading is a final reading to catch any last mistakes. If you've ever read a book, you know that one or two mistakes sometimes slip through. That's just a part of the game and that is why this last step is crucial to minimize that as much as possible.
Proofreading A Piece That Needs Editing: What Do You Do?
If you are proofreading a story for someone, what do you do if the story is not ready for proofreading and needs edits instead? If you are a new editor and have not come across this yet, it can feel awkward. On one side you want to help your client but on the other you can't hand out free edits when you’ve already been hired for only proofreading. Sometimes it is a simple misunderstanding and is something that just needs to be communicated. Here are a few ways to handle this:
Do not do the edits. As an editor, you usually have different prices for different services such as line-edits versus proofreading. Do not offer any free or extra work without being paid.
Complete your reading. Finish the proofreading as you would normally and if there are areas that are clean and need only one or two changes point them out as usual. For sections that need more work, make a note and provide those page numbers in your feedback to let the writer know that these areas are still in need of edits and are not ready for proofreading. Offer to do those edits (and provide a new cost estimate.) and continue the polishing process.
Before you accept a project, you must review the piece you are going to provide feedback on. This usually catches the mix-up of editing vs proofreading before you start.
I'm the helpful type that wants to do everything for everyone but it's good to have these boundaries in place when it comes to a miscommunication about what is needed for a piece. Most often it comes from a place where the writer might not understand the steps or believe everything has been edited but to a professional's eye, it is not at the necessary level yet. In short, communicate! Let them know what's going on and offer to change your services for a different price or complete the proofreading as is and then line up the next round of edits for the sections that need it.
I Want My Work Reviewed, Not Edited
Sometimes a writer mistakes proofreading for just getting general feedback on how their piece is doing as a whole. This is true but it belongs to the last step in the process. Here are some options that might fit their needs better. None of these options are in-line edits. These are all meant for review and feedback:
Manuscript Evaluations: A manuscript evaluation is when a new work is read-through by an editor to provide feedback on where the manuscript is in the editing process. In this stage I provide feedback on the condition of the manuscript as well as provide a road map for what kinds of edits and steps need to be taken to polish the work. This is a great first step!
Beta Reading: Beta reading or alpha reading is when a work has been edited and the writer needs general feedback on how the work is doing as a whole. This can be done in between editing stages or even after everything is edited but possible changes are coming.
Conclusion
In the publishing and writing world, there are many steps to editing and finishing a work. If you want someone to read your work and give basic feedback, you can get that via a manuscript evaluation, beta reading, or when everything else has been done—take the final step that is proofreading. It’s a lot of work but these steps are essential.
NOTE: This WWW was turned into a video and posted on YT. I am practicing making videos and was trying to submit it to schedule but accidentally posted it instead! Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZVBwcmPUIQ&ab_channel=DanniLynn