This article is an in-depth guide to proofreading. It is for authors who want to bring their books to a publishable level, whether that means understanding the self-publishing process or learning what to expect from the traditional publishing process.

What is proofreading?

I want to start this article with a little personal note. Proofreading is NOT fixing typos and making corrections. That’s copy editing. If that’s what you’re after, go see this guide to copy editing.

Proofreading is the final quality check carried out after a book has been edited and formatted. The proofreader examines the pages or ebook files that the reader will receive, looking for mistakes that survived the earlier edits or were introduced during typesetting.

This timing is important. A proofreader is not there to restructure chapters, improve character development, rewrite awkward passages, or make substantial changes to the author’s style. That work should already be complete. By the proofreading stage, the words and their arrangement on the page should be close to final.

The editorial process will usually follow this order:

  1. Developmental editing addresses the book’s structure, content, and larger problems.
  2. Line editing improves the clarity, rhythm, tone, and flow of the prose.
  3. Copy editing corrects sentence-level errors and makes the manuscript consistent.
  4. Proofreading checks the formatted book for any remaining textual or visual mistakes.

A print proof will normally be supplied as a PDF because its page size, line breaks, images, headers, and page numbers need to remain fixed while it is checked. An ebook may require a different process because its text reflows according to the reader’s device and settings. Some proofreaders also work in Word, especially when a book has not been professionally typeset, but the final formatted version should still be checked before publication.

Proofreading is needed because even a carefully edited manuscript can acquire new problems during production. A paragraph might be duplicated when files are combined, italics might disappear, a heading might be given the wrong style, or an image might move away from its caption. The final check protects the book from both old errors and new ones.

The aim is not absolute perfection; no human process can promise that every mistake will be found. Instead, proofreading gives the finished book a careful, systematic check so that errors do not distract the reader or undermine the author’s credibility.

Please note that when self-publishing and working on a budget it is typical to skip the proofreading stage, or do it yourself.

What does a proofreader look for?

A proofreader looks at both the words and the way those words appear on the page.

At the text level, they check for:

  • spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors;
  • missing, repeated, or transposed words;
  • duplicated or omitted sentences and paragraphs;
  • incorrect capitalisation, hyphenation, and number styles;
  • inconsistent names, terms, abbreviations, and forms of English;
  • stray spaces and incorrect quotation marks, dashes, apostrophes, or ellipses; and
  • mistakes in captions, footnotes, references, tables, and other supporting material included in the brief.

The copy editor’s style sheet is particularly useful. If it records that the book uses email rather than e-mail, single quotation marks rather than double, or a particular spelling for an invented place, the proofreader can make sure those decisions have survived the production process. They should not quietly replace an agreed style with their personal preference.

For a printed book, the proofreader also examines the layout. They may identify:

  • inconsistent heading styles, fonts, spacing, or indentation;
  • incorrect page numbers and running heads;
  • awkward page or line breaks;
  • a heading stranded at the bottom of a page;
  • very short lines left at the beginning or end of a paragraph across a page break;
  • illustrations separated from their captions;
  • missing or incorrectly placed text; and
  • discrepancies between chapter titles, page numbers, and the contents page.

Some layout decisions are matters of design rather than errors. A proofreader should follow the publisher’s or designer’s specifications instead of attempting to redesign the book. When the correct treatment is uncertain, they will query the point rather than impose a solution.

Ebooks bring different concerns. Page numbers and fixed line breaks may not apply, but the proofreader may check the navigation, links, chapter breaks, special characters, images, lists, and how the text behaves with different settings. Technical testing across devices and applications can be a separate service, so an author should confirm whether it is included.

Fact-checking is also limited at this stage. A proofreader may notice that a date is impossible or that two spellings of a person’s name appear, but they will not normally verify every claim or source. Likewise, they may flag a confusing sentence, but they should avoid rewriting settled prose unless an obvious error makes a small change essential.

Proofreading vs. copy editing

Proofreading and copy editing overlap because both can involve spelling, punctuation, grammar, and consistency. The difference lies in the stage of production, the depth of the work, and how much can safely be changed.

Copy editing happens while the manuscript can still be changed relatively freely. A copy editor works sentence by sentence, correcting errors, resolving inconsistencies, checking continuity, querying doubtful facts, and making light changes for clarity. They also create or update the style sheet that records the book’s editorial decisions.

Proofreading happens after those decisions have been made and the book has been formatted. Every correction at this stage can affect line endings, page breaks, the contents page, the index, or the position of an image. The proofreader therefore makes the smallest change that solves the problem.

Consider this sentence:

Walking into the room, the portrait above the fireplace caught Nina’s attention.

A copy editor would recognise the dangling modifier and might change it to:

As Nina walked into the room, the portrait above the fireplace caught her attention.

A proofreader may still flag the problem if everybody else has missed it. However, they should not be discovering this kind of sentence throughout the book. If they are, the manuscript probably needed a copy edit before it was typeset.

Now imagine that the corrected sentence appears in the printed proof as:

As Nina walked walked into the room, the portrait above the fireplace caught her attention

The repeated word and missing full stop are classic proofreading errors. The same is true of a paragraph that appears twice, a chapter title that differs from the contents page, or a line of text hidden behind an image.

A proofread is therefore not a cheaper version of a copy edit. Asking a proofreader to repair an unedited manuscript creates a difficult choice: either they work beyond the agreed brief or they leave problems that proofreading was never intended to solve. If your book still needs substantial sentence-level correction, start with copy editing and arrange the proofread once the edited text has been formatted.

Now let us look at the actual process.

The proofreading process

You will find that each proofreader brings their own process, but this is a typical workflow.

The process begins with a clear brief. The proofreader needs to know the intended audience, form of English, chosen style, file format, deadline, and exactly which elements they are expected to check. A novel consisting almost entirely of running text requires a different approach from an illustrated history containing captions, tables, references, and an index.

You should normally provide:

  • the complete, final proof rather than separate or unfinished chapters;
  • the copy editor’s style sheet;
  • any publisher or house-style instructions;
  • a list of known issues or late changes;
  • the approved manuscript if the proofreader is expected to compare it with the typeset pages; and
  • clear instructions about how corrections should be marked.

PDFs are often marked with comments and standard annotation tools. A proofreader working in Word may use Track Changes and comments. Traditional proofreading symbols can still be used on paper or electronic proofs, but only if the author or designer can interpret them. The best method is the one that makes every correction clear and unambiguous to the person who will apply it.

The proofreader then works through the book systematically. They check the text, headings, page furniture, contents page, illustrations, captions, notes, references, and other elements covered by the brief. Some proofreaders make more than one pass, separating the close reading of the text from mechanical checks such as page numbers and running heads. Keeping these checks separate makes visual errors less likely to be missed while the proofreader is concentrating on the story or argument.

Once the marked proof is returned, the author, publisher, or typesetter reviews the corrections. Proofreaders do not usually make changes directly to the typesetting file, so somebody else must apply their marks. Queries need to be answered, and unnecessary last-minute rewriting should be resisted. A new sentence added at this point can introduce a new error or alter the layout of several pages.

A corrections proof should then be produced. You should not simply assume that every mark was followed. Each correction needs to be checked in context because it may have been misunderstood, applied in the wrong place, or created another problem. Changed line endings can affect page breaks, and a corrected heading can alter the contents page.

The quotation should state whether this final check is included. A full second proofread is rarely necessary if the first proof was stable and the corrections were limited, but every applied correction should be verified. The author should also keep careful control of file versions so that an older, uncorrected proof is not published by mistake.

Examples of proofreading

The easiest way to understand proofreading is to look at the types of error found in an otherwise finished book.

Correcting a typographical error

Proof:

The lantern cast a pool of ligt across the floor.

Correction:

The lantern cast a pool of light across the floor.

This is a simple typographical error. The proofreader makes the correction without changing the wording or rhythm of the sentence.

Removing a repeated word

Proof:

Daniel checked the lock before before he left.

Correction:

Daniel checked the lock before he left.

Repeated words can be surprisingly difficult for an author to spot because the brain tends to read the intended sentence. They are also easily introduced when text is copied, pasted, or amended during production.

Preserving a consistent style

Imagine that the style sheet specifies towards throughout a British novel, but one page contains:

She moved toward the window.

The proofreader would change toward to towards. Both forms are valid, so this is not a question of one spelling being universally correct. The correction preserves the style already chosen for the book.

Identifying a layout error

A chapter heading appears as the final line on a right-hand page, while the first paragraph begins on the next page. The words themselves are correct, but the heading has become separated from the text it introduces. The proofreader marks the heading to move with the following paragraph.

Other layout errors might include a paragraph with the wrong indentation, an unexpected font change, a blank page carrying a running head, or the final line of a paragraph stranded at the top of a new page. The exact correction may depend on the book’s design, so the proofreader describes the problem clearly for the typesetter.

Correcting the contents page and page furniture

The contents page lists chapter seven as The Long Journey, while the chapter opening reads A Long Journey. The proofreader queries which title is correct and asks for the two locations to be made consistent.

They will take the same approach when a contents-page number points to the wrong page, a running head contains the previous chapter’s title, or a cross-reference directs the reader to the wrong section. These details are easy to miss when each part is read in isolation, which is why a proofreader checks them against one another.

Proofreading costs

Proofreaders charge by the word, page, hour, or complete project. A fixed project fee is often easiest for an author because the total is known before the work begins. The proofreader will usually calculate that fee after seeing a representative sample of the actual formatted proof.

The Editorial Freelancers Association’s 2026 rate chart reports fiction proofreading rates of 1.2–2.0 US cents per word, or $35–$45 per hour. At the per-word rate, proofreading an 80,000-word novel would cost roughly $960–$1,600. The chart reports 2.0–3.0 cents per word, or $40–$55 per hour, for general non-fiction.

For a UK comparison, the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading’s suggested minimum rates list £31.92 per hour for proofreading in 2026–27. This is a suggested minimum rather than a compulsory price, and an individual proofreader may charge more according to their experience and the demands of the project.

These figures are benchmarks, not quotations. The cost of a particular proofread will depend on:

  • the word count and number of pages;
  • the condition of the text and formatting;
  • the complexity of the layout;
  • the number of tables, images, captions, footnotes, and references;
  • whether the proof must be compared with an earlier manuscript;
  • the subject and any specialist knowledge required;
  • the file format and method of marking corrections;
  • the deadline; and
  • whether checking the corrections proof is included.

A clean novel will normally be faster to proofread than a heavily illustrated textbook of the same length. A document containing frequent errors may also need to be returned for further editing or formatting before the proofread can continue. This is why a reliable proofreader will want to see the real file instead of quoting from the word count alone.

When comparing prices, make sure each proofreader is offering the same service. One quotation may include the contents page, references, ebook, and corrections check, while another covers only the main text of the print PDF. The lower quotation may not remain cheaper once the missing work is added.

How to choose a proofreader

A good proofreader needs patience, concentration, sound editorial judgement, and the ability to notice patterns as well as isolated mistakes. Being good at spelling is not enough. The proofreader must understand publishing conventions, follow a brief, respect the book’s established style, and explain every correction clearly.

Look first for relevant experience. A proofreader who regularly works on novels will understand dialogue, fictional names, and the need to preserve an author’s voice. Someone working on academic or specialist non-fiction may need experience with citations, tables, equations, or a particular subject. If the book has a complex illustrated layout or will be released as an ebook, ask whether the proofreader has handled that format before.

Training and professional membership can provide useful evidence of commitment, but neither guarantees that somebody is right for your book. Examples of relevant projects, testimonials, and a small sample are often more revealing. A sample should show whether the proofreader finds genuine errors, avoids unnecessary rewriting, and marks corrections in a way you and your typesetter can follow.

Before booking, agree in writing:

  • which files and parts of the book will be checked;
  • whether the work includes text, layout, or both;
  • the style guide and form of English to be followed;
  • whether references, links, an index, or ebook functionality are included;
  • how corrections and queries will be marked;
  • whether a corrections check is included;
  • the price, payment terms, start date, and delivery date;
  • what happens if the proof requires substantially more work than expected; and
  • how the manuscript will be stored and kept confidential.

It is also sensible to ask how the proofreader uses automated tools and artificial intelligence. Spellcheckers and specialist consistency software can support a careful human read, but they cannot understand every context and should not replace it. If any part of the book will be uploaded to a generative-AI service, the proofreader should explain the privacy implications and obtain your permission first.

Be wary of anyone who promises a perfect, error-free book, offers an implausibly fast turnaround, or cannot define the difference between proofreading and editing. A professional proofreader should be honest about the limits of the service and willing to tell you if the manuscript is not ready.

Finally, choose someone who communicates clearly. Proofreading is a restrained form of editing, but it still involves judgement. You need to trust that the proofreader will correct genuine mistakes, query uncertain points, and leave deliberate choices alone. When that balance is right, the finished book reaches the reader with errors corrected and the author’s deliberate choices intact.