Frequently Asked

Questions

General

  • Proofreading is the final stage of editing before a manuscript is considered complete. It involves checking for mistakes such as typos, spelling and grammar mishaps, repeated words, omitted words, and other objective errors.

    Importantly, it does not involve polishing prose, rewriting sentences, or changing words—those would be handled during a previous stage of editing, often called copyediting or line editing.

    Here’s an example. Take this snippet:

    “you lousy dragon!”, he shouted loudly. ‘I should’ve have hidedn your gold in a hidden place when I the chance!”

    A proofreader (that’s me!) would only edit the actual errors:

    “You lousy dragon!” he shouted loudly. “I should’ve hidden your gold in a hidden place when I had the chance!”

    Meanwhile, a copy editor (or line editor) would additionally work on clarity, word choice, and phrasing. They might come up with something like this:

    “You lousy dragon!” he bellowed. “I should’ve hidden your gold when I had the chance!”

    Currently, I don’t offer copyediting or line editing services. In addition, I don’t provide fact-checking, book formatting, or feedback on craft elements like story structure, character arcs, or worldbuilding. I’ll be sure to update you if I add those services in the future, though!

  • Unfortunately, no proofreader can guarantee that they’ll catch every single mistake—we’re only human, after all! What I can guarantee, though, is that I’ll treat your story with the same time, respect, and attention to detail that I use with my own novels, and that I’ll leverage every trick I’ve picked up over the years to make sure your final draft shines.

  • Sure! If you are considering DIY proofreading, though, there are some key factors to consider—mainly revolving around time versus money.

    Do you have the time and mental energy to spend days going through your manuscript, making sure you read slowly so you don’t miss anything? Beyond that, do you have sufficient time to let your final draft sit for at least two weeks (preferably more) between editing passes, giving yourself distance from the story so your eyes don’t skim over words you’ve already read a hundred times?

    In addition, do you have a strong grasp of spelling and grammar? And do you have a history of noticing mistakes in the written word, both in other people’s work and your own?

    If so, then self-proofreading could be an option for you! If not (or if you’d rather spend that time working on your next novel), then you might want to consider hiring a professional to take that task off your plate.

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Services

  • Publishing a book is stressful enough already, so I try to make the process of getting proofreading services as simple as possible.

    First, you’ll go here to purchase your word count package. (If you want an Express Package, just make sure to contact me first!)

    You’ll receive your receipt via email within a few minutes. Meanwhile, you’ll be directed to an intake form where you’ll fill out all the information I need to whip up your contract (name, contact email address, phone number, etc.)

    After that, I’ll email you within twenty-four hours with your contract. If everything looks good, you’ll digitally sign it and send your manuscript to me via Microsoft Word (preferred) or Google Docs. (If you don’t use either of those, contact me to discuss other options.)

    After that, your job is done for now! I’ll save a copy of your manuscript and use Word’s Track Changes feature to mark up any errors, adding explanatory comments as necessary. Using Track Changes ensures that you won’t lose any intentional “mistakes” (e.g., if your character canonically speaks with imperfect grammar and I try to “correct” it, you can just reject those changes).

    Once I’m finished, I’ll email your proofread manuscript back to you! You’ll be able to check out each of my edits individually and choose whether to accept or reject each one. (Just make sure to save it to your computer or the cloud.) In addition, you’ll have two weeks of unlimited email support from me in case you have any questions about corrections I made!

    And that’s everything—until your next novel is ready to be polished, at least. 😊

  • You’re in luck! All of my packages come with two weeks of unlimited email support built in after I return your manuscript to you. Just reply to my most recent email with your questions, and I’ll get back to you within two business days. (And I’ll make sure to send you one last email the day before that two-week period is over, just in case you have any last concerns!)

  • I know how catastrophic a slipped deadline can be, whether that’s missing the opportunity to submit to a magazine or having to push back a pre-order (perish the thought). That’s why my turnaround times might seem slower than you’re used to: I keep them conservative to ensure that you have a date you can rely on, no matter how busy I might be. In fact, there’s a high probability that I’ll be able to finish your manuscript several days before the “official” turnaround time.

    With that being said, if you want to bump your project to the top of my list and guarantee a quicker turnaround time, my Express Packages cut my turnaround time roughly in half for an extra charge.

    (And if, you know, my house blows up or I have an unforeseen medical emergency, I’ll obviously contact you as soon as possible to discuss our options.)

  • The only difference between the Standard and Express Packages is the turnaround time—if you purchase an Express Package, I’ll prioritize getting your manuscript back to you as quickly as possible, with my “guaranteed” date usually being around half the time of a Standard Package. (Please see “How do turnaround times work?” for more details.)

  • I know how many expenses are involved in self-publishing a novel, so I try to make my pricing as fair, predictable, and transparent as possible. Instead of calculating a different cost for each individual manuscript, I use preset packages to encompass a range of word counts, making it easier to budget—for example, if your books are always between 45,000 and 55,000 words, you know you’ll pay the same price every time!

    For easy comparison purposes, when you break down my packages mathematically, most of the prices range from $0.01 to $0.02 per word, depending on your specific word count. (The only exception is the “4,999 words or fewer” package, since a piece of flash fiction of 1,000 words will obviously cost more per word than a short story of 4,000 words.)

  • Depending on the length of your manuscript, proofreading can definitely be an investment. All of my packages come with options like Klarna, Affirm, and AfterPay, but if you’d like a custom payment plan, please contact me to discuss your options! (If you’re a new customer, it’ll be limited to half of the cost up front and half upon completion of the project, but if you’ve been around for a while, we might have some more flexibility.)

  • Hit the purchase button before you were ready? No problem—you can receive a full refund until I begin working on your project. However, once your contract is signed and you’ve sent me your manuscript, I unfortunately can’t offer refunds. But please contact me if life happens and you need to set up a different payment plan!

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About Me

  • Even though proofreading is one of the “lightest” editing touches on your manuscript, it’s still important to work with a proofreader you trust. As an indie author myself, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to show your story to someone—especially when that person’s job is to find errors!

    Please know that I’ll treat your story with the same meticulous care that I take with my own. I get frequent practice proofreading with my own manuscripts, and I’m dedicated to always improving my craft—in fact, you can check out my proofreading certification here!

    And I didn’t just decide to become a proofreader out of the blue. I did it because several of my friends—many of whom are indie authors themselves—thought that my skills could benefit other writers, especially self-publishers without access to a publishing house’s resources. A rising tide lifts all boats, and helping your story shine is my little way of giving back to our community.

  • I do! While there’s no “official” coursework or certification for proofreaders in the United States, I am a graduate of Proofread Anywhere (and passed the final exam with a 100%!). You can view my certificate here.

  • I usually work with manuscripts written in American English, although I’m also open to proofreading in British, Canadian, and Australian English—just let me know when you send your manuscript! I also tend to use The Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster as references, but if you have a preferred style guide or dictionary that’s freely accessible online, contact me to see if I can accommodate you.

  • While I mainly work with indie genre fiction authors, I’m certainly open to other projects! Whether that means you’re in a different niche (such as erotica, horror, memoir, or nonfiction) or you want a second set of eyes before you start querying traditional publishing houses, I’m game to proofread multiple types of manuscripts.

    However, there are a few topics that I won’t accept:

    • Anything that promotes hate speech (i.e., having a racist/homophobic/etc. character is fine, but a narrative that endorses and promotes hatred towards a marginalized group is not)

    • Intense horror or gore (feel free to contact me to check—I have a healthcare background, so my “intense” might be different from your “intense”)

    • Very taboo or illegal kinks (as a general rule, if Amazon explicitly forbids it [e.g., incest, bestiality, pedophilia, etc.], I’m probably not comfortable with it, but feel free to contact me to check)

    If you have any questions about whether I’d be a good fit for your story, I encourage you to contact me and ask! No judgment.

  • I have another answer! Contact me here to get started.