Frequently Asked Questions

Proofreading is the act of reading written work, either hard copy (on paper), or digitally (on screen), and correcting mistakes, such as spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency.

Copy editing includes all the elements of proofreading but also drills down into the more technical aspects of putting words together. A copy edit will also point out any factual or descriptive inconsistencies.

This includes anything from light editing, with minimal changes to make the writing clearer, or substantial, including almost complete rewriting.

Proofreading your own work is notoriously difficult, not only because you can’t correct misspelt words if you don’t know they’re wrong in the first place, but because your brain sees what it expects to see, instead of what is actually there. This is why a second pair of trained eyes looking over your writing is essential to pick up any missed errors before you publish or submit your document.

Our team will proofread or copy edit work in any format, whether hard copy (on paper) or digitally. We use Word with track changes so you can see the amendments and will also provide a clean copy with all the changes made. We also edit PDFs using comments and tools to show the revisions.

Please note that proofreading is very different from reading for pleasure and involves so much more than just quickly scanning the text. Getting the job done properly can take longer than you would expect. This time is lengthened even more if the text is to be edited.

The first document from an author will take longer as we tune in to the style of that writer (see Prices for details about introductory rates), but subsequent documents won’t take as long.

If you are employing a proofreader or copy editor, the main reason is your desire for accuracy, and this can’t be rushed.