Copyediting & Proofreading

How many times have you been reading a website or an email only to be confused by a misspelled word or an office “manger” instead of “manager” (a popular error in resumes, by the way). These are the type of mistakes spell checkers miss. This is why having a profession review your documents is a good idea.

Proofreading

When proofreading a document, here is a small list of what I’m looking for:

• Homonyms -  Examples: “affect” versus “effect”, “die” versus “dye”, “elicit” versus “illicit”, “tic” versus “tick”, etc.
• Readability – Can someone who knows nothing about your subject understand the message you are attempting to convey?
• Spelling and Punctuation
• Subject-verb agreement – Example: “Maggie and Frank is coming”, instead of “Maggie and Frank are coming.”
• Typos – Examples: “manger” instead of “manager”, “you” when it was supposed to be “your”.

A properly proofread document allows your message to shine without confusion or distraction. I adhere to the The Chicago Manual of Style but can also work according to The Associated Press Stylebook.

Editing

The difference between editing and proofreading is simply described as a heavier hand. When I edit a document, I check the items above and go into:

• Audience Suitability: Will the intended audience be engaged and understand the message?
• Fact-checking: Dates, names, locations, and other assertions are double-checked for accuracy.
• Tone: I check for consistency and appropriateness.

The Process

I use Microsoft Word and track the proofreading corrections and edits with the Track Changes option which will show the changes in red. If you agree with the changes, you have two choices: you can go correction by correction to approve the edit or you can use the Accept All Changes option. If you have concerns, we can review the corrections and edits to ensure satisfaction.

Pricing and Turnover

My prices are quite affordable and your project’s cost is easy to determine:

Proofreading – $4.25 USD per page (page = 275 words)
Editing – $6.75 USD per page (page = 275 words)

Example: If you have a 2,000 word document,that is the equivalent of eight pages which would cost you $34 to have proofread or $54 to have edited.

Turnover is dependent upon two things: the length of the document and the date of deposit. Work can generally start one business day after the deposit is received. Please contact me directly with your circumstances for more information.