Proofreading

Proofreading is the final stage of the editing process. It takes place after copyediting (or copy editing) and before publication, and involves reviewing the suggestions and corrections that the copyeditor (or copy editor) has made and comparing them against the original manuscript to determine what should be fixed and what can be ignored. While proofreading and copyediting may sound similar, they are two separate steps in the editing process. Proofreaders cannot make suggestions, they can only fix small typos and errors the copyeditor and/or author may have missed.

This may seem daunting, but for the most part, proofreaders only need to follow a style guide. A style guide is a set of standards for writing and formatting that written material must follow. Some well known style guides include MLA, APA, and Chicago. Which style guide a proofreader uses is determined by the client or organization they work for. Most literary publications will use Chicago. There are also in-house style guides, which are specific to individual publishers.

Not only do style guides have rules for grammar, they also include something called proofreader’s marks. As you may have guessed from the name, proofreader’s marks are symbols and abbreviations a proofreader may use to indicate typos and errors. They are usually handwritten. Symbols are placed in between lines of text, while abbreviations go in the margins. If the manuscript doesn’t have enough space for this placement, arrows may be used to indicate where the symbol or abbreviation is supposed to go. Proofreader’s marks may vary between style guides and languages. Some publishers will even have in-house proofreader’s marks. Knowing which marks to use where is one of the most significant parts of a proofreader’s job.

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About the author: Bhagwati Narwate is working towards an English degree at Kennesaw State University. They have been published in their campus’ undergraduate literary magazine, Waymark. Their favorite genres to read and write are fantasy and romance. Once in a blue moon they will try their hand at poetry. Currently they are endeavoring to complete a novel while getting sidetracked by various short stories and side projects. You can find them on Instagram: @nar.writes.