Service VI
Proofreading
The final quality check that protects your story from the small errors that can undermine a reader's confidence in your work.
What It Is
Bring your book to the finish line.
Proofreading is the last stage before your manuscript goes to publication. By this point, the story is strong, the prose is refined, and the technical editing is complete. Proofreading catches what's left: typos, formatting inconsistencies, stray punctuation, and any errors introduced during the final layout process. It's not a stage to skip — small errors in a published book signal carelessness to readers and reviewers, no matter how good the story is.
What's Included
The final pass, done right.
- ✦Spelling and word accuracy (Chicago Manual of Style)
- ✦Grammar and punctuation for clarity
- ✦Quotation mark and dialogue formatting
- ✦Numbers, dates, and units consistency
- ✦Scene and transition marker review
- ✦Chapter heading and formatting verification
- ✦Final consistency cross-check against copy edit materials
- ✦Hyphenation and line-break issues (formatted manuscripts)
- ✦Header, footer, and page number checks
- ✦Chapter-by-chapter report for easy application
Transparent Pricing
The most affordable stage of editing.
Shorter Works
25,000 – 60,000 words
$125
reg. $200
Standard Length
60,000 – 95,000 words
$295
reg. $500
Extended Length
95,000 – 120,000 words
$495
reg. $800
Proofreading requires that developmental editing and copy editing have already been completed. Submitting an unedited manuscript for proofreading is not recommended — proofreading is not a substitute for editing.
The Process
Fast, careful, and final.
Submit your formatted manuscript
Send us your manuscript after developmental and copy editing are complete and all prior revisions have been applied. Proofreading works on near-final, formatted text.
Final line-by-line read
We read through the full manuscript carefully, noting every typo, formatting inconsistency, punctuation error, and missed correction — with a cross-check against any style sheet from the copy editing stage.
Chapter-by-chapter report delivered
Within approximately two weeks you receive a final chapter-by-chapter report. Apply the corrections, and your manuscript is publication-ready.
Common Questions
Answers before you start.
Can I submit for proofreading without a prior copy edit?
We recommend against it. Proofreading catches the last few errors in an already-clean manuscript. If your manuscript hasn't been copy edited, what you need is copy editing — proofreading alone won't catch the volume or type of errors present.
Do you proofread e-book and print files?
Yes. Whether you're submitting a Word document, a formatted PDF, or a prepared e-book file, we can work with your format. Let us know your intended publication format when you submit.
Is proofreading the same as a final copyedit?
They're similar in scope but serve different purposes. A final copy edit assumes the manuscript still needs technical corrections. Proofreading assumes the manuscript is substantially clean and looks for what slipped through — including errors introduced by formatting and layout.
Get Started
Let's see if
we're a fit.
Show us what you have and we'll show you what we can do. Start with a First-Act Story Audit for $59 — a professional review of your opening chapters with no commitment required.