What is the difference between edit and proofread?
When they are told that proofreading and editing are two separate things, many people are surprised. At that point, many have asked me, “What is the difference between edit and proofread?” As Inigo famously said, “Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.”
Proofreading is a separate task from editing, and it does not and cannot take place at the same time as editing. Proofreading is conducted after the layout/formatting of the manuscript has been completed. The layout/formatting is done after the editing has been completed. So, it goes in this order:
- Research and planning (preferably with a developmental editor)
- Writing and revising
- Developmental editing
- Revising
- Line editing
- Revising
- Copy editing
- Revising
- Design/Layout/Formatting
- Proofreading
- Publishing
What is proofreading?
Proofreading is examining the proofs, which are sheets that are printed after everyone thinks a book or other publication is ready to go to press. These sheets are often called galleys. A professional checks them (proofreads or proofs them) to be sure every single thing about them is the way it is intended. When it is as close to perfect as they can get it, the book goes to press and is published.
Thanks to modern technology, we don’t have to print off every page of a manuscript to conduct a proofread any more, although that is still done by some publishing houses. Now, a proofreader can electronically examine each and every character and element in a book to be sure that everything is as it should be. It saves time and trees.
What does a proofreader do?
For instance, these might be in the set of things a proofreader is checking:
- Each page in the Front Matter list is present and error-free.
- Every instance of Heading 1 is centered and has 30 pts before and 10 pts after.
- Every instance of Heading 2 is centered with 10 pts before and 10 pts after.
- Every instance of Heading 3 is flush left with 10 pts before and no space after.
- The body font throughout is Palatino Linotype 12 pt.
- The captions are centered underneath each image.
- The yellow border on the callout boxes is uniform.
- There are no transpositions of letters in the text.
- Bulleted lists are standardized, parallel, and correct.
- All punctuation is correctly placed.
None of these, save the last, would be done by any of the editors—not the developmental editor(s), not the line editor(s), and not the copy editor(s).
Almost every time the term proofreading is used, it is being used incorrectly.
Every author should know the basics before hiring an editor or other service provider. That’s one of the reasons I gathered some colleagues to write Find a Real Editor: Avoiding the posers and scammers. It’s free. Please go get your copy now.
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