by There are people who can spot mistakes, and then there are professional proofreaders. If your blog, dissertation, story, website, or other content needs to be reviewed, then you should consider hiring a professional to help. Finding a proofreader to review your content is not as difficult as you may expect. With so many qualified proofreaders to choose from, you are sure to find a perfect match. If you are ready to take your content to the next level, keep on reading.
Mistake-Proof Your Content
Creating binge-worthy content for your website or writing an epic adventure for your readers is only one part of the creative journey. Completing a manuscript, populating a blog, or even finalizing a white paper is only a small part of what it takes to generate publishable content. Before you send your work over to a freelance editor, you need to have a proofreader take a pass at it first. You might be surprised at how many people jump from content creation and cover design straight to editing and publishing. The result is a finished product that has avoidable errors, misused words, and even formatting errors that can turn a fan into a disgruntled opponent.
Don’t Let Small Mistakes Ruin Your Reputation
Hiring a proofreader is one of the most crucial stages of content creation, manuscript finalization, and book publishing. In fact, you should never publish anything on the internet or send it to print unless it has undergone at least two passes with a skilled proofreading expert. Working with an experienced proofreader will ensure that your writing is free from errors, typos, and inconsistencies in grammar. To the average person, or even to a new writer, fundamental mistakes may seem insignificant. However, these minor mistakes can represent the difference between a polished piece and a publication that reeks of unprofessionalism. Even the smallest mistakes allowed to go to print can damage your reputation as a writer, which is why hiring a skilled proofreader is essential.
Who Should Hire A Proofreader?
Professional proofreaders are not only accessible to those looking to publish a book. Just about anyone who writes for any reason can hire a proofreader to review their content for errors. Many writers who are creating content in something other than their native language often will hire help. Academics, authors, bloggers, and even college students may even hire a proofreader to help them create a polished piece. Publishers and ghostwriters are well known to hire several proofreaders to review all manner of content to ensure everything is perfect before it goes to print.
Why Should You Hire a Proofreader?
Have you ever picked up a newspaper or book looking for important information only to get distracted by typos? Perhaps you settled down to read a fascinating story but were met with misspellings, out-of-place words, or worse, bad formatting. Well, as much as you may have disliked the experience, chances are your target reader will dislike them even more. Proofreading is also essential for brand copy, website content, and anything else that contains more than a few sentences. Hiring an expert proofreader will give you peace of mind in knowing that your content, book, or copy is error-free.
What to Look For in a Proofreader
Finding the right proofreader for your project may take some time, but when you find a worthy one, hold onto them. There is a diverse selection of proofreading professionals to choose from online, so you are sure to find one that fits your budget. Before you take the plunge and hire a proofreader, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Following these tips will help make your selection process more efficient and it will in addition give your project the best chance of being successful.
Recognize the difference between a proofreader and an editor before making a hire. It is also critical to know which content professional you need at each stage of your project. A proofreader will seek misspelled words, poor grammar, and punctuation errors among other things. They will also help spot words that are used incorrectly, such as using “two” instead of “too.”However, they are not going to note or correct syntax errors, comprehension flaws, or even issues with the subject of your writing. An editor is one that would ensure your content is precise, factual, and concise.
For those who have long batches of text that need proofreading, consider sending over a small sample for evaluation. Always send the same sample to each proofreader prospect so that you can get a clear picture of their work ability and correction style. While you are at it, ask for their relevant qualifications, experience, and how long they have been in the industry. Being able to spot mistakes is part of the job, but a professional proofreader will have completed very specific specialized training. Always ask which style guide they used when proofreading content to ensure the guide is one that matches your writing style. For example, if you looking to have news-style content proofread, someone who used The Chicago Manual of Style may not be the best fit.
Cost and Turnaround For Professional Proofreading Services
Like with any professional service, proofreaders have a general rate that is determined by a few factors. The amount of experience and training a proofreader has will play a big role in their rate. The type and length of the document they will review will also play a part in the final cost. Though proofreaders can charge by the hour, most will ask for a fixed amount based on the content type and length. Hourly rates can range from $15 an hour for simple content to $150 an hour for research-based publications. On average a qualified proofreader will charge between $0.015 and $0.020 per word for their services. The more complex a topic is, the higher the per-word rate will be. However, don’t let the price deter you from ensuring your content is mistake-free.