Proofreading

After the manuscript has been edited and formatted, it is given to the printer so that a proof can be produced. The proof is the last chance to catch issues on how the book looks just before mass production.

Unlike editing, proofreading is meant to focus on the look, and no longer on the structure, flow, and clarity. Attention is given to physical features such as correctness of margins, consistency in style and typefaces, precision of spaces, quality of images. Just like editing, a professional proofreader can catch 80% of proof errors.

The proofreading process can take some time because several iterations might be needed before a final proof is attained. Each time the proofreader marks the proof for corrections, the printer will produce another proof, which the proofreader will check. The proofreader will sign off on a proof that is cleared for mass production. Usually, the proofreader will send the publication-ready proof to the author for approval. When the author authorizes the publication, printers will go ahead and print the batch of books.

At SimplePublish, each proof is scanned once against the formatted manuscript to ensure everything is at it should be. Then the proof is scanned twice against a punch list that focuses on the look of the book. Only when each item is satisfactory do we turn over the book to the author to seek authority to mass-produce the book.