BY ALLIE MESSMORE
Every book is different, every author is unique, and… every proofreader has their own process to their workflow. I thought for this blog it’d be fun to pull back the curtain and give you a behind-the-scenes look at my proofreading process.
For starters, there are some things I need in place to achieve maximum success.
- Coffee. This is a necessity.
- Reference books. While I love all the high-tech options for refreshing my mind on style rules, I enjoy having physical books to reference. I suppose that’s how my brain works.
- A standing desk. Being able to get up and move around while I work is key for keeping my attention on my work.
With these things in order, I begin my proofreading work for the day.
I’m an early riser, so my work starts before the kids are awake for the day. While other writers and editors enjoy listening to music or podcasts to keep them company, I proofread in relative silence. Besides the sounds of my kids and my dogs playing in the next room, my environment stays as quiet as possible. The quiet is good for my focus, and it keeps my mind clear for my work.
Get Clear About Your Priorities
I enjoy starting my day with a list. What are my priorities? Is there anything time-sensitive that needs to be completed first? Any emails that need to be sent out? Call me old-school, but my favorite way to make my list is with a physical notepad. The act of crossing an item off a to-do list is too satisfying to pass up.
After I list out my work for the day, I begin moving through projects one by one.
My favorite way to proofread a document is by giving three primary passes through the text, each with its own focus. Sometimes additional ones are needed, but everything I work on undergoes this process at a minimum.
- A formatting pass. In this step, I focus on how the document looks. As I move through the entire text, I assess the formatting, check the margins, and review the spacing, font consistency, headings, page breaks, etc. Everything related to the aesthetic of the document gets addressed in this first step.
- A big picture pass. Next, I analyze how the text reads. Is each sentence smooth and clear? Can I eliminate any extraneous or unnecessary words? To get a feel for how the story will sound to readers, I read it out loud to get a sense of the syntax and wording. Taking this step helps to identify any repeated or misused words, unclear sentences, or any confusing parts that I can flag for the author and/or editor. When I hear the text out loud as I read it, I often find things that I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I were to read it silently to myself.
- A fine detail pass. This is where my skills as a proofreader really shine—focusing on how each grammatical component is used. At this point, I’m taking a narrow approach and assessing each individual part of the document. I check spelling, subject-verb agreement, commas, hyphenated words, dashes, and other small—but significant—details. Having read the document at least twice before this step, I have enough familiarity to ensure that characters, places, and descriptions are consistent as well.
In between this work, I need a good stretch and some fresh air to keep my mind clear. I walk my dogs, water my garden, and refill my coffee. I do puzzles and play board games with my kids. I make dinner, wash dishes, etc. Once my creative and analytical reserves are restored, I get back to work, sometimes when everyone’s in bed for the night.
And there you have it—an average day in my life as a proofreader.
Remember What’s Behind Every Great Book
Behind every great book you’ve borrowed from your local library or bought at your favorite bookstore is a team of passionate people. Designers who curated the cover to draw your attention. Marketers who helped spread the word. Beta readers who helped discover what the reader experience would be like. Editors who tightened up the structure to improve clarity and make the author shine.
And then there’s the proofreader. Each one has a different style. Some like listening to music in the background, using high-tech reference materials, or even drinking something other than coffee. But even with our style differences, we all come together with a common end goal. We’re the last line of defense between the author and final submission. It’s serious work, and the detail-loving proofreaders you encounter will likely take this work as seriously as it deserves.
When proofreaders do their work well, you won’t even know it. It complements the investment of the editors who came before us, and it makes the writer look good. It’s the final glaze on a beautiful piece of pottery—highlighting the skill of the craftsmen who worked together to help shape it.
A great proofreader won’t be an obvious presence in the development of a great book. The process will likely stay behind-the-scenes to most. And that’s the point. We don’t work for us. We work for you.
And every late night and extra cup of coffee is worth it to help you get your project across the finish line.
I love my work, and I love being on a team with the writers I work with at Generational Copy, LLC. If you found today’s post enlightening, why not dive deeper? Subscribe to continue your journey of writing and learning. We’re all about providing meaningful insights without the fluff at Generational Copy!
