So, in this article you\u2019ll learn:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 What proofreading is (and isn\u2019t!) Note from Dave:<\/strong> In this article, Caitlin talks about her course, General Proofreading: Theory & Practice<\/em>\u2122, so if you see a link, know that it is an affiliate link. I approved this because I\u2019ve personally checked out the course and talked with those who implemented it themselves and found a lot of happy users with great success stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At its most basic, proofreading is the review of a final draft before it\u2019s published<\/strong>. That means the proofreader is doing one last quality check and looking for things like typos, grammatical errors, spelling, punctuation, and formatting issues. The proofreader is the last set of eyes before the author finalizes their book and uploads it to book retailers and aggregators<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Short answer: No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Long answer: There is a lot of confusion out there about proofreading<\/a> versus copyediting<\/a>. One of the biggest misnomers is that proofreading and copyediting are the same thing. They\u2019re not! It's not unusual for authors to ask for a proofreader but actually need a copyeditor first. If you\u2019re an author and you want words changed or sentence structure fixed, that is NOT proofreading — that\u2019s copyediting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still confused? Let\u2019s break down the differences<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Copyeditors<\/strong> get into the nitty-gritty of your book to make it as grammatically correct as possible. They also help with rewriting, clarity, flow, word choice, and fact-checking. Copyeditors can tell when you\u2019re overusing punctuation or repeating certain words and can help you correct it. They can even help with organization and provide feedback on overall style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Proofreaders<\/strong> are the final set of eyes that check for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and typos to polish your work. They\u2019re taking what\u2019s on the page (not adding or deleting anything) and making sure it\u2019s as error-free as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In theory, the copyeditor should work on a book only after the actual story, characters, and plot have been finalized by a content editor<\/strong>, and the proofreader should work on a book only after the copyeditor has worked their magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of it like building a house. The editor<\/a> builds the foundation and framework; the copyeditor installs the floors and walls; the proofreader does the final touches and furnishes the house. You can\u2019t furnish a house before you build the framework, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s the same when working on a book. Make sense?<\/p>\n\n\n\n This graphic isn\u2019t to say that every author needs to have all three (or more). Many of us do NOT have the funds to be able to adequately hire so many professionals. Even Dave only hired a proofreader for his first book because he couldn\u2019t afford an editor and a copyeditor. Instead, this graphic is just to stratify the differences in the three and help authors understand who you need if you were to hire one.<\/p>\n\n\n Now that you know the differences between editors, copyeditors, and proofreaders, and you know you really should have a proofreader look at your book before you publish, how do you find one that\u2019s qualified for your project but doesn\u2019t break the bank?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The truth is, there are many places to find proofreaders. The hard part is figuring out how to find qualified proofreaders. Luckily, I\u2019ve got some great resources for ya \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are some agencies out there that claim to do this, however, you\u2019ll find that they don\u2019t let you directly work with the proofreader. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important you find one that you can develop a relationship with so you can work together as a team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, to help you find a qualified proofreader, here are a few places you can look:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each and every one of these proofreaders has gone through my rigorous training AND passed a final exam<\/span> to prove their competency. They know their stuff and are ready to work with you on your manuscript!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here is a list of my best students, their specialty, and their website:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\u2022 What\u2019s the difference between copyediting and proofreading
\n\u2022 Ways to find qualified proofreaders
\n\u2022 How you can become a professional proofreader and earn money on the side<\/p>\n\n\n\nTable of contents<\/h2>
So, What Exactly is Proofreading?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Is Proofreading the Same as Copyediting?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Proofreading vs Copyediting vs Editing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kindlepreneur.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/editing-vs-copyediting-vs-proofreading-house-comparison.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhere to Find Professional Proofreading Service<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kindlepreneur.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/business-proposal-editing.gif\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nProofread Anywhere Students<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Proofreading Service Providers<\/h3>\n
\n
\n \n\n PROOFREADER<\/th> SPECIAL EXPERIENCE \/ BACKGROUND<\/th><\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Myriah C. Boudreaux<\/a><\/td> Catholicism, Homeschooling, Writing, Music Reviews<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Laura Clark<\/a><\/td> Politics, Radiologic Technologies, child rearing<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Teresa Clark<\/a><\/td> <\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Lovinia Dickens<\/a><\/td> Academic Research, Musical terminology<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Rachel Jones <\/a><\/td> Graphic design and website creation<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Edee Lemonier<\/a><\/td> Literary fiction, science fiction, poetry, short stories, essays, full-length manuscripts (75k+ words)<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Nancy Maffia<\/a><\/td> Light editing, horticulture, plant identification, nature study<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Jennifer Navarre<\/a><\/td> Education, writing, government, children's literature, ESL\/ELL<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Khelsea Purvis<\/a><\/td> Picture Books, Comic Books, and Graphic Novels<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Jody Skinner<\/a><\/td> Music literature\/notation, general nonfiction, fiction, university papers, spiritual growth & Bible studies<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Catherine Turner<\/a><\/td> Nonfiction proofreader and copyeditor for self-publishing authors, bloggers, and online entrepreneurs. Genres include true crime, entrepreneurship, online business, travel, and self-help.<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Julie Weller<\/a><\/td> Teaching English (high school and university)<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Beth Wojiski<\/a><\/td> Legal documents, newsletters, training\/documentation & technical materials<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Mara Woosley<\/a><\/td> Websites, blogs, marketing materials, newsletters, short stories & research papers<\/td> <\/tr>\n \n Ebook Launch<\/a><\/td> Every genre of fiction and nonfiction<\/td> <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table>\n