Phil Reynolds media services Photo by Marc Buckingham

Proofreading

Proofreading

A client with over 25 years’ experience in the design-and-print industry describes me as ‘without doubt, the most anal proofreader I’ve ever met.’ Believe it or not, it’s meant as a compliment...

Why do you need a proofreader?

In the age of digital publishing, accurate proofreading is more important than ever. It’s relatively easy to design and print your own high-quality marketing materials in-house without going to a specialist agency; but remember that the glossier and more professional-looking (at least on the surface) your documents are, the more embarrassing those ‘schoolboy errors’ become. Why? Because the glossy finish tells people that you’ve aimed for a professional look, but the spelling howlers, misplaced punctuation and inconsistencies of style reveal how far short of the target you’ve fallen.

Regardless of whether it’s a glossy marketing brochure, a website, an essay or an A4 handout, every piece of written communication will benefit from expert proofreading. You may think that what you have to say is more important than how you say it; but (and here’s the crunch) the truth is that each and every slip-up in the way you present your message undermines the credibility of that message. Is that really what you want?

Astonishingly, some people still seem to think that a computer spellcheck program will help. We all know that spellcheckers don’t know the difference between there, their and they’re – but the problems go much deeper than that. They also don’t have a clue what a dangling participle is.* They’re blissfully unaware that it’s Steven Spielberg but Stephen Fry, or that it’s Middlesbrough and not Middlesborough. And they certainly won’t object that you’ve used ten per cent on page 4 but 10% on page 47. (I’m serious – a professional proofreader who doesn’t check things like that isn’t doing their job.)

* It’s not as rude as it sounds.

What can I offer you?

If you’ve read this far, you’ll realise two things: first that I’m passionate about proofreading, and second that good proofreading is about so much more than just spotting spelling mistakes. It requires a broad general knowledge and a sharp eye for consistency of style too – plus the unlearnable knack of being able to ‘see’ mistakes leap off the page, almost as if they were highlighted with an invisible magic marker. I bring all this and more to my work as a proofreader.

Over the past few years I’ve done a significant amount of freelance proofreading work for several publishing and PR firms, including Summersault Communications whose portfolio of blue-chip clients includes Cooperative Financial Services, Severn Trent Water, Macdonalds, Empire Cinemas and Siemens. They return to me time and time again because they know they’ll get accurate, reliable work with a fast turnround.

What does it cost?

My day rate for proofreading work is currently £125, but each job is different, and different clients pay me in different ways: some of my regulars like to keep things simple by paying a fixed average fee per job, while others prefer to pay by the hour, or per 100 words. I try to be as flexible as possible, so contact me for a chat, let me know your requirements and your budget and we can work something out.

Think I can help?

Get in touch!