I'm not sure if this post is in the correct place, please move as required. When, hopefully soon, I finish my book I'm going to be looking for a proof reader to check/correct typos and formatting. I'm unsure of the protocols regarding this. My initial questions are: What's a typical rate for proof readers? What's the best place to go hunting for one? Any help or suggestions are welcomed. Sam.
you can find the current average going rate for professional proofreaders by googling... which is also the best way to find one... that said, good editors cost a bundle and poor ones will cost you more than the money you pay them, since you won't get professional quality results... and there are far more poor ones out there than good ones... as for hiring an editor, since this comes up so often on the 3 writing sites i post on daily, i've had to prepare a stock post, to save typing time... hope you won't mind: in re hiring an editor [i provide editing services, though i caution against it], you need to accept the fact that the money you spend on having someone else do what writers must be able to do on their own will most likely never be recouped from the sale of your work... so, if you do go ahead with it, be sure you don't need to make it back, because not even the best editor in the world can ever guarantee the work will be accepted by a paying publisher, or will sell well enough to come close to equalling what you paid, if it is... same goes for if you self-publish... also, no editor who can do a good enough job for you will be cheap... it will cost many hundreds, to several thousands of dollars [US] for a good, professional editor to bring your book up to publishable/readable standards, depending on how much work it needs, as there are several levels of 'editing'... from simply correcting typos, punctuation and minor grammar glitches, all the way up to a complete rewrite, if the writing quality is poor... those who offer to do it cheaply, will not be able to do much [if any] better than you could do on your own... anyone can set up shop and call themselves 'editors' these days, but few will actually be worthy of the title, so vet any you consider using very carefully and be sure to get a sample edit before entering into any agreement for services... hope this helps... love and hugs, maia
Thanks for your response. It does seem pretty costly. I'll give it a go myself, maybe send a few copies to friends and relatives, with a free red biro included. Sam
i always caution new writers to avoid asking friends or family to assess their work, or to even read it prior to being published, as they'll generally either be unjustifiedly complimentary, to avoid hurt feelings, or jeopardize the relationship by being too critical... and in both cases, not being professionals, can give incorrect advice that will be more harmful than helpful... it's best to find total strangers willing to give it a read and provide feedback strictly as readers [= no red biro deployment], if you don't have access to pros who'll do so for free...
If all you're looking for is a proof reader they charge by the word, usually 1-2 cents for every ten words. Depending on your novel length that's somewhere between $400 to $1,200. Is it worth it? That really depends on how badly you need one, and how professional you want the finished product to look. I personally am saving carefully for one, because I've long given up on correcting my own work. I want the manuscript to be the best quality even if I never make the money back.
I've found someone offering to do it for £500 (about $750US). They've offered to do a sample of 2,000 words. I'm currently waiting for that to be completed and returned to me. I'll make a decision based on what it looks like when the proof reading has been done. Sam.
ALWAYS insist on a free sample! anyone not willing [should be offering] to do so should be avoided like the plague...
i always caution new writers to avoid asking friends or family to assess their work, or to even read it prior to being published, as they'll generally either be unjustifiedly[sic] complimentary, to avoid hurt feelings, or jeopardize the relationship by being too critical... and in both cases, not being professionals, can give incorrect advice that will be more harmful than helpful... Thanks that's some very useful advice. I'll do it for £495 Already made an agreement, thanks anyway. Sam
i'm glad you found my advice useful, sam... btw, 'unjustifiedly' is an actual legit word, so the 'sic' was unjustified... best of luck with your book... hugs, m
