Focus

Proofreading is what most folks imagine when they think of editing. Here’s where nitpicky editors really shine. We review the work for consistency in spellings of names, place descriptions, and any lingering time-line shenanigans. We also adhere to a publisher’s in-house style guide and/or an industry standard, such as the Chicago Manual of Style.

Sample Proofread

Editor M. K. Martin (that’s me) makes suggestions (in red).

Note: This story is intended for publication in the EU, where UK English is standard, rather than US English, which is why American spellcheck doesn’t accept “neighbourhood” despite this being the correct spelling in the UK.

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Editor role:

• Reread the entire story
• Provide the author an edited copy
• Note what the author is doing well
• Note opportunities to improve with suggestions/clarifications as appropriate

Author Role:

• Read editor’s feedback
• Ask for clarification as needed
• Accept compliments (difficult for most authors due to imposter syndrome)
• Decide which suggested revisions will benefit the story and which will not
• Implement helpful suggestions