Work with the book proofreaders behind bestsellers
Proofreading is the final stage in the book editing process. A professional proofreader will help eliminate any remaining spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and formatting issues in your book before you hit publish.
On Reedsy, meet proofreaders who help create bestselling and award-winning books. Our proofreaders have worked on titles by famous authors including Suzanne Collins, Emily St. John Mandel, and Rick Riordan, and are hand-picked from the top editors in the industry.
Hire a professional
Louise S.
A detail-oriented proofreader with experience in basic copyediting. I specialize in fiction, creative non-fiction, and memoirs.
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Deborah S.
40+ years' experience in nonfiction, memoir, self-help, kid lit. Known for speed, accuracy, versatility, and compassion. MSW & MFA.
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Ray B.
Detail focused Proofreader who has helped Indie authors fine tune their fiction projects for publication: Thriller, Historic Fiction, SciFi.
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Errors can pull readers out of a book and decrease their enjoyment of it â as well as make you look like an amateur. A proofreader can bring your book up to the high standard that readers expect. Not only will they catch when youâve used âdiscreteâ instead of âdiscreetâ or applied the Oxford comma inconsistently; theyâll also cross-reference the table of contents with the chapter headings and page numbers, and theyâll spot single widow or orphan lines on a page.Â
By the end of the proofread, your manuscript will be as polished as any publishing houseâs new releases, and youâll be ready to publish â which is why proofreading comes after other types of editing and formatting.
Whatâs it like to work with a proofreader on Reedsy?
Your proofreader will read through your book and mark any errors or inconsistencies. If you have a style sheet, theyâll make sure every line adheres to the guidelines. If not, theyâll choose a standard style guide to follow.
No format is too unconventional for our proofreaders. Author Max S.âs debut novel was a prose-poetry manuscript with unconventional formatting, intentional line breaks, and rhythm that mattered as much as grammar. His Reedsy proofreader identified the real errors without flattening his style.Â
âHer markup was meticulous (165 items, every one clearly anchored and explained), she separated mechanical fixes from judgment calls so I stayed in control of the voice, and she flagged patterns rather than just instances.â
Read more about authorsâ experiences working with Reedsy proofreaders below:
Reedsy reviews
Amy did her thing! She was on time, super thorough, and came with suggestions that actually made sense. I loved that she didnât just change stuffâif it wasnât a clear grammar fix, she asked me first. And when it came to the Word, she double-checked to make sure my creative voice didnât drift into...
Shari P.
Elizabeth was Incredibly efficient and diligent in her work. Not only this, but she also responded whenever I had a request. I honestly canât recommend her highly enough and will be using her again for my next book.
Sam R.
It was a true pleasure collaborating with Lucy on the proofreading of my first spy thriller. She delivered outstanding work with meticulous attention to detail and went above and beyond her roleâhelping me troubleshoot issues with a program I wasnât familiar with. Lucy was consistently available,...
Riccardo F.
As a first-time author, I wasn't even really sure what I needed. A proofreader? A content editor? Joy has guided me from the very beginning, offering invaluable information and feedback, sharing her own experiences with the industry, too. It's been a wonderful experience and I am so happy I found...
Lisette A.
Kellyn was very thorough with my manuscript. She read through it and offered very thoughtful suggestions to bring certain parts to life for the reader. She was very responsive to my messages and checked in regularly. We also had a Zoom call to discuss the book, where I asked her questions and sha...
tolu A.
Find the perfect proofreader for you
Sign up to our marketplace to meet proofreaders who work within a wide range of styles, genres, and budgets. With 1,000+ profiles to choose from, youâre certain to find the perfect match for your book. Sign up to filter results, request quotes, and chat to shortlisted professionals.
Assemble your team
Request quotes from up to 5 professionals in your genre with a free Reedsy account.
To find the right proofreader for your book, follow these tips:
- Shortlist editors based on their specialty genres. If youâre writing a nonfiction book, youâll need someone familiar with the subject matter and terminology. For fantasy novels, they need to be comfortable with long, made-up names.
- Browse their portfolio and reviews to get a sense of their experience. Have they worked with first-time authors before?Â
- Ask for a sample edit. Most proofreaders will be happy to provide a short sample edit before you commit to a full collaboration.
- Check they can work to your timeline. The most popular proofreaders on Reedsy may be booked up more than a month in advance. Try to make time for proofreading well ahead of your planned launch date â or be prepared to pay a premium for a fast turnaround.
- Be clear about your preferences. For instance, if you have a preferred style sheet in mind, communicate it to your proofreader so that youâre both on the same page from the beginning.
The clearer you are in communicating your needs, the more likely our proofreaders are to respond with accurate quotes. While the average cost of proofreading on Reedsy is 2¢ per word, you can expect quotes to vary according to the genre, timeline, and proofreaderâs years of experience.
Need help? Get 24/7 support from our dedicated team
In the rare case that something goes wrong â or if you simply need help getting started â our customer support team is always on hand. With 12 years in the industry, 33,000+ successful proofreading projects, and 4.7â on TrustPilot, Reedsy is the go-to place for thousands of authors looking to hire a proofreader.
