I provide copy-editing and proofreading services for a wide range of clients, including charities, small businesses, public-sector organisations, freelance writers and translation and graphic design agencies.
I also provide a plain-English editing service for people who want their writing to be as clear and straightforward as possible.
What’s the difference between copy-editing and proofreading?
In traditional publishing, there is a big difference between copy-editing and proofreading. Books are copy-edited before they are typeset to correct any problems with sense, grammar, spelling, punctuation, consistency and accuracy, and so on. They are then proofread before going to print to pick up on any text or layout errors that have been introduced at the typesetting stage.
Outside the publishing industry it is not always possible to have a document copy-edited as well as proofread – for example, if it is not being formally published (such as a report to be distributed in Word), if timescales are tight, or if there isn’t enough in the budget. That means that proofreading and copy-editing amendments are often made at the same time, blurring the distinction between the two.
Which service is right for me?
Each document is different depending on its purpose, its audience, how it is going to be published, its length, what stage it is at, and the budget and timescales. Because of this, I will discuss your project with you so I can offer the most appropriate service for you.
I can offer a copy-editing service, a proofreading service, both of these, or a combination that involves a little of each.
What documents do you work on?
I work on many types of non-fiction documents, published and unpublished. For a list of examples, please see About me.
How do you mark up the changes?
I’m happy to mark up changes in Word, on PDFs or in other formats, whichever is convenient for you.
When working in Word I mark up my suggestions using Track Changes, which allows you to view each change before accepting or rejecting it.
On PDF, I will mark up the changes using the Comment tools in Adobe, and send you a key to any colour-coding I have used.
For copy-editing, I recommend that you send me Word documents rather than PDFs, because there are likely to be far more changes during a copy-edit. These can be time-consuming and expensive to put in place if your designer has already arranged the text in a PDF.
How much does it cost?
Because each project is unique, I will agree the price with you individually. I offer different levels of editing depending on your requirements, so my price is based on the complexity of the work as well as the length of the text.
Please contact me for more information and a quote.
Confidentiality and privacy
I will keep your documents completely confidential and will provide and sign a non-disclosure agreement if necessary. My privacy policy explains what personal data I collect from you and how I use it.
Laura Ripper | Copy-editing and Proofreading 