Proofreading checklist: How to check page proofs like a professional

4/9/2017

If you're proofreading final designed page proofs, there's more to look out for than the odd typo or double space. Professional proofreaders identify and find solutions to a range of layout problems too.

This post featured in Joel Friedlander's Carnival of the Indies #84

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Who's this checklist for?
This is for anyone checking final designed page proofs. For example:

self-publishing authors preparing for print-on-demand. Use this when working through the PDF generated by the likes of CreateSpace or Bookbaby.
business owners producing PDF or printed reports, booklets, manuals or ebooks. Use this to check your file before it's distributed to your clients or uploaded to your website.
professional proofreaders. Use this to check page proofs for your publisher clients and independent authors.

I've proofread over 500 books for the mainstream publishing industry. The checklist below is based on the house guidelines provided by the publishers I've worked for.

The titles I've proofread include social science textbooks, handbooks and monographs, and works of fiction and narrative non-fiction. And while the subject matter has varied, the requirements for checking final page proofs hasn't.

Note my use of the term 'final designed page proofs'. This checklist is not for those doing a final quality-control check in a Word document. Rather, we're dealing with a typeset PDF or hardcopy of the book as it will appear when printed or published online.

For that reason, the proofreader is tasked with ensuring that the appearance of the book is consistent and correct according to client preference. This PDF provides a summary of the required checks.

To get a free copy, sign up to The Editorial Letter, monthly news about fiction editing and editorial business growth.

Louise Harnby is a line editor, copyeditor and proofreader who specializes in working with crime, mystery, suspense and thriller writers.

She is an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), a member of ACES, a Partner Member of The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), and co-hosts The Editing Podcast.

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

32 Comments

Susan M Sparks link

5/9/2017 10:44:24 pm

Thank you for this checklist! Very generous of you.

Louise Harnby

28/10/2017 05:28:24 pm

You are so welcome, Susan! Hope you find it useful!

Sarah Mallon

19/9/2018 10:36:01 am

Thank you so much for this. I found it very helpful and informative.

20/9/2018 05:43:59 pm

Thanks, Sarah! That's great to hear.

Mia

28/11/2018 08:59:26 am

Thanks for sharing this really useful resource!

Merridy link

26/2/2019 03:52:31 am

Thanks, Louise. Your checklist gives my author an understanding of the task (and what could go wrong if she skips this step).

26/3/2020 12:01:48 am

Glad it helped, Merridy!

Luke Kendall link

10/4/2019 06:47:31 am

I'm glad to say I do all those things, bar one, as well as:
- check that all 'internal title pages', like "Book 1" or "Part 1" type things, occur on odd pages and are followed by a blank page (for the print edition only)
- check that justification (typically flush) is consistent throughout
- try to avoid pages with a single line of text at the top.
- use of open-apostrophe instead of close-apostrophe when indicating a contraction at the start of words (when reproducing speech pattern, as in: 'ow you doin', mate?)
- italicisation spread past the intended italic text
- correctness of any URLs provided

The one thing I do the opposite of, is to ensure all sentences end with two spaces. No, the argument that it crept in due to typewriters is a myth. Single spaces crept in because of a bug in early linotype machines.

Also, errors can creep in even when you think you've checked and re-checked. E.g. I suspect the repetition of the "Page depth" and "Page margins" checklist in your own checklist is a tiny error.

26/3/2020 12:01:05 am

Hi, Luke.

I do makes mistakes in my writing but the page depth/margin thing is deliberate! Margins refers to the space on to each side, while depth refers to the text depth at the bottom of the page. And both things are repeated because the checklist is divided into front, main and end matter, and those things need checking in all cases.

As for the double spaces, I remove them because I've never worked for a publisher who wanted me to retain them. Contemporary fonts are designed such that two aren't necessary and often introduce a gappiness that none of my clients will tolerate. Still, it's every author's choice whether to include them. But when I'm working for publishers, it's their brief that leads, not an editor's preferences!

26/3/2020 05:13:11 am

Hi Louise. Hope you're handling the current crisis well.
I understand the difference between page depth and margins, I was just guessing that your repetition of the two checks (on p4 and then again on p6) was a small mistake.
I choose two spaces partly from resistance to the myth behind the rationale, but mainly because to me it adds a tiny improvement to readability independent of typeface design.
I imagine from the publishers' POV two spaces tends to lead to a small increase in total page length, causing a tiny increase in cost, but one they'd rather avoid. Ultimately I think it comes down to a personal preference.

Susan

25/3/2020 08:58:35 pm

For marking-up page proofs for professional publishing houses, are you using Adobe? And do you have guidance on specific tools within that program you use to mark-up pages, utilizing basic proofing marks, etc.?

Thank you.

25/3/2020 11:47:35 pm

Hi, Susan. Check out the Stamps and Proofreading Markup archives in the blog sidebar to the right. I use PDF-XChange. It's a lot cheaper but has Adobe's functionality. Just a personal preference.

Mindy Jameyson

18/5/2020 07:52:01 pm

Thank you for another wonderful resource Louise!

19/5/2020 05:20:11 pm

You're very welcome, Mindy!

Patricia

18/6/2020 11:23:59 am

Thank you Louise. This is a very useful article - one of the very many that you produce for us. I enjoy reading them and obtain so much useful information from you. Thank you very much.

18/6/2020 05:33:02 pm

You are very welcome, Patricia!

Anna Rymer link

30/7/2020 04:55:49 pm

I'm so glad I stumbled upon your blog - you share so much valuable information!! Thank you :)

30/7/2020 09:08:24 pm

Thank you so much, Anna!

Linda Welter

21/10/2020 09:42:58 pm

Hello Louise,

Just a note to thank you for the free proofreading checklist—I'm working toward the Editing Certificate through Simon Fraser University, and your blogs have been invaluable—much appreciated!

Sarah

27/10/2020 12:17:26 pm

Hi Louise

I am currently doing a editing and proofreading course, so your checklist is very helpful. I have a query which I am hoping you can help me with as I am having a bit of difficulty locating an answer online. One of my assignments is to add a table into an extract. My query is does a symbol to insert table really exist and if so what does it look like. Many thanks

27/10/2020 05:26:26 pm

Hi, Sarah. I recommend you ask your tutor for advice. I'm not aware of a symbol for inserting an entire table, but I'm not your tutor or the course creator, so it's inappropriate for me to guide you!

Cindy Rinaman Marsch link

2/1/2021 11:54:25 am

I've enjoyed browsing a few of your pieces today, but I found that the proofreading checklist offered here has a dead link (the image you direct the reader to click). Thanks for letting me know if it's still availabile.

2/1/2021 03:11:38 pm

All fixed, Cindy. Sorry about that. Not sure what went wrong. You can download it now.

And thank you so much for the heads-up!

2/1/2021 03:35:05 pm

You're welcome, and thank YOU!

Kirsty

28/10/2022 05:41:10 pm

Hi Louise I don't seem to be able to download the Proofreading Checklist.

28/10/2022 06:04:15 pm

Did you click on the newsletter subscribe link above the image, Kirsty?

Carla

1/11/2022 01:05:40 am

Hi. I signed up for the Newsletter but didn't receive the Proofreading Checklist. I received a different book. How can I get the Checklist? Thanks!

1/11/2022 01:22:25 am

Sorry, Carla. I've fixed the glitch. If you could email me using the contact form on this website, I'll send the checklist to you.

Kath

17/11/2022 11:17:49 am

Hi Louise, I'm already signed up to your newsletter, but I'd find a copy of your proofreading checklist really useful. Am I still able to have a copy? Many thanks for all the fantastic resources on your website, which I'm gradually reading through.

17/11/2022 10:48:31 pm

Email me, Kath, and I'll get it sorted!

Jolene

19/3/2025 02:46:09 pm

Hi, thank you for your excellent site. My CIEP tutor advised me about your checklist, which I signed up to, but received the glossary instead - is there a way to get the checklist please? Thank you

19/3/2025 02:52:49 pm

Please ignore my post above, wi-fi connection dropped out, when re-connected checklist came through. Thank you very much, very grateful, looking forward to your newsletter. Apologies.