Books for proofreaders

These are the books I couldn't live without and that I recommend for any proofreader's bookshelf ...

New Hart's Rules: The Handbook of Style for Writers and Editors

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publisher’s product description: ‘Twenty chapters give information on all aspects of writing and of preparing copy for publication, whether in print or electronically. New Hart's Rules covers a broad range of topics including publishing terms, layout and headings, how to treat illustrations, hyphenation, punctuation, UK and US usage, bibliographies and notes, and indexing.’
• My comment: Indispensable and I love the handy little gallery of BSI symbols in the back, and the glossary of terms.

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The Penguin Guide to Punctuation

• Publisher: Penguin
• ​Author: R. L. Trask
• Publisher’s product description: ‘Do you find punctuation difficult? Are you puzzled by colons and semicolons? Unsure of where commas should go? Confused by hyphens and apostrophes? If so, then this jargon-free and succinct guide is for you. Contains precise and up-to-date definitions of every type of punctuation mark and shows how each should be used; Gives numerous examples of good and bad usage; Explains the correct use of capital letters, contractions and abbreviations, italics, boldface and the special characters available on a word processor’
• My comment: A must-have book – short and sweet, easy-to-understand examples.

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New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors

• Publisher: Oxford University Press          
• Publisher’s product description: ‘The classic A–Z guide for everyone who works with words … The trickiest words and names all in one place for easy reference: recommended spellings, variant forms, US spellings, confusable words, foreign italicized terms, cultural references, and proper names … Superb appendices for quick reference including proofreading marks, countries and currencies, and alphabets.’
• My comment: Highly recommended. A good companion to New Hart’s Rules. I turn to this time and again.

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New Oxford Spelling Dictionary: The Writers' and Editors' Guide to Spelling and Word Division

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publisher’s product description: ‘Essential guidance on spelling and form, including capitalization, hyphenation of compounds, and UK and US spelling; Clear indication of both primary (preferred) and secondary points for word division at line endings; Prepared in consultation with professionals in the field, and endorsed by the Society for Editors and Proofreaders.’
• My comment: Essential. No definitions, just correct spellings. Perfect desk-top size, like its companions New Hart’s Rules and New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors.

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Troublesome Words

• Publisher: Penguin
• Author: Bill Bryson
• Publisher’s product description: ‘… if you want to discover whether you should care about split infinitives, are cursed with an uncontrollable outbreak of commas or were wondering if that newsreader was right to say 'an historic day', this superb book is the place to find out.’
• My comment: Extremely useful and buckets of fun to read.

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Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage (2nd Edition)

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Author: R. W. Burchfield
• Publisher’s product description: ‘Should you use a split infinitive or a preposition at the end of a sentence? Is it infer or imply? Who or whom? What are the main differences between British and American English? Over 4,000 entries offer clear recommendations on issues of grammar, pronunciation, spelling, confusable words, and written style. Real examples are drawn from classic and contemporary literary sources, newspapers and magazines, and the Internet.’
• My comment: As a proofreader, I prefer this to the denser Fowler's Modern English Usage (Burchfield; Re-Revised 3rd Edition) loved by many an editor.

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English Grammar for Dummies (UK Edition)

• Publisher: Wiley
• Authors: Lesley J. Ward and Geraldine Woods
• Publisher’s product description: ‘If you're confused by commas, perplexed by pronouns, and plain terrified by tenses, English Grammar For Dummies will put your fears to rest. Packed with expert guidance, it covers everything from sentence basics to rules even your English teacher didn't know - if you want to brush up on your grammar, this is the only guide you'll ever need. Discover how to: avoid common grammatical errors; get to grips with apostrophes; structure sentences correctly; use verbs and find the right tense; and decide when to use slang or formal English.’
• My comment: Grammar can be tricky, and like all grammar books this requires careful reading. But it’s presented in a light-hearted way with lots of examples.

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Business Planning for Editorial Freelancers

• Publisher: In association with The Publishing Training Centre
• Author: Louise Harnby
• Publisher’s product description: Written for those with no prior publishing or editorial experience, this practical guide takes new proofreaders and editors, step by step, through the basics of planning their business. This book won't tell you how to "do" proofreading or copy-editing. Rather, it provides the new freelancer with the tools to build a roadmap for their business journey. Chapters focus on the different aspects of editorial freelancing, training, client focus, getting experience, financial assessment, promotion, networking, tools for the job and real-world case studies.
• My comment: It's not my place to comment on this book, since I'm the author, but feel free to read the endorsements from fellow international editorial freelancers and publishing professionals.

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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.

Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, connect via Facebook and LinkedIn, and check out her books and courses.