Proofreading Tips for Self-Publishing

Self-publishing a book is a really difficult task, even with the availability of book proofreading services UK. No matter how many times you check over your manuscript, you’ll be amazed at the number of errors that can sneak in. This makes editing and proofreading services vital for efficient and high-quality work as an author.

If you can’t use editing and proofreading services for your next book, you can still ease the process of self-publishing by considering a few tips. This article focuses on proofreading tips you can apply to ensure that everything you’ve written – from the cover to the copyright and title pages – is presented in the best possible way.   

 

1. Know your strengths

If you know what you’re good at as a writer, you’ll also have a clear sense of your weaknesses. If you repeatedly make the same errors, being aware of them can help you to avoid them in the future.

 

2. Read your writing out loud

Reading aloud gives your ears a chance to catch the mistakes that your eyes may miss. Using freely available text-to-speech programs can also help in this area.

 

Image: Reading aloud is an important proofreading tip for self-publishing

3. Start with a style guide

You should always begin your writing journey by choosing a style guide and sticking close to it. Whenever you come across a word or phrase that you’re not sure how to write, you can consult your style guide for a clear solution.

 

4. Use a spellchecker

You can’t rely on a spellchecker alone to ensure you have high-quality writing. However, as a tool to use alongside other tools (such as text-to-speech software or book proofreading services UK), spellcheckers are invaluable.

 

5. Devote special attention to punctuation

Punctuation is a pivotal aspect of writing that deserves careful attention during proofreading, but it is often overlooked today. Before you begin proofreading, open up a grammar book and review for yourself the fundamental rules of punctuation.

 

Image: You should carefully check semi-colons and other punctuation marks

6. Vary your sentence lengths

This is more of an editing point than a proofreading point, but when you’re self-publishing, you can also focus on revising your sentence lengths for greater impact and emphasis while proofreading.

 

7. Don’t proofread forever

It’s important to remember that proofreading is just a phase in the self-publishing process. At some point, it needs to come to an end, and if possible, you can use professional services to get through the phase reasonably quickly.

 

Image: Try to proofread well but also efficiently!

8. Work your muscles

Just as professional athletes and musicians practice every day to keep up their fitness, you should also seek out opportunities to maintain your muscles for editing and proofreading. One way to do this is to read excellent writing, which will expose you to new and potentially inspiring ways to recast your old sentences.