Much of this site has to do with proofreading for businesses. This is because that is where the bulk of high-paying opportunities lies. A business is typically going to have more resources to devote to hiring a proofreader than an independent author. Nevertheless, there is a market for novels and other fictional literature. Plus, you might find that working with authors is the perfect niche for you. For these reasons, it is important to talk about how to proofread fiction.
There are certain things to be aware of when it comes to proofreading content like a novel. These aspects can differ somewhat from other types of proofreading. If you decide to try your hand at fiction proofreading, you can account for these differences by clarifying both the author’s and your expectations up front, starting with a sample before committing to the whole work, being especially systematic in your work, being aware of which “mistakes” are there on purpose, checking the consistency of details in the story, and watching for specific errors more likely to appear in fictional content.
Clarify expectations up front
Although this is important when working with any client, clarifying expectations before starting work can be especially crucial when working on books. Authors, especially when working independently, may or may not have a strong grasp on the ins and outs of proofreading. This means it may fall upon you to educate them about the services you are willing and able to provide.
Be sure to have a conversation about what the author expects. Are they looking for simple proofreading or more-involved copyediting? Many people use the term “proofreading” to mean “editing” and vice versa. Additionally, many authors may not be able to pay to have multiple rounds of editing performed on their book. It’s key, therefore, to ascertain what they need and find a way, if possible, to accommodate them—and this includes educating them as to the value you can provide when necessary.
Start with a sample
The average novel contains 80,000 words. A typical proofreader can review 2,000 words per hour. This means completing a standard-length book equates to 40 hours of work, likely split up over the course of several weeks. In other words, it’s a big project!
Before committing to a lengthy project like a book, it is a good idea to make sure it aligns with your interests and goals. A good way to do this is to offer to proofread the first chapter or two before agreeing to take on the whole book. This provides you with the chance to “test out” the book and the relationship with the client. Likewise, it gives the client reassurance that you are the right proofreader for the job. If either of you has reservations, the ability to walk away after a trial run can be invaluable.
Additionally, getting a sense of the work involved will help you charge a realistic price for your services should you move forward. Well-written copy is obviously easier to proofread than copy that needs a lot of work. This should be reflected in your rates. That 80,000-word book, if written poorly, may take you twice as long to proofread as you thought it would. Having a look at the first several chapters should tell you all you need to know about the quality of the writing.
Be systematic in your approach
Because proofreading content like a novel is typically a long process, having systems in place is especially key. Systems will help ensure you are consistent in your proofreading from the introduction to the epilogue.
Perhaps the most important aspect of a systemic approach is creating a style guide or master guide as you go. This master document is the place where you will write down all of your notes to help yourself make consistent corrections. List things like repeated errors in the text and how to fix them, any notes about specific uses of numbers, words, or phrases, and any details of the story that may show up again. If the author has given you any preferences, include them here too. Basically, jot down information about any problem or inconsistency you encounter, and don’t rely on your memory.
Taking a systemic approach to the actual act of proofreading is critical, too, especially if you are proofreading a paper copy of the novel. Virtually all modern-day proofreading takes place on a computer. But because of the length and complexity involved, some people opt to work on a paper copy when it comes to fictional works. If you decide to go with the “paper” route, be sure to use standard proofreading marks. (You can find a list of them in The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed., figures 2.6 and 2.7).
Be aware that some “mistakes” can be intentional
Typically with business or website copy, grammatical precision and correctness are of the utmost importance. Any mistake or error is likely to put the company in a worse light. When dealing with fiction, however, this is not always the case.
A mistake that you would normally fix in any other setting may have been put there on purpose by an author. Suppose, for instance, that the narrator in the story is poor or uneducated. In this case, the author may use a lot of nonstandard grammar or words (e.g., “ain’t,” “my momma done told me”) that should be left as is. Likewise, characters may have reason to speak in nonstandard language. Perhaps a woman in the story is from another country and doesn’t have a strong grasp of the English language. This would be reflected in any direct dialogue, mistakes and all.
These types of intentional “mistakes” are usually fairly obvious. If you come across an error that you are not sure about, however, it’s best to leave a note or comment and allow the author to address it.
Check for consistency of details
In a lengthy work like a novel, it can be difficult for authors to keep all of the details straight. If a character is named Bill Johnson, and later on they are referred to as Bob Johnson, this is an issue. The same applies to details regarding settings, locations, inanimate objects, and so on. A table should not change colors or materials halfway through the story. Neither should street names, hair color, occupations, or any other detailed referenced more than once.
The style guide (mentioned above) can help with this—it’s the perfect place to make notes about details. But you may also have to do some manual searching or cross-referencing to ensure all descriptions and details are consistent.
Specific edits to watch for
Because fictional work has a distinct style as opposed to other content like business or marketing, there are specific issues that can occur more often and for which you need to be on the lookout. One example is the use of unnecessary modifiers. If the author has written the sentence, “She screamed at him, yelling,” for instance, the word yelling is not needed. As another example, if you find the phrase “bloodied fingers and bloodied toes,” the second bloodied is unnecessary and could be deleted. (Of course, you will have to bear in mind the author’s overall writing style as well.)
You should also watch out for repetitive words or phrases. If the author introduces every line of dialogue with “she said,” this will likely start to bore the readers. You can help by suggesting alternate words for said.
When proofreading fiction you’ll also need to look for poor sentence structure or lack of clarity in the author’s writing. Are there any words, phrases, or sentences that don’t make sense? Is there anything that makes assumptions about or allusions to facts to which the reader does not have access? Suggest changes to poorly worded phrases or sentences, but leave a note or comment about anything unclear so the author can address it.
Summing it up: How to proofread fiction
When it comes to how to proofread fiction, there are specific considerations to keep in mind that may vary from other types of proofreading. You can address these differences by clearly defining both the author’s and your expectations from the start, beginning with a sample before committing to the entire work, maintaining a systematic approach, being mindful of intentional “mistakes,” verifying the consistency of story details, and paying attention to specific errors commonly found in fictional content.