A proofreader acts as the last line of defense for your content before publishing. They review a document for errors in spelling, grammar, word usage, character details (for fiction), and facts (for nonfiction). Proofreaders polish your content to perfection!

Proofreaders and editors utilize different skills in their analysis and work at different stages of the creative process.

Proofreading is the last stage in the process before you submit content to a publisher. They usually work after the editor has reviewed and edited your document. Knowing this, proofreaders only flag errors and comment recommendations. To prevent any loss, they don't make final changes.

For instance, you and your editor may have agreed that a character should purposely speak with incorrect grammar and purposely mispronounce another character's name. If a proofreader edited that out, you'd lose a fascinating detail in your dialogue! By flagging errors, proofreaders allow you, the creator, to decide if the change is necessary or better left alone.

It isn’t easy to write, edit, and proofread. You have to change the way your brain processes the information. It’s also easy to miss errors because you know how it’s supposed to look, and your brain will skip right over them. By allowing a proofreader to look over your document, you get a fresh set of eyes with a mindset geared toward proofreading. That way, you can focus on writing. Your editor can focus on cleaning it up. We’ll put on that final coat of polish.

We use the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS). Please let us know if you prefer MLA, AP, or APA style. If you have a personal or company style sheet, feel free to share it with us, and we will work according to your preferences.

Yes! Hall & Quotes is determined to keep our clients’ information private. We will never share your personal information or content on any channel without your express permission.

If you prefer that we sign an NDA to protect your information legally, please let us know. We’re happy to discuss details with you.

We love recurring work! If you regularly produce content that you would like proofread, H&Q is happy to arrange a custom agreement that best suits your needs. We’ll discuss timelines, due dates, custom pricing, and workload.

If you’re looking at a long-term project and need a proofreader on hand, H&Q would love to work with you. We can handle the work in stages, batches, or as needed. Contact us to discuss specific details.

We work primarily in Word and Google Docs. We will turn on “Track Changes” or “Suggesting” and return a duplicate copy with our recommendations. You can keep your original document and see our edits side by side. If you agree with our changes, you can hit “Accept,” and they will automatically finalize.

We are comfortable using PDF and JPEG. If you use a specific document format, let us know. We can discuss specifics.

H&Q invoices clients via FreshBooks once their project is complete. We accept credit cards, ACH Bank Transfers (US Only), and Paypal. We'll discuss custom pricing and an invoicing schedule that works best for your recurring and long-term projects.