WHY CHOOSE A PROFESSIONAL PROOFREADER?
A: Because it is difficult to get published these days, your work needs to be of the right standard in the correct format to avoid the disappointment of rejection.
- Your manuscript needs to stand out from the pile, so it is not dismissed and rejected without even being read.
- You will want to get the best price for your manuscript and a good edit will achieve this result.
- If we gave you £1,000, it will not be worth anything until you spend it. In the same way, until your manuscript is published, you will remain undiscovered and your book will not be worth anything because it will not be out there in the marketplace.
- You can boost your circulation by ensuring that your document is formatted – a poorly presented document will be rejected outright.
- It is important to distinguish yourself from others, enhance your writing and convey ideas succinctly.
Whether you have an academic piece or a work of fiction, our proofreader at The Editing House will help you to produce an error-free document ready for submission, leaving you free to concentrate on writing that masterpiece.
I CANNOT SPELL AND MY GRAMMAR IS POOR, SO I AM WORRIED ABOUT LOOKING STUPID
A: It doesn’t matter that you cannot spell. That’s our job. Just as accounting isn’t for everyone, editing and proofreading isn’t for others. We should all concentrate on what we are good at. If editing isn’t your thing, free up your time and let others do it for you by engaging the services of our proofreader. You excel in what you are good at, i.e. writing the content, and let us perfect what you have written.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO PUNCTUATE MY MANUSCRIPT
A: Let our qualified proofreader at The Editing House look after your full stops, commas, en rules, hyphens and semicolons so you can let your ideas flow and concentrate on the next masterpiece.
WHAT IF ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE?
A: Again, leave this to us and we will ensure that the correct procedure is followed for publishing in this country, using British spellings. A proofreader will check that it reads fluently. They will also ensure that it is grammatically correct and free of spelling errors.
WHAT IF I JUST WANT A FRESH SET OF EYES OR A SECOND OPINION?
A: We are mindful that you will have read your manuscript many times by this stage and are probably seeing the same mistakes. A proofreader will ensure that you achieve perfection prior to submission to an agent or a publishing house.
I AM ON A LIMITED BUDGET – WHAT CAN I DO?
A: Because we provide a personal service, we can offer you an individual quotation once we have seen your manuscript. A proofreader at The Editing House will then be able to advise on progress at each stage and discuss the best approach.
WILL I GET PUBLISHED AFTER I HAVE SPENT ALL THIS MONEY?
A: No proofreader or editor can guarantee this, but if you have avoided all the pitfalls, having used a professional proofreader and editor, you will significantly increase your chances of being nearer to your goal of securing a publishing contract.
MY WORK ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH AND I AM TOO EMBARRASSED TO LET SOMEONE LOOK AT IT
A: The fact you are reading this shows that you have a desire to succeed in getting your manuscript published. If people didn’t need a proofreader or editor and their work was always perfect, then there wouldn’t be a demand for companies like us. The fact remains that you cannot proofread your own manuscript. There is no need to be embarrassed – that is what we are here for. No author is expected to achieve perfection, otherwise we would be out of a job.
I HAVE WRITTEN A BOOK BUT I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
A: At The Editing House, we will do everything we can to help you take positive steps in the right direction towards publication and choosing the right option.
I HAVE STARTED WRITING A MANUSCRIPT AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
A: Let our experts assist and guide you towards achieving the perfect manuscript. Conversely, we will give you an honest opinion as to whether or not it is worth pursuing.
I WANT TO WRITE A BOOK BUT I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START
A: We can give you advice on how to write your book in as little as twelve weeks. We can show you how to divide your manuscript into manageable units to get you started.
I HAVE BEEN SUBMITTING MY MANUSCRIPT TO LOTS OF PUBLISHERS AND AGENTS BUT I AM GETTING NOWHERE
A: We can advise on further steps or avenues you can take, including rewriting parts of your book to bring it up to a publishable standard.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?
A: Well, read our testimonials, which speak for themselves. Come to us and you’ll find out – the proof of the writing is in the publishing.
CAN I BECOME A WRITER?
A: Of course you can. Everyone has a book in them. We can get you started and help you on your way to success.
CAN YOU HELP ME TO ACHIEVE PUBLICATION? ARE YOU THE RIGHT PERSON TO HELP ME?
A: Certainly. By presenting it in the right way, in the correct format, with good punctuation, spelling and grammar, it will get you noticed for the right reasons. Publishers and agents receive hundreds of manuscripts every day. Yours needs to stand out from the pile and be easy to read. When your manuscript leaves The Editing House, publishers and agents will instantly see at first glance that they are not going to have to do much work to reach the publication stage, thereby increasing potential profit margins. This is because our proofreader is an experienced professional.
WHY DO BOOKS GET DISMISSED WITHOUT BEING READ?
A: Publishers simply don’t have the time to trawl through poorly presented manuscripts. You need to bring it to the stage where publishers can see that it won’t take much work or financial input to produce. This is where a proofreader at The Editing House comes in.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO RECEIVE ONCE I HAVE SUBMITTED MY MANUSCRIPT TO THE EDITING HOUSE?
A: Work can be tailored to suit individual needs. However, in the main, you can expect to receive either a screen-edited document in Microsoft Word, or a paper edit of your material, marked up using the British Standards Institute (BSI) symbols. Work will be checked line by line, word by word, for spelling mistakes, grammar errors, sentence structure and plot. We will also compile a queries document providing general queries, observations and suggestions, which we can discuss with you personally should you so wish. For electronic documents, all changes will be tracked. Revisions can be undertaken on your behalf if needed. You will be provided with a character list, to check that someone’s name, features or character traits don’t change without good reason. In addition, you will receive a style guide, determining preferred spelling preferences adopted. Please contact us for further information and we can discuss what your requirements are, or complete our contact form.
WHAT TYPE OF DOCUMENTS CAN THE EDITING HOUSE HANDLE?
A: We can assist with all manner of documents, from fiction to academic, to help you create the right impression. Titles accepted include: fiction, non-fiction, self-help, wellness, health, well-being and many other specialist topics.
WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?
A: Once you have used our services at The Editing House, you will be able to submit your work in the knowledge that it is presented professionally. Our proofreader can offer advice on how to submit your finished manuscript to printing houses, publishing houses and literary agents. We can help you to conduct your research beforehand, as each publishing house and agent has their own criteria for submissions.
WHAT OTHER SERVICES/CONTACTS DO THE EDITING HOUSE HAVE?
A: We offer a typing service for handwritten manuscripts, in addition to providing support when it comes to submissions. We can continue to guide you through the entire process until you have reached the publication stage. We can then assist with marketing ideas once your book is in print. If you use our proofreader, you can be sure that because we work in conjunction with publishers, we are current with the latest advances in publishing and so will be able to guide you through the way forwards.
