Self-publishing a romance novel can be tricky, especially if you’re managing the process by yourself. You’re the project manager and the author, so it’s easy to get lost in what needs to be done. So here’s what romance writers need to know about proofreading, one of the last steps in the publishing process.
There are many benefits of proofreading, but if you don’t know much about it then it’s easy to forget its importance. Proofreaders work with authors not just to clear up typos but to also catch other, potentially major problems.
If you’ve ever gone to buy a book but been dissuaded by errors in the first few pages, you’ll want to read this.
Why romance writers work with proofreaders
When self-publishing a romance novel, romance writers want to give their book the best chance of success possible. This means working with service providers who can elevate your book:
- copy-editors will edit your novel to strengthen the words on the page
- typesetters will format your book to be aesthetically pleasing
- book cover designers will create a cover that entices readers
- proofreaders will clear up inconsistencies and errors
There are other services that can also benefit your book – including beta readers, ARC readers and book reviewers, and developmental editors – but the most overlooked provider is a romance proofreader.
A proofreader’s job isn’t just to catch typos. Proofreaders catch formatting and layout errors, fix punctuation mistakes, find misspellings, and more. This can range from finding that your chapters are numbered incorrectly to noticing that a character’s name is wrong on one page.
Attention to detail is crucial, and errors and inconsistencies in a romance novel can break the reader’s immersion. Especially in the opening, pivotal scenes, and steamy scenes.
By working with a proofreader, romance writers can feel confident that readers won’t be distracted by mistakes.
The benefits of proofreading for romance writers
For a romance writer, the benefits of proofreading include:
- improved quality of your book
- enhanced reading experience
- consistent formatting of chapters and scenes
- improved marketability, especially for sample chapters and the opening pages
Just like editors, proofreaders can never guarantee a perfect book, but proofreading can strengthen the published version by catching:
- misaligned text
- typos and spelling mistakes
- punctuation errors and omissions
- problems with bold and italic text
- incorrect character names and pronouns
- dialogue inconsistencies
- incorrect paragraph breaks
In a romance novel, it’s especially important that your dialogue flows well, and interruptions such as missing quotation marks, inconsistent punctuation, and misspelled words can all impact that flow.
How to work with a proofreader for your romance novel
Before you send your romance novel to a proofreader, you should make sure it’s edited. Ideally, you should have edited it yourself before having it edited by a professional copyeditor or line editor. If that isn’t possible, beta readers and critique partners are a great, free/low-cost alternative.
There are two main ways a proofreader will work on your novel: in Word, before the book has been formatted, and as a PDF, after the book has been formatted.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
Advantages and disadvantages of proofreading a Word document
When self-publishing, many romance writers like to be as involved in the process as possible. Sending a Word document to a proofreader means you have more control over the changes, especially if you’re going to format your book without paying a typesetter.
The advantages and disadvantages of sending a Word document to a proofreader are:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Proofreading can be done using Track Changes, so you can see exactly what’s been changed and reject anything you disagree with. | Formatting can’t be proofread, so any formatting errors or inconsistencies won’t be picked up on. |
| Comments are easy to read and review. | Sometimes book formatting will delete italics and bold text, so your proofreader won’t be able to spot these errors. |
Proofreading in Word is great for books that might need more intervention, such as debut novels or books that haven’t been professionally edited. It’s the best option for authors who want to publish eBooks.
Advantages and disadvantages of proofreading a PDF file
Once your romance novel has been formatted, you can send a PDF file to a proofreader, allowing them to check the book completely. This is usually done after formatting has been completed by a typesetter, and the typesetter will then apply the changes for the author.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| A typesetter can apply the changes the proofreader suggests for you. | It can be overwhelming to go through and understand where changes have been made. |
| The proofreader can check for formatting errors and inconsistencies. | If many changes need to be made, it’s harder for the author and/or typesetter to apply the changes. |
Proofreading PDF files is great for books that are nearly ready to publish and aren’t expected to have many mistakes left over after editing. It’s the best option for authors who want to publish their book in print.