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Rachel Rowlands, Book Editor & Author
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Rachel Rowlands, Book Editor & Author

Proofreading

the final polish
ready for one last check of your book before you publish?

How proofreading can help:

  • A careful, meticulous, and slowed-down read-through to spot any lingering errors that may have slipped through during a copy or line edit.
  • Can be done in a Microsoft Word file, or on a fully laid-out and designed PDF file with all design elements in place.
  • Ensures you have a professional, publication-ready book and covers everything from minor corrections to page numbers, headings, contents and copyright pages, and maps.
  • Checks that nothing has been left out of your book before you hit publish.
how i proofread

My approach

I only proofread books that have already been copy/line edited. If you had a copy/line edit with me, however, I always suggest hiring a separate proofreader, as having fresh eyes for this final step is so important. As much as I would love to continue working on the books I edit, I get too close to a project after copy or line editing, and may miss things.

I can work in Microsoft Word, using the Track Changes feature, or, alternatively, in Adobe Acrobat on a PDF of the designed book if needed.

A shiny red pen gripped in a hand over a notebook
what you get

Service includes…


A fully proofread manuscript, marked up in Microsoft Word using the Track Changes feature. This is the easiest way for you to see and understand my changes and comments, as everything is tracked in red. I can work on laid-out PDFs by request.

A proofread may also include a separate set of proofreading notes highlighting any wider queries (such as broad continuity errors or notes on missing content).

Let’s get your book publication ready!

still unsure?

Here’s what writers and publishers say!

  • Professional and conscientious

    I’ve been lucky enough to count Rachel among Black Library’s pool of freelance editors and proofreaders since 2018, and since then she has lent her talents to a variety of products across our range, including work on our fantasy, science-fiction and horror genres. Rachel is a professional and conscientious editor, taking the time to provide in-depth queries where necessary. She is extremely thorough in her work, always hits deadlines, and is seemingly never phased by the amount of unusual terms to be found in our fiction! She has worked on both short and long-form stories, and seems eager to tackle any task. I would not hesitate to recommend her services.
    Darkness in the Blood by Guy Haley
    Karen miksza, desk editor
    Black Library (Games Workshop)
    Website
  • Attention to detail

    Rachel has a great attention to detail and is always punctual and communicative.
    Alexandra holmes
    Bookouture (Hachette UK)
    Website
  • Extremely proficient

    After working particularly closely on a line-editing project, I suggested to the author that she use another person for proofreading. Rachel matched my requirements perfectly and to my delight, I discovered she’s a great colleague to work with. My client, the author, also thinks she’s great, so it’s a win-win-win for us all. Since I first became acquainted with Rachel, we have worked on two books together. She has gone from strength to strength and I would look for opportunities to work with her again. Rachel is professional in her approach, kind and generous in both her attitudes and sharing her knowledge, and is extremely proficient with the work she does.
    Katherine swailes, PHD., DIP.EDIT
    Write or Wrong? – editing and proofreading
    Website
book your proofread
Member of the Editorial Freelancers Association

Sooo… in massively exciting news, I bought a house Sooo… in massively exciting news, I bought a house for me and my husband – and it was only made possible because of my books. Every failed manuscript, every year of rejection, all the drafts, the millions of words, and the cat café stories that finally got noticed by publishers around the world… This is what it all turned into. I'm so, so grateful. And a little stunned this even happened. Looking forward to making many memories here – and writing and editing books from my new office! 🏡
I went to IKEA recently, and someone had placed th I went to IKEA recently, and someone had placed this little stuffed cat inside a basket-house. Not sure if the basket is actually meant to be a house or just an oddly shaped decoration, but it's the perfect shape to house a stuffed animal, and it made me smile. 🐱 

The wider world feels very heavy right now (an understatement if ever there was one), but small moments of human fun, creativity, and whimsy like this one make me smile. Hope you've all been managing to find small moments of joy if you can. 🤍

Now I'm off back to my editing cave where I'll be working on some excellent client books. 📝
If you dig around on the internet long enough, you If you dig around on the internet long enough, you’ll probably encounter some of these myths about publishing…

The bookshop one definitely caught me out when I was a new traditionally published author! 👀 I was lucky enough to find my book in some Waterstones branches, but it wasn't in all of them – not even my local one, which I had been writing in for years! 

Are any of these surprising to you? 

#writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity
I was inspired by a recent Substack from @jackstra I was inspired by a recent Substack from @jackstrangeauthor talking about his journey writing romance and how it was almost fated. My own road to this genre was pretty unusual and something I truly didn't expect, even though it now feels very right for me, so I wrote about it in my own newsletter.

You can read it at the link in my bio. 🤍

#romanceauthor #romancebooks

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