Best Proofreaders and Editors

What a good editing package includes

Proofreading and editing gigs are priced by word count and editing level. Check that the package states:

• Level: proofreading, copy editing, or structural editing.
• Word limit for the price.
• Language variant and style guide, such as US English or a publisher's style.
• How changes are shown: tracked changes or suggestions.
• Comments explaining bigger changes or questions.
• Formatting: whether layout, headings and references are checked.
• Turnaround, revisions and confidentiality.

How to prepare for an editor

1. Your document in an editable format.
2. What it is and who reads it: a book, a website, a report, a thesis.
3. The level of editing you want, and what must not change.
4. Language variant and style guide.
5. A list of names and terms with correct spellings.
6. Your deadline, including time to review the edits.

If you are unsure which level you need, send a sample of a few pages and ask. A good editor will tell you honestly whether a proofread is enough or whether the text needs deeper work.

For academic work, check your institution's rules on outside editing before ordering. Many allow proofreading but not changes to content or argument.

What drives the price

• word count
• level of editing
• technical or specialist subject matter
• condition of the text: a clean draft or a rough one
• formatting and reference checks
• rush delivery

Red flags

• Very large word counts promised very fast, suggesting automatic tools only.
• Edits delivered as a clean file with no tracked changes.
• Samples with errors of their own.
• Offers to write or rewrite academic work for you to submit as your own.
• No questions about readers, style or level.

After editing, read the text once more yourself, aloud if possible. You know your subject and your voice better than anyone, and a final read catches the few things that slip through.

For new content rather than edits, see our blog and article writing guide. For a document in another language, our translation guide explains what to ask for.

Keep a list of the editor's recurring corrections, such as words you often misspell, commas you overuse or phrases you repeat. Checking your next draft against that list before sending it makes the next edit faster and cheaper, and over time your writing improves on its own. Many editors are happy to point out patterns if you ask for a short note with the edited file, and some offer it as a standard part of the service.

Quick pre-order checklist

• I know which level of editing I need.
• I have stated the language variant and style guide.
• I will receive tracked changes or suggestions.
• My document is in an editable format with names and terms listed.
• I have checked any rules on outside editing that apply to me.