Setting a clear and defined brief for your proofreader is key to ensuring their work aligns with your expectations. It also helps to speed up the process by answering the basic questions a good proofreader should ask you upfront.

So, what does a good client include in a proofreading brief? Well, to start, a brief should be just that, brief! There’s no need to extend your writing by another 1,000 words! There are, however, a few essential things you need to include (remember, short and to-the-point bullets/dot points will suffice):

Project details:

• Document word count (FYI, an A4 document with single line spacing and size 12 font would be appx. 500 words)
• Document file format
• Deadline (when you need the proofread document back)

Scope of proofreading:

• What level of proofreading or copy editing is required:
  • Proofreading
  • Copy editing: light
  • Copy editing: medium
    • Find out more about these on my services page
• Proofreading comment delivery process (e.g. as tracked changes in Word, or as comments in Adobe PDF)

Purpose of the copy:

• What the copy is going to be used for (e.g. a chapter in a corporate report, a page on a website, a blog post or a social media post etc.)
• Who the intended audience is (as this influences the tone used in your writing heavily)

Style sheet, preferences and consistency:

• Provide your style sheet
• Note any preferences for consistency checks
  • See my helpful guide on style sheets for more information

Any exceptions or things to avoid:

• Such as not editing any specific sections or types of content such as quotes and footnotes
• Noting there is no need to cross-check figures and numbers total up correctly etc.

If you don’t already have a brief for your project or aren’t sure where to start, then I’m happy to provide you with a basic template to get you going. Just reach out and ask for one when you get in touch!