Proofreading

Corrector/Proofreader

The proofreader intervenes on any written text intended for publication, on paper or online. He ensures both the correct orthographic and grammatical use, the syntax, the respect of the typographic rules of the contents.

Business Description

Whether working for a publishing house, for a press title, for a website or for a communication agency, the editor scrutinizes the texts entrusted to him to track down all the mistakes.
Spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, typography ... but not only! On a screen in "copy preparation" or armed with a red pen for a work on paper, the corrector, attentive to the form as well as the background, proceeds to a reading on several levels, both technical and critical.
Above all, it must correct all word-by-word, sign-by-sign errors. For this, he relies on his command of the language and uses spelling dictionaries, grammars and refers to a typographic code. If he works on screen, he can use in support of automatic correction software.
At the same time, the proofreader must understand the general meaning of the text in order to be able to check the overall coherence and the less information.
If necessary, or if the publisher expressly requests it, the correction in the strict sense can be deepened by rewriting. In this case, it is no longer a question of correcting only the faults, but of modifying the text more widely, which requires real writing skills: cutting, completing, rearranging chapters, explaining obscure passages, reformulating the style ...
Whatever the degree of intervention, the proofreader must always respect the author's thought and never betray the content of the book.
Works of art, novels, practical guides, scientific studies ... To pass from one to the other, the corrector must show a solid general culture and an open mind.
Attention, publishing houses that offer full-time positions are increasingly rare: the proofreaders therefore exercise mostly at home, alone, on behalf of one or more employers, with the status of (Home worker).
It's the same thing in the press. The omnipresence of technologies (software, content management systems ...) and new organizations devolve the activity of the corrector to journalists or editorial secretaries. The profession evolves very quickly.
In fact, the correctors are fewer and fewer, including in the national daily press, which is nevertheless the aristocracy of the profession.

Education / Training to become Corrector :

There is no specific diploma to become a proofreader, but it is strongly recommended to follow a training offered by a specialized school.
When it is necessary to rewrite the text, the corrector-rewriter negotiates a higher rate, on a case-by-case basis depending on the size of the task.

Career developments:

As long as you know how to work in a team and develop a good knowledge of all the stages of the editorial chain, a proofreader can evolve towards close professions, such as writing secretary or publishing assistant.
To note: given the precariousness of this profession, the correctors often have one or more complementary activities.