Illuminating the Dark Corners of Your Text
Your proofreader should be the final pair of eyes to look through your project. This allows writers and editors to focus solely on their duties without being stretched thin. When one relates to their work as a writer, for example, it’s not a simple thing to change hats to editor or proofreader. It becomes quite easy to overlook even the simplest typos and errors when they’ve already spent considerable hours deeply involved in the work in a different context. A new set of eyes is crucial!
Proofreading Services
As your proofreader, I will be checking spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting for inconsistencies and errors. These include capitalization, consistency in how numbers are written, verb tense consistency, and accuracy of names and titles (particularly in nonfiction works). Some of these spill over into the realm of copyediting, so I want to stress that I do not make any actual changes to your manuscripts. I prefer to work using the “suggestion” feature in Google Docs (or “track changes” in MS Word). This allows you to see all of my suggestions and notes and to make the final changes yourself with one click of a button.
I keep regular contact with clients so there’s no guesswork involved. If I’m unsure about anything, I will ask you about it. I work primarily with the Chicago Manual Of Style and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary but will work with any style guide you wish. I also like to build out an individual style sheet per client to cater to their personal preferences.
What I Proof
Fiction
Academic Works
New Age/Spiritual
Job Proposals
Journals
Biographies
Memoirs
YA & Children’s Works
Press Releases, Lyrics, & Liner Notes for Bands & Music Albums
Blogs
$3 per page
$30 flat rate for projects 10 pages or less
Where other proofreaders may charge by the hour, I choose to charge per page because I tend to go over my work multiple times depending on the type of project. For example, if other proofreaders proof roughly 10 pages per hour, I sometimes take a couple of hours to be 100 percent certain my work is accurate and that nothing has been overlooked. I believe that the customer should not be responsible for these extra hours.
Turnaround times depend on the type of project and its size. Depending on how busy I am, projects 20 pages or less can be turned around in 24 hours upon receiving the files. Large projects (200+ pages) may require a percentage of the cost paid up front. Please feel free to contact me for more information.
Rates
Robb [from Mythos Proofs] is the best proofreader I have worked with in my 15 years of academic publishing. What set him apart is that he does not treat proofreading as a technical exercise, but as an opportunity to improve the overall quality of your work. He seeks to understand your goals, target audience, and even professional norms, and carefully contours his comments toward your unique needs as a writer. His attention to detail is unparalleled and he has uncanny ability to spot even the most minor errors and inconsistencies. He is incredibly efficient and, in my experience, always delivers feedback before deadline. Suffice it to say, it is refreshing to work alongside someone who treats your work as if it were their own. For these reasons, I have trusted—and will continue to trust—Robb with my most important editing projects, including grant proposals, academic books and articles, and even tenure and promotion applications.
—Rob DeLeo, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Bentley University
What Clients are Saying
Working with Robb from Mythos Proofs has been incredibly helpful as a small business owner. I worked with Robb on a business proposal that was fairly lengthy and with a deadline. Robb was able to put a professional touch with an extremely quick turnaround time. Being able to have a service like this took the stress away from having to write my material and then worry about the edits after. The end product was handled with care and helped lead me to a successful proposal. I am extremely happy to recommend Robb and look forward to working with him again in the future.
My highlights:
Excellent and clear communication.
Ease of use when accepting the final draft.
—Neil DeRosa, Musician/Teacher, Fitness and Health Consultant
I came to proofreading through music, incidentally. I began by having to proof album layouts for my own work, and this eventually led to proofing press releases and album layouts for other artists through an independent record label. Over time, this led to a deeper interest in expanding this work into a full business. Though I work on all types of projects, my personal reading interests lean towards dark fantasy/horror fiction, artist/musician/filmmaker biographies, and new age/mythology/spirituality works. Some of my favorite authors are Clive Barker, HP Lovecraft, Oscar Wilde, JRR Tolkien, Katherine Arden, Stephen King, Arthur Machen, and Fyodor Dostoevsky. By far, the best written biography I’ve ever encountered is Francis Bacon: Revelations by Mark Stevens & Annalyn Swan.
My musical works include the atmospheric metal/folk band +1476+ and the dungeon synth/new age project Monastery. I also work in music engineering and production through Seraphim House Studios.
About Me
CONTACT
Book Recommendations
Fiction
Weaveworld—Clive Barker
Piranesi—Susanna Clarke
The Moons At Your Door—Edited by David Tibet
Nonfiction
Francis Bacon: Revelations—Mark Stevens & Annalyn Swan
The War Of Art—Steven Pressfield
The Creative Act: A Way Of Being—Rick Rubin
Room To Dream—David Lynch & Kristine McKenna
I Will Teach You To Be Rich—Ramit Sethi
YA / Children
The Thief Of Always—Clive Barker
Small Spaces (Series)—Katherine Arden
