Frequently Asked Questions...
1. How is proofreading the Bible different from proofreading other material?
Bible proofreading is a specialty because it requires an understanding of the way the text is presented as well as an appreciation for the content itself. Translators dictate not only the words they require to be published, but also the way those words are presented on the page; they use poetry, special indents, line spaces, special fonts, unusual symbols - all of which are an integral part of the translation.
It is our goal to become experts in the requirements for each translation we proofread. We function as a "quality control" service, assuring that the translation with all its nuances is accurately presented.
2. Do you read from a screen or from hard copy?
We do all our proofreading from hard copy. Since the end product will be on paper, and since fonts and sizes can look different on screen, we print out everything we proof.
3. Does that mean I need to send you hard copy?
No, we get most of our proofs via PDF files. We then download them and print them out for proofing.
4. Do you send us the hard copy?
We can either report our finding on hard copy or we can annotate the PDF file, whichever you prefer. Sometimes it also depends on the nature of the marks we're making; sometimes they are clearer on hard copy.
5. Do you send your work to the publisher or to the typesetter?
This depends on the customer's preference and on the nature of the job. We send our work back to an editor if we have queries that need to be addressed, if the editor wants to review our work, and if the editor wants to add input from other sources to the proofs. If, however, it's a text Bible with no editorial decisions that need to be made, the publisher may request that we just work with the typesetter until final proofs are achieved.
6. So do you check seconds?
Yes, our price includes checking seconds, thirds, etc. - as many passes as it takes - until final proofs are achieved. We find that many errors in Bibles happen in the last phases of a project, when time is often short and checking and re-checking becomes tiring. Then in the process of making a correction, something else happens on the page that no one notices. For this reason, we like to check seconds whenever it's feasible.
7. What happens if you miss something? Do you have any sort of guarantee that this won't happen?
No, we cannot guarantee that we won't make a mistake. Because of the possibility of human error for any individual, we approach our projects as a team, so that hopefully what one person overlooks, another person will catch. We constantly look for ways to back each other up, checking and often re-checking various aspects of the page.