What Do Proofreaders Look for in a Manuscript?

Finishing your manuscript is a huge milestone, but the work isn’t done until it’s carefully proofread. Knowing what proofreaders look for in a manuscript can help you catch hidden errors, polish your writing, and make sure your message shines clearly for your readers. Whether you hire a professional or take it on yourself, this guide will walk you through the key steps to get your manuscript ready for publication.

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Finishing your book is no small thing. It’s something to pause and thank God for. Now you’re stepping into the final stage: proofreading. But I’m going to be honest with you and tell you right away that I don’t recommend proofreading your own manuscript.

Not because I don’t believe you are capable, but because you’re too close to what you’ve written. You know the message God placed on your heart. You know what you meant to say. And because of that, your eyes tend to read what you expect to see instead of what’s actually on the page. Even obvious errors can slip by unnoticed, and the tricky ones? Those are even easier to miss.

As a professional proofreader, I always encourage writers to find someone else to proofread their manuscript. It doesn’t even have to be a trained professional, although that’s preferred. But even a detail-oriented friend who’s strong in grammar can offer a fresh perspective that you simply can’t give yourself. Beta readers can also be great at finding mistakes you’ve missed.

But if you’re confident that this is something you can take on yourself, I want to support you in doing it well. While many self-published books miss the mark simply because this step was rushed or overlooked, you have the opportunity to approach it with care and intention. (I’ve picked up way too many self-published books on Amazon that proved that many writers are under the impression that they don’t need a proofreader!)

Here are a few key things to watch for as you proofread your manuscript.

What Proofreaders Look for in a Manuscript

I’m sure you’re probably asking yourself: What do proofreaders look for in a manuscript? Proofreading is the very last stage in editing. It’s your last chance to catch mistakes that will cause your book to look unprofessional once it’s published. A professional proofreader is trained to catch the small details that can easily be missed, ensuring your words reflect both excellence and care.

Here are the key areas proofreaders look for in a manuscript:

Spelling Mistakes

Obviously. You don’t want your book to be full of speling misteaks. (See what I did there?) But it’s so easy to look over misspelled words. You see what you’re expecting to see, not what’s actually there. (And I hate to burst your bubble, but spellcheck and AI don’t catch every spelling mistake, either!)

Grammatical Errors

Grammatical errors can also be hard to pick up on, unless

1. you have an excellent understanding of grammar, or
2. you’ve walked away from your manuscript for a while.

I definitely recommend leaving your manuscript alone for a few days so the content isn’t so fresh in your mind. I promise that when you come back to it, you’ll see errors you missed before.

Punctuation

Punctuation is usually a mistake I find myself fixing in manuscripts the most often. And typically, it’s because writers don’t know they are mistakes. Some of the most common errors I see are:

• semicolons in place of commas
• commas in place of em dashes
• commas in place of colons
• incorrect punctuation in dialogue

Inconsistencies

English is weird, isn’t it? There are so many words that can be spelled/spelt more than one way. When you choose to write something, it needs to stay consistent throughout the entire manuscript. (This is why creating a style sheet as you write helps!)

Also, watch out for hyphenated words and words that can be written as one word or two separate words. Make sure they stay consistent throughout.

Numbers are another tricky issue that needs to remain consistent. According to The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), whole numbers from zero through one hundred are spelled out (CMOS 9.2). And whole numbers one through one hundred followed by hundred, thousand, and hundred thousand are usually spelled out (CMOS 9.4).

If you have two numbers in a sentence and the rule is going to make one spelled out and one in numerical form, then it’s best to use the same format for both. For example:

• I have 2 cats and 182 marbles.

OR

• I have two cats and one hundred eighty-two marbles.

Also, make sure dates and times are consistent. If you use a.m., don’t switch it up to A.M. later on.

Capitalization is another issue I see when I’m proofreading manuscripts. In a manuscript I was proofreading recently, I came across both church and Church, and angel and Angel. While some words can be correct both ways, it’s best to stay consistent.

Finally, most nonfiction books have headings and subheadings in chapters. These should be formatted consistently as well. Also, I check to make sure chapter titles line up with the table of contents and the page numbers are correct.

Formatting Issues

When it comes to formatting, here are some things proofreaders look for in a manuscript:

• spacing (Only one space belongs at the end of a sentence!)
• inconsistent fonts
• inconsistent heading consistency (chapter titles not formatted the same way, inconsistent heading styles and sizes, and missing or uneven spaces around headings)
• inconsistent bullet point styles
• misaligned lists
• mixed punctuation in lists (periods after numbers in one list, but not in others)
• uneven paragraph indents
• random paragraph breaks
• mistakes in dialogue formats
• extra line breaks
• alignment problems

As a proofreader for writers of Christian content, I also double-check:

• consistency in Scripture references
• missing Bible version tags
• incorrect Bible version abbreviations
• missing or added words in quotations
• altered paraphrasing
• formatting of short vs. long passages
• capitalization (He/Him vs he/him when referring to God or word/Word)
• proper placement of verse references and punctuation
  • Ex: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5, NIV).
• correct book names and abbreviations

Common Proofreading Mistakes in Manuscripts

If you know what you’re looking for, you can slow down and tackle this final step with confidence. These aren’t always big, obvious errors. In fact, they’re often small details that are easy to overlook but can quietly distract your reader and weaken the overall quality of your work.

Here are some of the most common proofreading mistakes in manuscripts to watch for:

1. Relying too heavily on spellcheck
Spellcheck is helpful, but it won’t catch everything. Words like their/there/they’re or form/from can easily slip through because they’re spelled correctly—they’re just used incorrectly.

2. Skipping words or repeating them
When you’re familiar with your writing, your brain tends to fill in gaps. This can lead to missing words or accidentally repeating the same word twice without noticing. (I see “to to” a lot!)

3. Inconsistent formatting
This includes things like uneven spacing, inconsistent headings, or switching between different styles. These issues may seem unimportant, but they can make your manuscript feel unprofessional.

4. Incorrect punctuation
Misplaced commas, missing quotation marks, or inconsistent use of dashes can interrupt the flow of your writing and confuse readers.

5. Inconsistency in style choices
Switching between different spelling styles, capitalization, or number formats without a clear reason is a common issue. Consistency builds trust with your reader.

6. Overlooking small grammar errors
Things like subject-verb agreement or incorrect verb tense can slip by, especially when you’re focused on the bigger picture.

7. Rushing the final read-through
One of the most common proofreading mistakes in manuscripts is simply moving too quickly. Don’t rush because you’re guaranteed to miss important details! Take your time. Give your work the final layer of care it deserves. It’s not about perfection—it’s about removing distractions so your message can come through clearly and effectively!

Final proofreading checklist for manuscripts

Before you consider your manuscript complete, it’s worth taking one final, intentional pass. Here’s a simple and final proofreading checklist for manuscripts that will help you catch the small details that are often missed and ensure your work is truly ready to be shared.

Walk through each item slowly and carefully:

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of things proofreaders look for in a manuscript, as you can see. That’s why I recommend leaving the last step to a professional. A trained proofreader can make your book look professional. They also help you, as an author, gain trust with readers. And they help readers by making sure your message is clear, distraction-free, and easy to understand.

Even if you choose to proofread your own work, keeping these tips in mind helps you approach your manuscript with fresh eyes and a plan. And if you decide to work with a professional proofreader (like me!), knowing what they look for allows you to collaborate more effectively and bring your best work to your audience. Taking this step seriously honors both your craft and the message you’ve been called to share.

More to Read:

• Guide to Editing and Proofreading Before Submitting a Manuscript
• Self-Editing Essentials for Nonfiction
• McGraw-Hill’s Proofreading Handbook