Editing and Proofreading Your Manuscript
Get your manuscript ready before you submit it — and know what to do if you want help.
What "Ready to Submit" Looks Like
You do not need a polished, professionally edited manuscript to submit to us. But the cleaner it is, the smoother the road to getting your book on the site. Here is what to check before you upload.
Read It Aloud
Your ear catches clunky sentences and repeated words that your eye skips over on screen. Read the whole manuscript aloud, even if it takes a while.
Leave It, Then Return
Put the manuscript aside for at least two weeks before your final read-through. Distance makes mistakes and weak sections much easier to spot.
Check the Basics
Spelling, punctuation, and consistency — a character's name or eye colour changing halfway through, timeline slips, that sort of thing. These are the errors that stand out most to readers.
Want a Hand With It?
Not every author has the time or confidence to self-edit alone, and that is fine.
Request Help via the Contact Form
If you would like help editing or proofreading your manuscript before it goes on the site, tell us on the contact form when you get in touch. Let us know roughly what kind of help you are after and we will get back to you.
Beta Readers
Ask a few trusted readers to go through your manuscript before you submit. Five to eight readers is usually enough to spot the same problem more than once, which is a good sign it needs fixing.
After Your Manuscript Is Ready
Once you are happy with it, here is what comes next.
Submitting Your Work
Send your manuscript through to us and we will take it from there.
If You're Also Going to Print
Getting your own printed copies is a separate process to being published on the site — see our cost breakdown if you are considering it.
Once Your Manuscript Is Clean
If you are also preparing a cover or an ebook version, these guides cover what comes next.
Ready to Submit Your Work?
Get in touch with any questions about editing, proofreading, or the submission process.
Contact Us