Let's get one thing straight — a good proofreader is a writer's best friend. They are both incomplete without each other. The writer creates and the proofreader perfects. While there are a countless number of writers doing good in their business or whatever they like to call it, there are not many commendable professional proofreading services available in the market these days. Even the most well-established proofreaders fail to amaze people with their work. As a result, writers have to compromise with the accuracy of the grammar, which undermines the overall quality and impact of their work.

This is not how it is supposed to be. A writer shouldn't have to worry about the small errors in his/her creations. That is the proofreader's job. However, not all proofreaders do justice to the writer's hard work. Most of them take their position for granted. That's precisely the kind of person you want to stay away from if you are seeking a professional proofreading service. There is, in fact, a detailed checklist that can help you when you are out, looking for the best proofreader ever.

Go for a certified proofreading service

In the world of the internet, anyone can be anything. There is no limit on how delusional things can get. We are not trying to scare you. We know you just want a genuine person who is skilled enough to be providing proofreading services.

That's why we suggest you not to trust random people claiming to be a professional proofreader on Facebook and other social media platforms. If they are what they claim to be, they will be on the authentic sites that are supposed to be existing for their line of work. You can click here when you want to get along with professional proofreading services that can readily serve your requirements.

Do not ignore the reviews

While buying something for the first time, we all have our doubts, and they are legitimate. It is risky to trust something or someone new with your work, money, and time. So, how do you know if it is worth it? The answer is simple. You try to find out the experience that other people had with the product or service.

This idea works in all fields. Especially in the line of proofreading, where the work is sensitive, and the money is tight, you cannot afford to be disappointed with substandard service. That's why you should check out the reviews. They reveal if the professional proofreading service that you are keeping in consideration is good enough or not. Based on the reviews you can find online, you can arrive at a decision that is in your best interest.

Ask the proofreader for a sample of their work

We all know that the best judgment can be made once we get a glance at the performance. Sure, a good interview and a couple of cheesy reviews can be impressive, but we are all a little skeptical. You should get rid of this confusion by tapping into the work sample. Make sure to carry out a thorough assessment of these samples to get an innate idea of the quality.

In the proofreading business, your work speaks for you. You don't necessarily have to. So, if you are finding a professional proofreading service, you must not hesitate to ask them to showcase their work. This can be done by getting a piece of your work proofread by them. Once it's done, you can be the judge of their service. Sometimes, the writers don't like the style of the proofreaders. It clashes with their writing. Thus, a sample work always appears handy when it comes to hiring a professional proofreading service.

Discuss the fee beforehand

If you are expecting us to tell you to go for the cheapest proofreading service possible, you are gravely mistaken. In the world of proofreading, quality is everything, and we speak for everyone when we say that quality comes with a price. If you want the best professional proofreading service in the market, you must be ready to pay top dollar for it as well. Otherwise, it's an unfair bargain.

So, whichever proofreading service you are thinking about hiring, you must check in with their way of work first, if you are satisfied, then only you must get talking about the money. This should be an in-depth conversation instead of a one-word answer. It helps in ascertaining the price point for both parties to avoid moments of shock and surprise later on.

Form a written contract

All writers wish for an organized life, except for the times when they are looking for inspiration in a mess. A professional proofreading service will be more than happy and even pushy in some cases when it comes to solidifying their connection with you. This connection is as simple as work in exchange for money, but it still needs to be made into a contract. This will make things more official, and in return, the writer will know that his/her work is in safe hands.

You must remember that it is always a good idea to keep things formal at work if you are expecting integrity. Everything other than that is just hard to trust. The relationship between the writer and the proofreader should be based on trust.

Always maintain a direct contact

When you are looking for professional proofreading services online, you will be bombarded with sites willing to do your work. However, what these sites lack is a direct point of contact. They will get your job done. We can't be the judge of whether it will be good or poor.

However, we can assure you that you will end up having your work proofread by an "anonymous" employee. This raises obvious questions because, more often than not, the proofreader is not a real person but software. You don't want that. So, always ask for a direct connection with the person who will be proofreading for you.