Checking your work carefully is one of the most important responsibilities an author has.

Through years of assisting authors with self‑publishing, we have seen a noticeable increase in manuscripts requiring corrections after formatting has already begun. This often leads to delays, additional costs, and unnecessary frustration.

Before approving your files, all editing disciplines should be completed.

Editing Comes Before Formatting

At Angel Key Publications, our team is not set up to edit manuscripts once they reach the formatting stage.

If your manuscript still requires editing, we strongly recommend engaging an experienced editor or requesting this service through us before formatting begins. Doing so will save time, reduce costs, and significantly lower the risk of errors being introduced once the layout is fixed.

From 1 December 2026, editing correction requests made after formatting has commenced are charged at $65 per hour or part thereof, with a goodwill allowance of up to 10 minutes for minor corrections.

Formatting Changes and Previews

Any formatting changes must be requested within the first few pages of the preview provided.

Late formatting changes can require a full reformat of the manuscript, which incurs additional costs. Early review prevents this scenario entirely.

Check Your Work Thoroughly

We do not recommend relying on self‑editing alone.

It is your responsibility to thoroughly check your manuscript before submission — especially critical elements such as the back‑cover blurb. Errors at this stage often appear in the final printed book if not corrected in advance.

Avoid checking your work when you are tired, stressed, or distracted. These conditions significantly reduce accuracy.

Why Self‑Editing Is So Difficult

The human brain is designed to make sense of information.

As long as text appears logical, the brain automatically fills in gaps and corrects errors without conscious effort. This is why mistakes are so easy to miss when reviewing your own work.

Consider this sentence:

I dnot konw why but I ahve no porlbem uderntsaning tihis snetcne.

Most readers immediately understand the correct meaning, even though it is full of errors. This phenomenon explains why authors often read what they intended to write rather than what is actually on the page.

Techniques to Improve Checking Your Work

While no method is perfect, the following techniques greatly improve accuracy:

• Read your work aloud
  This engages both sight and sound, making awkward phrasing and missing words easier to detect.
• Read in reverse
  Starting from the end of a sentence and reading word by word disrupts the brain’s tendency to auto‑correct, helping uncover spelling mistakes.
• Create time between writing and editing
  Avoid editing immediately after finishing. Waiting days or weeks allows you to view the text with fresh eyes.
• Cut, don’t add
  Many writers overwrite. During editing, look for unnecessary words and sentences and remove them without hesitation.
• Use modern tools
  Voice recognition software can help catch mistakes as you write. Speaking your text aloud makes errors more visible on screen, especially for non‑touch typists.

Be Ruthless With Yourself

When checking your work, honesty is essential.

Criticise your own writing objectively. If an error exists, acknowledge it and correct it. Being thorough at this stage protects the quality of your book and ensures a smoother production process.