Avoid errors with copyediting
When text is in English, you might be able to catch and change occasional errors yourself, but when the text is translated into another language, the chance of you spotting any errors is much lower. At intercontact, our translations undergo a copyediting stage once completed.. This is an additional work step and is not standard procedure in the translation industry. Therefore, when working with translated text, it is important to consider whether a copyediting stage has also been carried out.
To ensure that your English or translated text is free from mistakes, have your document reviewed by one of our editors. During this process, our reliable copyeditors/translators – who are all native speakers – identify and eliminate errors such as spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, incorrect punctuation, unclear phrasing or syntax errors.
When working on technical texts, our copyeditors also focus on the content, ensuring that it’s logical and identifying technical errors, ambiguities or sections of text that are difficult to understand. This ensures the high quality and clarity of your written material and prevents reputation loss resulting from off-putting mistakes.
We work well under pressure
Most errors occur shortly before publication or printing, when tension levels rise and things become hectic. The situation can be especially frantic when you need versions of texts in foreign languages as well. Errors are particularly likely when team members such as graphic designers have to work in foreign languages they don’t understand.
Is the text in the layout correct? Is the headline in the right language? Chinese or Japanese? Did the designer place the Swedish text block in the Danish brochure? Are the spelling and punctuation correct? And is the corporate language really being used consistently in every language?
Proofreading eliminates this risk and ensures error-free, print-ready layouts, print templates and perfect websites. We know that a lot can happen at the last-minute stage of a project, and that’s why we also offer proofreading as an express service and ready-to-print service.
When creating websites, complex online approval processes must often be considered, which we are happy to integrate into our copyediting process. In order to save time, we can then edit your texts directly in your content management system (CMS), workflow management system, webcentre, online tool or in the backend of your PIM system.
The benefit of this is that all of the team members involved in the approval process (specialist departments, international subsidiaries, marketing, design agencies, web agencies etc.) can add their changes at any time as part of the team collaboration, which we can then copyedit in an equally short time frame.
Errors happen when you least expect them
People who go through life with an “it will be fine” attitude can get lucky – but not every time. Possible errors also lurk in everyday, seemingly straightforward texts. Let’s take the many country-specific exceptions in typography.
In French, all double punctuation marks (exclamation marks, question marks, colons, semicolons etc.) are separated from the previous word by a (narrow as possible) non-breaking space. However, brackets are not double punctuation marks and are treated in the same way as in English.
Similarly, “English quotation marks” can easily get mixed up with „German quotation marks“. And some languages also have their own rules on line breaks which absolutely must be followed.
Our copyediting service includes proofreading in all formats
We carry out proofreading and copyediting for your texts and translation in all the standard file formats and in all languages. We correct Word texts directly in the document, using the track changes function where desired. We can also edit InDesign, PowerPoint and Excel documents directly in the file – or you can also send us a PDF. We are also experienced in using the leading content management systems.
High quality through systematic processes
Our experienced, specially-trained copyeditors work according to the four-eyes principle, which involves the edited text being checked by another copyeditor. We work according to the ISO 17100 standard.
What is the difference between copyediting and proofreading?
When we revise texts, we differentiate between copyediting and proofreading. Proofreading is primarily concerned with correcting mistakes. After this process, the text is free from errors, but identical to the original text in principle.
During the copyediting process, the copyeditor reviews the text, concentrating on errors as well as style, word selection and technical accuracy. The final text will be free of mistakes, but it may be significantly different from the original text. Of course, all changes are only made after we receive approval from you.
A copyediting stage is always recommended when the quality of the text could result in immediate conclusions being drawn about the competence and professionalism of the publisher. This includes specialist articles, book publications, corporate communications and marketing material.
An affordable price for a flawless finish
Whether it is copyediting, proofreading or revision: our hourly rate remains the same. The resulting price depends on the amount of work required. Proofreading takes less time than copyediting. Most of the time is used to revise and optimise existing text. We are happy to advise you in advance regarding prices for copyediting and proofreading.
We provide proofreading and copyediting services for you
intercontact supports companies and global brands with proofreading and copyediting services for texts in English and in foreign languages. Our professional native-speaker copyeditors correct texts in all languages and will proofread your last draft before publication in print or online. To give you all-round peace of mind and compelling copy.
