Background
I was approached by Suppiah Ratneswaren to proofread his book, Satyagraha. The Freedom Movement of Tamils in Ceylon. This is a reprinted and updated second edition of a 1963 history, which details the start of the troubles in Sri Lanka in the 1950s. It is a harrowing read, covering the initial peaceful protests, and the subsequent descent into armed conflict. The initial book ended in the early 1960s, but the new edition brings the history up to date.
Suppiah had almost finished the text, and had it fully typeset, with images, charts and maps, but needed a proofreader.
Process
This was a complex document, not least because of the proliferation of polysyllabic names, as is the custom in Sri Lanka. There were individuals who appeared throughout the work, plus family members, others unrelated but with very similar names, and names which appeared differently in historical records. I ended up doing ‘find and replace’ for common mis-spellings, and checking for the correct version on many occasions. I annotated the PDF of the typeset version, but used a printed copy of the contents, illustrations and references lists, to make sure all the numbering matched up.
Result
My completed manuscript was returned to the author, for his approval on all my changes, and then to the typesetter to implement them. I received the amended version, which I then had to verify, and ask for corrections, twice over, before I was happy that it was correct. The author was delighted with my attention to detail, and determination to get the changes correctly copied across. He has subsequently asked me to look at the book’s cover text, and write content for the website he will be using to sell the book.
Suppiah said:
“By word of mouth we came across Hannah Danson at HD Words from a reputed publisher, when we were in search of a proof reader.
Our manuscript was a nonfiction historical document and a complex manuscript.
Hannah did an excellent job, more than a proof reader, pointing out areas of improvement which a copy editor overlooked during the copy editing process, and suggesting other areas of change.
We strongly recommend Hannah and HD Words for her highly skilled, meticulous work in a timely manner.”
- Proofreading 160k word history
- Private client recommended by his publisher
- One off work plus cover and website
- Cost Approx £2k Duration 1 month + extras, Jan 2025
- You can get your copy here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Satyagraha-Freedom-Movement-Tamils-Ceylon/dp/1399966766/ref=sr_1_1?