What to Check in a Book Proof Copy: Mistakes I Found Before Publishing

My first printed proof copies of the Cheer Diaries books arrived—and this was definitely not the perfect book unboxing I had imagined.

One copy of Cheer Camp had been printed completely on the wonk.

A white line ran across the cover, and when I opened the book, the interior was misaligned too. The whole book had been printed incorrectly.

It was disappointing, but it also gave me a very real introduction to quality control as a self-published author.

It confirmed something every author needs to know: you should always order and carefully inspect a physical proof copy before publishing your book.

What Happened With the Printing Error?

As soon as I noticed the printing problems, I took photographs and contacted Bookvault through its support system.

Bookvault contacted the printer in Australia, which confirmed that there had been a problem with one of its machines that day. I was offered the choice between having the entire order reprinted or receiving credit on my account.

I chose the credit.

I already had changes I wanted to make to the files before ordering the next set of proofs, and I wanted to order hardcover copies at the same time.

Despite the fault, I was very happy with Bookvault’s customer service. My main concern was what would happen if a customer received a book with the same problem after ordering through my website.

Printing faults can happen with any printer or distributor. What matters is how quickly the issue is investigated and how the affected customer is looked after.

Bookvault handled my problem promptly and gave me a fair choice of solutions.

Check the Overall Print Alignment

Before reading every page, look at the book as a physical product.

Check whether:

• The cover is straight.
• The artwork and text are positioned correctly.
• The spine is aligned.
• Unexpected white lines appear around the edges.
• The interior pages have been printed straight.
• The margins remain consistent throughout the book.
• Anything appears noticeably shifted, stretched or cropped.

The digital previews and 3D mock-ups had not warned me that this particular copy would arrive misaligned. It was a production fault that only became obvious when I held the finished book.

Look for Show-Through on Dark Pages

The Cheer Diaries books contain illustrations, doodles and some pages with large areas of black ink.

One of my biggest printing concerns was show-through: being able to see the printing from the opposite side of the page.

That could make illustrated pages look messy and interfere with the text or images on the next page.

I had selected a heavier paper through Bookvault, and I was incredibly pleased with how it felt. Even on pages with substantial amounts of dark ink, the image on the other side wasn’t noticeably visible.

When checking your own proof, find the darkest pages and examine both sides in good lighting. Don’t only look at the white, text-heavy pages.

Proofread the Physical Book Again

The manuscripts had already been professionally edited and proofread, but I still found issues when I examined the printed copies.

Mistakes can be missed at any stage. Authors can also accidentally introduce new errors after professional editing—especially when changing wording during formatting.

I often adjust the text while placing it around illustrations. I might change a sentence because I don’t like how it sits on the page, which means the final formatted book is no longer identical to the version the editor originally checked.

That is why the actual print-ready file needs one final proofread.

Reading on paper can also make problems easier to spot. The page feels different from a document on a screen, and you begin to notice awkward spacing, crowded sections and small mistakes that your eyes previously skipped.

Check More Than Spelling

My pink sticky tabs didn’t all mark spelling mistakes.

Many of them showed places where I simply wasn’t happy with the layout. Some pages needed better spacing or a different arrangement of the words and illustrations.

When reviewing a physical book proof, check:

• Spelling and punctuation
• Missing or repeated words
• Paragraph and line spacing
• Font sizes and consistency
• Page numbers
• Chapter openings
• Image placement and quality
• Blank pages
• Widows and orphans
• Crowded or unbalanced pages
• Text sitting too close to the trim or binding
• Consistency across every book in a series

A page can be technically correct and still not look right.

Mark Known Problems Before Asking for Feedback

I read through the proof copies first and marked everything I noticed with pink sticky tabs.

I then gave copies to trusted friends to proofread and provide feedback.

Where possible, I marked the problems I had already found before handing over their copies. I didn’t want somebody spending time documenting and explaining a mistake I already knew needed fixing.

Having several people review the books was still incredibly helpful. Different readers notice different things, and fresh eyes are much less likely to skim over familiar wording.

My basic order was:

1. Inspect and proofread the books myself.
2. Mark the problems I had already found.
3. Give copies to trusted proofreaders.
4. Gather their feedback.
5. Make the changes to the print files.
6. Order another set of physical proofs.

Judge the Cover as a Printed Product

I had a feeling that I might want to change the Cheer Diaries covers, but seeing them physically confirmed it.

The three covers looked good together as a series, but the title on Tumble Trouble didn’t sit properly. I hadn’t been able to judge its exact size and position through the digital proofs.

Once the books were in my hands, I knew I could do better.

I moved the titles down, reduced the text size, repositioned the character artwork and made the book number more obvious. I also added texture to the previously flat background colours and reversed parts of the colour scheme on the back covers.

These weren’t necessarily enormous individual changes, but together they produced a design I felt much more confident about.

A cover can look completely different when it is wrapped around a physical book. Check the front, spine and back as one complete design—not three separate panels.

Order Proofs From Each Printer You Plan to Use

My next step was to compare copies printed through Bookvault, Amazon KDP, IngramSpark and the company producing my bulk order.

The same files can produce slightly different results through different printers. Paper weight, colour, trimming, binding and image reproduction may vary.

If customers will receive your book from several different suppliers, it is worth ordering a copy from each one.

Check that you are comfortable with every version carrying your name—not only the best one.

Why This Wasn’t Really an Unboxing

This may not have been the exciting first unboxing I had pictured.

The books weren’t perfect. One had a major printing fault, the covers needed more work and the pink sticky tabs quickly began multiplying.

But that is exactly what proof copies are for.

A proof copy is not supposed to be the ceremonial end of the publishing process. It is a working copy designed to reveal everything that still needs attention.

Finding problems in a proof is frustrating, but finding them after hundreds of books have been printed—or after customers have started ordering—is much worse.

So inspect every page, trust that niggling feeling when something doesn’t look right and give yourself time to make another round of changes.

The goal of a proof copy isn’t to prove that you got everything right on the first attempt.

It’s to help you get the finished book right before it reaches your readers.

You can see the finished Cheer Diaries books at The Cheerleader Book Club.

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Allison xx