Any text intended for printing ultimately takes the form of a PDF document. Portable Document Format is used to present, transfer and print content. Then the text should already be composed. This means that it should have the final graphic form – the appropriate font, margins and attached graphics or illustrations and look the way we would like the printout to look. Editing and proofreading text in PDF is not recommended due to the limited possibility of interfering with the text.
Why is a PDF file not suitable for editing?
PDF text is generally treated as a document for reading, not editing. Here are some reasons why editing and proofreading in PDF can be problematic:
PDF files often store information about the formatting and layout of text in a way that is not easily editable. While some programs offer PDF editing features, they are not always as convenient as editing text in word processing programs such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, where making changes to text is both more convenient and much faster.
Many PDF files can be protected from editing. This means that even if an editor opens the file in a PDF editor, they may be restricted from modifying the content.
Attempting to edit text directly in a PDF file can result in a loss of document structure, affecting its readability and consistency. Changes can disrupt the original text layouts, headings, illustrations, etc.
Fonts are usually embedded in PDF files, which means you may encounter font issues when editing text. Not having full control over fonts can lead to text that looks different.
And most importantly! PDF files do not have a change tracking feature, which makes it difficult to monitor and review changes made in a way similar to what word processing programs offer.
If editing the text is necessary, i.e. when working on the text with an editor and proofreader, when something is constantly being crossed out, added, or rearranged, it is recommended to use the original source files (e.g. Word files, Google Docs).
What should we write the text in?
Special programs are designed for creating texts, which provide many options for making changes and corrections to them with the ability to track these changes at every stage.
If you are going to write a text, use:
- Microsoft Word, one of the most popular tools for writing and editing texts. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite and offers rich formatting, graphics editing and other functions. It has features for tracking changes and comparing documents, as well as many options to improve writing (e.g. a thesaurus, spelling and grammar checker, index and bibliography functions).
- Google Docs, a free online document creation tool offered by Google. It works in the cloud, which allows collaboration and sharing of documents in real time. This avoids saving documents on disk and sending them in emails from the author to the editor and vice versa.
- LibreOffice Writer, a free and open-source office suite for creating text documents. It offers a wide range of features similar to Microsoft Word.
- OpenOffice Writer, like LibreOffice Writer, is a free program for creating text documents. OpenOffice is also an open office suite.
Why this PDF?
We advise against sending a text saved in PDF format to an editor. Of course, editing work on a text saved in PDF is also possible. But it causes a lot of trouble, is laborious, and therefore delays the execution of the order. It also affects the increase in the rate for editing or the first proofreading. PDF is undoubtedly a useful format if it is used at the right stage of the work.
Advantages:
PDF files are universal and can be opened across platforms and operating systems without losing formatting. They can be opened and viewed using free PDF readers, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, which are available for many operating systems.
PDF preserves the original formatting of the document, regardless of the program it was created in. This means the document looks the same whether it is opened on a computer, tablet or smartphone. Allows you to secure documents using various methods, such as passwords, to control access to content.
Interactive elements such as forms, links, and multimedia can be added to PDF files, making them useful for creating interactive documents, e-books, and online forms.
PDF files are print-friendly and their content should always be consistent with the original appearance of the document.
PDF is a popular format for archiving documents. This ensures that documents will be accessible and readable for a long time.
You can create different versions of your PDF documents for printing or online publication. Print versions can include higher quality graphics, while web versions can be optimized to load quickly in browsers.
Additionally, PDF files are commonly used to share e-books, user manuals, reports, scientific articles, presentations, and many other types of documents.
When to proofread PDF files?
When the text is ready, it is worth doing some proofreading – the so-called post-typesetting proofreading. You can then catch any typesetting errors that may have occurred during the typesetting process (orphans, bastards, widows, shoemakers, gutters, mirrors, etc. I will publish a separate article on typesetting errors.)
Pre-publication proofreading is the final, yet crucial, step to ensure that your document is error-free and can be printed as is.
How to proofread PDF files?
- Using commenting tools. Most PDF readers offer commenting tools, such as annotations, text comments, and highlights. A proofreader can point out errors and make suggestions by adding comments directly to the document.
- Using text highlighting tools. PDF readers allow you to highlight text, which can be used to point out areas that need improvement.
By editing the text. Some PDF editing programs allow you to edit the text directly, allowing you to correct errors without having to add comments.
Using PDF editing software. If you need to edit the text in a PDF file more precisely, you can use PDF editing software such as Adobe Acrobat, SwifDoo PDF or another PDF editor.
During online collaboration. When a document is created collaboratively by several people, you can use online PDF editing tools. They allow you to comment on and edit the document directly in your web browser.
In conclusion
If more advanced proofreading is needed, you can use a word processing program, edit the text in Word, and then re-save the document as a PDF.
Once the proofreading process is complete and corrections have been made, it is recommended to re-read the document to check that all changes are in line with the author’s intention and that they have not introduced new errors.
