Definition
Proof copy
A proof copy is a physical copy printed from the final files and checked before the book goes on sale. It is the only reliable way to judge margins, gutter and print colour.
A screen cannot show you what the paper will do. The faults a proof reveals are consistently physical: text disappearing into the gutter on a thicker-than-expected block, a cover trimmed a millimetre off centre, images heavier and darker in print than on a backlit display, and paper showing through from the reverse. Order one, read it with a ruler, and expect at least one round of correction — budget the days for it rather than discovering them.
Related tools & guides
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