Uncorrected Page Proof vs Final (Duplicate Post)

[Rose]

Hi Everyone,

I'm doing a book review for a newspaper, and the book they gave me has "Black and white uncorrected page proof. For review purposes only." printed on the cover.

I'm having difficulty determining exactly what this means (http://www.craneduplicating.com/v1/Uncorrected_Page_Proofs/index.cfm?fuseAction=welcome). Here's the questions I'm hoping you can answer:

1) What are uncorrected page prooofs?
2) How different will the final copy be? In other words, is it likely there will be major differences from my copy?
3) I know camera reviewers mention it when their test cameras are, well, Test Models. Should I note in my review that my book was an uncorrected page proof? (Of course, I'd rather state that in words everyone understands).

Thanks!
(A copy of this post is also in the freelancing writing forum).

[maestrowork]

There shouldn't be any "major" differences. The way I understand it, the uncorrected review copies are usually galleys used for final proofing and reviews. All editorial changes should have been made already. There might be some typos or formatting "hiccups" that need to be fixed before the "final version" goes to the printer for mass production.

But for review purposes, this should be 99.9999% close to the final copy. You don't have to say you're reviewing an uncorrected copy/galley.

[Rose]

Thanks!

[Susan Gable]

Thanks!

Rose, I sent out some uncorrected ARCs recently for review. Basically, what I had done was send out my final copy that I had on my computer. Harlequin doesn't make ARCs for category romance lines, so we have to do it ourselves. And my line makes extensive line edit tweaks, changing a word here, a word there, etc. It would take me hours to input all those little changes into the manuscript, so I use what I had, and mark it as uncorrected. You might find some typos, etc. that also got corrected in the final edition.

Susan G.

[maestrowork]

Interesting, Susan... are you saying it's the author's responsibility to send out ARCs for reviews (at Harlequin)? Are you also responsible for printing them?

[Susan Gable]

Interesting, Susan... are you saying it's the author's responsibility to send out ARCs for reviews (at Harlequin)? Are you also responsible for printing them?

Yes, Ray, on both counts. Harlequin does ARCs for certain things (I'm sure the single titles get them) but not for the category lines, like Superromance, for which I write.

I had to make up the ARCs (which I did on my computer, using, as I said, the final copy that I had within my computer) and then I printed them out, and this time I went "all out." <G> I actually had them bound at Staples with a plastic comb binding. That makes them nicer. :)

But I only did a couple to get a few advance reviews. Now, Harlequin DOES send out all the categories to places like Romantic Times Booksclub Magazine so we can get our reviews from there. I think they send them a copy of the proof pages. I'm not entirely sure what they send them.

I won't even have my author copies until early next month for my July book. So I can't send those out for review, because it's too late by then.

Susan G.

[willietheshakes]

There shouldn't be any "major" differences.

There shouldn't be, but there often are. And it's becoming more common for there to be more changes between galley or ARC and finished book. I review VERY regularly, and if I'm reviewing from an ARC, I always check with the publicist and/or agent and/or editor to ensure that I have as close to the final version as possible.

As an example, there was a non-fiction title I reviewed a couple of years ago. I singled out one passage near the end for pointed praise. A few days later, I was interviewing the author for another publication and I happened to mention that scene. "Oh, really?" she said. "We cut that scene from the final version."

Thankfully I was able to get to the review before it ran...