All About Proof - Freaks of the Wireless

If you’re anything like us, there’s nothing quite like that moment when you hold a new book in your hands. The weight of it, the crisp smell of ink, the potential for a great read. With most books, before we share them with you, we go through a critical step: getting (and obsessing over) our proof copies.

We just received the proof for our upcoming release, Freaks of the Wireless (to be released on the 4th of June), and thought now would be the perfect time to pull back the curtain on why these lesser-known test prints are so crucial.

What Is a Proof Copy, Anyway?

A proof copy is basically a dress rehearsal—a small-run, test-print version of a book that lets us see how every aspect of it will look, feel, and function in its final, physical form. You might hear them called “ARCs” (advance reader copies) in some corners of publishing, but not all ARCs are created equal. Proof copies specifically focus on verifying layout, design, and the overall printing quality before we hit the “print 1,000” button.

Why Proof Copies Often Look Different

Proof copies aren’t always identical to what you eventually see on store shelves—or in your online cart. Because they're not for sale, production values are kept down - though with some books which become household names proofs can become collectible in their own right:

1. They Have Different Covers
   It’s common for the designer to provide a simplified version, an early draft, even a largely blank cover for proof copies. Since we only print a handful of these, it’s more important for us to verify the basic layout and colour settings than to show off the final design. The “real” cover might still be undergoing tweaks, from font size to final colour corrections.

2. They Use Cheaper Paper or Printing Methods
   Proof copies are often printed on more economical materials because it’s simply more cost-effective when you’re only printing a small run (sometimes just one!). This helps us fine-tune how pictures, charts, or illustrations might look in the final version—without breaking the bank on fancier options until we’re certain everything’s correct.

3. They Might Include a Disclaimer or Preliminary Markings
   You’ll often see phrases like “Proof Copy – Not for Resale” or “Uncorrected Proof” on the cover or inside pages. This is our friendly reminder to readers (and sometimes early reviewers) that the text and design might shift before publication day. You'll also find that they don't have an ISBN number.

Why All This Matters

1. Catching Errors
   You’d be amazed what the human eye misses on a screen after countless reads. Once it’s printed, punctuation typos and uneven spacing jump off the page. The proof copy is where we try to catch and correct all those final gremlins in the text.

2. Perfecting the Visuals
   We pride ourselves on crisp cover art and polished interior layouts. That’s why we pay extra attention to how images, charts, or sidebars appear in a proof. If a photo is too dark or a graph is misaligned, we pick it up here.

3. Reading Experience
   Maybe a chapter break looks awkward or a footnote splits across two pages in a confusing way. Proof copies let us experience the book exactly how a reader would, ensuring it’s both visually appealing and easy to navigate.

A Peek at Freaks of the Wireless

Now for the star of the show: Freaks of the Wireless. We’re beyond excited to reveal this in-depth dive into the stories of wireless pioneers and a rivalry for the ages between the Modest Magician Maskelyne and Marconi.

The proof we just received will look a little different from what you’ll see at launch—we opted for a placeholder cover. Meanwhile, the pages inside are slightly thinner than we plan for the final print. But that’s exactly what makes this step so invaluable. We're finally getting to see how the text looks on paper, and we can't wait to share it with the world.