- A near-final version of a book used for proofreading and pre-publication review.
- Modern galleys are PDF or print proofs from layout software.
- Ships 30-90 days before publication.
- Recipients: proofreaders, bookstores, major reviewers, librarians.
- The term comes from old typesetting (galley = long metal tray).
A galley (or galley copy) is a near-final version of a book used for proofreading and pre-publication review. The term comes from old typesetting; modern galleys are typically PDF or print proofs from the interior layout software. Galleys ship to proofreaders, bookstores, and major reviewers 30-90 days before publication.
Chapter i·Why it matters
Galleys are how the industry checks the typeset book before mass production. A galley pass catches errors that survived copy editing — formatting issues, image placement problems, header inconsistencies. Skipping the galley pass is how typos and layout errors reach final printed books.
Chapter ii·What to include
- An interior-formatted PDF or print proof.
- A galley distribution list: proofreaders, bookstores, reviewers, librarians.
- A clear "galley copy, not for sale" watermark or label.
- A 30-90 day timeline before publication.
- A proofreader review against the galley.
- A list of acceptable changes during the galley stage (typos, formatting only).
Chapter iii·Example
A small press ships 50 galley PDFs at T-90: 20 to industry reviewers, 15 to bookstores, 10 to libraries, 5 to the proofreader. The proofreader returns 23 catches (12 typos, 8 formatting, 3 image placement). All 23 are fixed before final production at T-30.
Chapter iv·Related questions
WriteLoom holds galley files alongside the master manuscript, so the proofreader has the right version.
See the Edit studio