Copyediting vs proofreading: The key differences

It’s easy to become confused with all the editorial terms out there – from copyediting vs proofreading to various other types. This is no surprise, because there are so many different types of editing out there! It can be difficult to know which type is for you, and what you might need, especially if you have a particular publication path in mind already, like self-publishing or traditional publishing.

Today, I’m going to focus on copyediting vs proofreading, and explaining the key differences between the two.

Both of these types of edit involve working at a line level. This means when an editor performs one of these edits, they will be honing in on sentence-level issues. They won’t be doing major structural or story edits.

Copyediting defined

Copyediting is a technical, line-by-line edit. The focus is placed on correction and clarity, as well as tidying up the document before it goes off to be formatted for print or for proofreading.

In a nutshell, during a copyedit, we fix technical errors. This can range from things like errors in spelling or naming systems, to grammatical correctness and maintaining continuity.

Copyeditors will look at things like your character’s eye colour randomly changing from green to blue. They will spot timeline problems, mathematical errors, inconsistencies (why is this character standing up when they were sitting down?), and so on.

But it’s also much, much more than that.

Copyeditors utilise style guides to make sure your writing is adhering to the rules and conventions of the English language. And there are vast differences between US and UK English that most copyeditors are familiar with.

In UK English, for instance, we would use en dashes for parenthetical dashes, with spaces between them, like so: My cat – who has green eyes – likes to sit at the window.

In US English, we would use longer em dashes without any spaces: My cat—who has green eyes—likes to sit at the window.

This is just a small example of the types of rules and conventions copyeditors are familiar with and can help you apply.

This is very important for making sure a published text is consistent and adheres to English-language conventions.

Copyediting tackles all sorts of other tasks that are relevant to ensuring accuracy in the text, too, from checking chapter heading numbers are correct to cross-referencing glossaries and fact-checking.

You can find a full breakdown of copyediting and the tasks associated with it here.

Proofreading defined

The proofreading stage comes after the copyediting has been complete. Why? Because proofreading is the last line of defence before a book goes to print. It’s the final editorial stage.

This doesn’t mean proofreading is just quickly checking for typos and calling it a day! There is much more to it than that to ensure the work is ready for print.

Proofreading requires slow and careful attention to detail. It’s the stage for spotting very fine mistakes and anything the copyediting stage might have missed – the author using alter when they meant altar, for instance.

The most eagle-eyed proofreaders can even spot subtle font errors, such as one word (or even one comma!) being in the incorrect font, or in the wrong font size.

Proofreaders check many other elements of the manuscript outside of the text as well. If the book has been formatted for print they will look at design elements like page numbers, chapter headings, illustrations, maps, scene breaks, any odd word breaks, and so on.

At the proofreading stage, it’s so important to be careful, so as not to introduce errors. Proofreaders are trained to be strategic and only change what’s absolutely necessary.

You can find a full breakdown of proofreading and all the tasks involved here.

Copyediting vs proofreading – so what’s the difference?

Copyediting takes place after all major story and structural edits are complete. It focuses on the text line by line to correct technical errors, implement a style guide (depending on the type of English being used), and ensure clarity. There is much more involvement with the text and polishing up the writing, so the author will see more edits here.

Proofreading happens after copyediting and is the final editorial step. The proofreader also looks over the text line by line but is more strategic about making changes, so there should be less editorial involvement if the copyeditor did a good job. Proofreading catches any lingering mistakes. Often, the proofreader is involved in checking the fully formatted manuscript (in its print-ready form), so they may also look at design elements to make sure they all look OK.

There is definitely some crossover. The proofreader often performs the same checks as the copyeditor to make sure everything is accurate. The purpose is to catch anything the copyeditor missed before a book goes to print.

How do I know which one I need?

Lots of writers come to me weighing up copyediting vs proofreading and trying to decide which one is a good fit for them.

Ultimately, I think this depends on two factors: what type of editing you’ve had done before and your publication goals.

For authors seeking traditional publication, a publishing house would provide copyediting and proofreading as part of your book deal. They hire freelancers to perform these services. So if you’re planning on submitting traditionally, it’s something that would come further down the line, after signing with a publisher.

If you’re seeking traditional publishing but want to polish your manuscript in some way first, you can use beta readers/critique partners or hire a professional editor for a manuscript assessment to make your story as strong as possible. You could also consider line editing if you’re concerned about craft.

If you’re going to be self-publishing, you won’t have a publisher behind you to provide editing. Instead, that falls on you to outsource. Many of my author clients opt for manuscript assessments followed by a copy or line edit. Others go straight for copy/line editing because they have a team of beta readers or critique partners to help them shape the story first.

I hope this post helped you if you’re considering copyediting vs proofreading and trying to make the best editorial decision for your book!

If you would like to work with me on your manuscript, you can view my editorial services. I offer professional copyediting and line editing services, and can provide proofreading on request.