Ask this question and a copy editor or a proofreader will go on and on to explain the obvious differences. Ask the writer about this and many will feel that copy editing and proofreading are the same things. The difference between copy-editing Vs proofreading is much easier to understand than you might think. Copy-editing is the stage where you will edit your copy to make it better and get rid of errors. Proofreading is the stage after that where the proofreader reads through your copy as the final touch to catch typos and other mistakes before they are printed or published.
What is Copy-editing?
The main aim of copy-editing is to remove any obstacles between the reader and what the author wants to convey and to find and solve any problem before the book goes to the typesetter so that the production can go ahead without any interruption. You might think that there is less need for copy-editing now as the author can use computer software to check the spelling and the grammar.
Although a computer is a useful tool for the copy-editor it cannot read for sense, repetition, and ambiguity. It will not pick up libel, errors of fact, or misleading or potentially dangerous information. So when an editor finishes editing a manuscript, it's sent back to the author to be rewritten. When the author is done the manuscript is tossed back to the editor. One thing a copy editor is not, is a glorified coffee-drinking, spell checker.
One thing that makes copy editing hard to understand is that it comes in different flavors. To be honest, there are about bazillions of different divisions into the types of editing depending on who you ask, but manuscript editing is generally broken into;
- Development Editing
- Line Editing
- Copy Editing
- Substantive Editing
Copy editing is the standard go-to since it's the type of editing that is focused mostly on getting rid of all the errors and inconsistencies in your content. Some writers tiptoe around copyediting since it's more evasive than proofreading is. Seriously approach your editor as a partner and not as an enemy; you will be the better for it.
Copy-editor
The copy-editor is the reader's advocate and the author's ambassador, and in this electronic age has more pivotal than ever before in guiding the book through the complexities of the production process. The majority of editors these days are freelancers, working for a variety of different clients and often fixed budgets and schedules. Different publishers work in different ways according to the kind of material they publish.
A copy editor can do the cosmetic fixes too but is also interested in more in-depth work: Does the structure make sense? Does the math check out? Are the descriptions of people — not just their names, but also their ages, professions, political affiliations, etc. — correct?
If there are geographic elements involved, do they make sense, and are they correct? Is there a detectable bias or “off” tone in the writing? If someone is quoted and the quote is then summarized, is it accurate? Should a piece of information actually be higher up or lower down in the story; is it organized in the best way?
In the publishing, anything copy-editors involve in 3 stages
The typescript should be looked at soon after the material has been accepted for publication, to identify any recurring faults of consistency, style, or layout that the author could be asked to correct before the copy-editing starts. This preliminary check might be carried out by the copy editor or ad in-house project editor or editorial assistant.
At this stage, the copy editor could brief the designer or production department on any complication to be taken into the account.
At the main copy-editing stage, the copy editor works through the type script and illustration in detail, reading for the sense and checking for the style and consistency, and ensuring that the author's intentions are clearly conveyed to the audience and vice versa.
What is proofreading?
Proofreading is a review of an edited copy to find any remaining errors in the text or formatting. Proofreading is the last step before the manuscript goes to publication; you can think of it as the final quality check.
Proofreaders read your work looking for typos, formatting errors (e.g. page number order), or other mistakes that might have been overlooked by everyone else in the publishing process (we’re only human) or just appeared when setting up the manuscript to be published.
Proofreading isn’t Grammarly or the Hemingway app. Do they help? Sure. But they can only do so much. A proofreader will have a wider view in terms of format and any style considerations that need to be taken into account for publication.
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Proofreader
Proofreaders are not just “cheaper editors” who can just edit and proofread your work all at once and just one time. The human mind loves playing tricks on everyone it can, so you really need this fresh set of eyes to look over your manuscript to catch any errors that tired eyes unconsciously missed.
A proofreader would have gone through that opinion piece, located the errant or missing commas, fixed some spelling errors and double-checked names, and probably called it a day. I, applying to be a copy editor, looked up the parade in question (it was a real event, but fictionalized for use in this editing test) and found the parade’s route on its official website.
The parade’s route went nowhere near Sunny Heights, where these people claimed to be bothered by noise from the parade in their homes. The sponsoring organization’s headquarters were located there, but the parade itself took place well away, deeper in the city center. The entire basis of the opinion piece was groundless. (Yes, that would really have been uncovered earlier in the process, but a good copy editor never just assumes that someone else has already caught stuff.)
A proofreader wouldn’t have noticed that as they wouldn’t be looking into the overall entire structure of the piece; a copy editor should have. And “Does the parade route actually go where these people say it does?” is a question a good copy editor would ask; they’d not just take for granted that the premise was accurate.
Conclusion
Copy-editing vs proofreading should never be a battle, both are important in the life of a manuscript and its writer. Always give your raw work to a copy editor to look for errors, inconsistencies, and style. When you feel your work is ready for publication, have a proofreader go over each page for that last quality check.