Is Proofreading Different From Copyediting?

What is Proofreading?

Proofreading is the final round of editing in a manuscript’s life. By the time a manuscript makes it to its proofreader, all major editing should already be finished. Proofreaders only look for any typos or formatting issues that previous editors may have missed (even the best editors miss some errors, which is why manuscripts often go through a few rounds of editing).

What is Copyediting?

Copyediting is the kind of editing that comes right before proofreading. It’s probably what you imagine when you think of book editing. Most copyeditors check for spelling, punctuation, number style, formatting, usage, consistency, and pronouns. More thorough copyeditors will also check for parallelism, jargon, cliches, and biased language; do some rewriting; rearrange sentences; and fact check.

When is a Manuscript Ready for Proofreading?

In a perfect world, developmental editing, beta reading, and copyediting will already have been performed on a manuscript before it’s sent to a proofreader.

There should already be a table of contents, chapter titles, and endnotes or footnotes, if applicable. Proofreaders look at the format of a manuscript exactly as it’s going to be published. Sometimes, proofreaders may request an advanced reader copy (ARC) of a book to make their notes in. This ensures that they are proofreading what will be the final version of a manuscript and lowers the odds they’ll miss formatting errors that wouldn’t show up the same in a digital format.

Authors may opt to hire a proofreader to check the digital format of a book if it’s going to be published as an e-book. In cases like this, proofreaders may request to download manuscripts to their e-reader. Once again, this would ensure they proofread the final version of a manuscript as it will look when it’s published.

When is a Manuscript Ready for Copyediting?

Ideally, a manuscript will have been through a developmental editor and beta readers before landing on a copyeditor’s desk. However, most copyeditors understand that this doesn’t always happen due to time or financial constraints; many will happily take you on as a client even if you haven’t had these edits done.

At the very least, authors should self-edit their book at least once before submitting it to a copyeditor. While copyeditors do often query authors about issues with flow or do some rewriting, this is not their primary responsibility. At this stage in the publishing process, it’s unusual to do major rewrites; authors should do their best to ensure the flow and storyline are marketable to their target audience.

Differences Between Copyediting and Proofreading

For easier understanding, here’s a visual that shows the differences between copyediting and proofreading. I regularly refer back to this while editing to make sure I’m remembering everything that needs to be done.