If you’re not sure what copyediting is or how it differs from proofreading, I hope to clear it up for you!
This blog post will look at:
- where copyediting falls in the publishing process
- what copyeditors fix
- how copyeditors fix it
Not sure how copyediting differs from proofreading? Read my blog post explaining what proofreading is.
When does copyediting happen?
Copyediting should be done when the text is almost ready for layout, but before it “looks like a book.” This means that if it’s fiction, the plot, voice, characters, setting, and worldbuilding are all finalized. Now it’s time to check the words and sentences themselves are all correct, clear, consistent, and comprehensible. If it’s nonfiction, or if you’ve set the story in the real world, it might also include some light fact-checking.
The next person in the process (after copyediting) is the designer or typesetter, so part of the copyeditor’s job is to get the manuscript ready for them to do their job successfully and efficiently.
What do copyeditors fix?
At the copyediting stage, I’m looking for all kinds of errors that might be leading your reader to misunderstand the text, or which might be signaling some inconsistencies.
The Chicago Manual of Style is the most common style for US fiction and narrative nonfiction. Readers are used to CMOS, and when they see something different from what they expect, they might think it’s a mistake even if it’s a valid style choice. If that’s the style you choose to follow, then I’ll check that the manuscript is following CMOS’s suggestions. I also help you make informed choices when it’s time to break the “rules.”
The types of errors that I fix during a copyedit may include, among other things:
- Spelling and capitalization. I’ll check whether you’ve used the same dialect of English throughout (especially UK vs. US English). If you’ve mentioned a trademark or brand, I’ll ensure it’s spelled the same as on their website or branding. If there’s a commonly used variant (such as alright vs. all right), I might go with your majority preference and add it to the style sheet to make sure it’s consistent through the whole book. It’s a good idea to stick with one dictionary and use the preferred (first) option. CMOS recommends Merriam-Webster. But it’s also okay to disagree with the dictionary, as long as you’re consistent.
- Grammar. If you’ve got misplaced modifiers and dangling participles, or you’ve gotten a bit tangled up in complex sentence structures, I can help you. I’ll make sure your syntax is clear so that your meaning won’t be misunderstood. I also know when it’s okay to break the rules in favor of voice and style. I will never strip the authenticity from your voice.
- Punctuation. Commas are my jam, and I will happily wrangle them into submission. If you’ve mixed up your en and em dashes, or your apostrophes are backward, I can fix that. I will help you punctuate your dialogue and unsplice your commas.
- Lists. I’ll check that your lists have a parallel structure, which makes it easier for readers to follow your logic. I’ll also ensure that they are correctly punctuated. In some cases, I might reorder the lists to make it easier for your readers to find key information.
- Figures. If your text has a lot of moving parts, like stat blocks and dice-rolling tables, I can help you make sure they’re labeled correctly, appear where they should be, and have consistent labels so your readers will not get lost.
- Headers and footers. I’ll make sure your chapter numbers are correct and consistently displayed (words or numbers? Caps or not?). I’ll also check that the heading hierarchy makes sense. If you have a table of contents, I’ll ensure that the headings in it match the ones in the text. If you have references or footnotes, I’ll check (and fix!) those too.
- Consistency. This is a big one! I’ll ensure that your timeline makes sense, the character descriptions are consistent, the continuity doesn’t break between books in a series. I’ll make sure that the rules you’ve created for your world are consistently applied. I’ll also do some light fact-checking to make sure it’s consistent with the real world, if necessary.
- Clarity. I’ll check that there’s no ambiguity in the message you’re sending. This connects to conscious language: I’ll help you make informed choices so that the impact of your words on your readers matches the intention behind them.
- Effectiveness. I’ll check that you have avoided common pitfalls like repetition, clichés, or redundancy. I’ll let you know when you’re relying too heavily on pet phrases, head-hopping, stage-directing, and other things that might pull your reader out of the world you want them to stay immersed in.
- Coding for layout. Copyeditors do not format your book, but I might mark things up so that the typesetter knows how it should be formatted. I may apply Word’s paragraph styles so your designer can tell what is a chapter title, what is the first paragraph in a scene, which bit should be set as a love letter, and so on. If you have text message conversations in your book, I’ll code them so the designer knows where they are. That helps them make your book look exactly the way you want it to.
- Red flags. I’m not a lawyer, but I can alert you to problem areas you might accidentally be stepping into. This includes copyright permissions if you’re quoting song lyrics. I’ll also flag conscious language risks to your readers, where you might not be aware of the harmful roots of an idiom you’ve used. I don’t censor you or make the decision for you. I just point the problems out so you can make informed choices about your book.
How do copyeditors fix it?
Unlike proofreading, which is usually done on a PDF file or paper, copyeditors work on the manuscript before it is laid out or designed. When I get the file, it’s usually a raw Word document, maybe with some headings applied.
I work in Word and use the built-in Tracked Changes. That way, any suggestions or changes I make can be rejected if you disagree with them. All my edits are just suggestions. It’s your decision whether to accept them or not.
After I’ve gone through the whole text (which I do several times), I’ll send it back to you so you can answer any of my questions or say “Nope!” (the technical term is “Stet!”) to anything you don’t agree with. Then I will tidy it up and make it ready for typesetting.
You retain full control over your manuscript throughout the process. After all, it’s your book!
One of the deliverables for a copyedit is the style sheet. This records all the decisions you’ve made so that your proofreader knows that this or that deviation from the style guide or variant spelling is an intentional choice.
It also includes a timeline and detailed notes on worldbuilding and characters, as well as a list of all the words you’ve invented. That means consistency can be maintained across the whole book and carried over into the following books in the series.
If you’re curious about becoming a copyeditor, check out the training and resources available at the Chartered Institute for Editing and Proofreading.
