One of the most common questions from people looking to have their work edited is what sort of editing they need and what the difference is. This blog will tackle this issue as well as some other common questions, such as the ethics and permissibility of students using a proofreader and the difference between a copy-editor and a proofreader.
Big Picture Editing
The first thing to know here is that there are in fact two distinct levels of editing that are then subdivided within these levels. The first level is the ‘big picture’ editing, which includes manuscript evaluation and developmental editing (also called substantive editing or content editing). It focuses on making sure the manuscript is well structured, has a strong plot, does not have inconsistencies and is engaging for the reader.
Manuscript Evaluation
Manuscript evaluation means that the person employed will look through your work and give an honest appraisal of it. This should involve looking at the characterisation, plot, structure, whether there is too much backstory and the chronology and order of the work.
An evaluator can give feedback on what you need to change, how this could be achieved and how it reads as a whole. They can also tell you how saleable the manuscript is in its current state, as well as how well it fits the genre you are aiming for. This is why it is important to choose an evaluator who has experience reading or writing your genre of writing so that they can reliably consider the merits of your manuscript.
Developmental Editing
Developmental editing will also check elements such as plot, appropriateness for chosen audience and characterisation, as well as going into more depth about the strengths and weaknesses of your work, pacing, how any dialogue is working and keeping track of things such as point of view used and narrative style. It will check that the flow of the manuscript is smooth, driving forward in a logical way.
Sentence, Word and Layout Level
The next level of editing is on a sentence-level rather than big picture and includes line editing, copy-editing and proofreading. This level focuses on ensuring the reader doesn’t get stuck on any element of your work, such as grammar or minor plot inconsistencies.
Line Editing
Line editing is carried out on a line-by-line basis and will involve examining the grammar and paragraphing of the writing and checking that the appropriate words are used. It will also include ensuring that sentences flow smoothly and rewriting where necessary, that the writing is clear and concise and there is no repetition of words and phrases. Line editing will also catch minor plot or character inconsistencies.
Copy-Editing
Copy-editing covers sentence and word editing with some overlap with line editing. For example, it also checks for consistency of plot and character points, for repetition, appropriate word choice and clarity and conciseness of style. Again, it will check for paragraphing and grammar, but will also check that these are consistent throughout the work, such as paragraph spacing and indentation and how hyphens are used in words you can either hyphenate or not.
Copy-editing also looks at the spelling and punctuation used to ensure this is consistent. A copy-editor will look at dialogue punctuation to ensure that this is correct and check chapter sequencing.
Proofreading
Proofreading is sentence, word and layout editing, again covering some points from before such as standard grammar, paragraphing, spelling and punctuation. It will also check for appropriate word choice, appropriate paragraph breaks, dialogue punctuation and chapter sequencing.
Additional things proofreading will check for are page numbering, consistent text design and graphics and that there are no extra spaces or line breaks (or none missing where they should be present). A proofreader will also check if there are any widows, orphans or short lines in your work and give suggestions to eliminate them. Proofreading is the last stage of checking when everything is already set out, but before it goes to print. It is therefore very important that it is done to the highest standard so no glaring error gets printed!
FAQs
I’m a student. Can I use a proofreader?
This will depend on your university’s policy, but many allow a proofreader to look at your work. However, this can usually only be proofreading and all citations must be written by you. A proofreader can check them for consistency or the occasional missing comma, but that’s it. Therefore, you can use a proofreader for things such as grammar, spelling, formatting and clarity of language (but not points made) and suggesting ways to reduce long sentences or paragraphs. If your university permits copy-editing, I will need this in writing before I can carry out the job.
What is the difference between a copy-editor and a proofreader?
Many of the differences have been explained above, but one major one is hinted at in the names; a copy-editor works on copy, a proofreader works on proofs. Copy is the raw material to be read, which can range from a novel or journal article to a poster or website. Anything with words can be edited! Copy-editors will get this raw material into a publication-ready stage. Once the work is at this stage, it is called a proof and has incorporated all the changes made by the copy-editor. A proofreader will read this one last time to check for mistakes before going to print.
Do I need more than one type of editing?
Having more than one dramatically improves the quality of work; not only has it been checked more than once, it has been checked by more than one person. There being two sets of eyes looking at your work means that one might catch errors the other would have missed, with the proofreader (or the last editor used) acting as a sort of quality control.
In Conclusion
The different levels of editing all work together to make your work shine at its best. What type of editing you will need will depend on what stage your manuscript is at, but it is advisable to have at least one sort if you are self-publishing. You can read more on self-publishing on a budget in my blog here.
Want help proofreading your work? Contact Carmine Proofreading for a friendly, professional service from a qualified proofreader.
Email: CarmineProofreading@gmail.com
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