Line Editing, Copyediting, & Proofreading, oh my!

Completing my blog posts on types of editing we have: line editing, copyediting, and proofreading. All of these editors are now working on the small scale, the line and word scale that people generally associate with editors, instead of the big picture manuscript scale that the developmental editor works on.

Line editing

A line editor (as the name might suggest) looks at your work line-by-line. They are thinking in terms of the sentence level revisions, not story level revisions. So the line editor isn’t going to make suggestions about character development or plot holes, they are looking at whether or not your sentences are readable. Do they make sense to your audience? Does the structure, flow, and pacing of the sentence work? Are your characters using unique dialogue or do they all sound the same? Are you using the correct words? You used one word but does it mean what you think it means in this context? If not, they’ll flag it and ask you if you meant a different word. Often line editors will do some punctuation and grammar checking as well.

Keep in mind: when it comes to something like the line editor thinking your tenses need changing or having suggestions on dialogue, they will do one of two things. Either (with Track Changes on) rewrite the sentence and use Comments to explain their suggestion- something like “What about changing up the sentence structure since you’ve started the last three sentences with ‘Because’?” or give some other reason for their suggested change or they’ll offer suggestions or ask questions in Comments, just as they will when they are asking about whether you meant to use a particular word. Either way, a good line editor always ensures that it is your authorial voice that comes through. They will never re-write things in their own voice and should always give you a reason for their suggestion: one focused on the reader, not what they as an editor think is better. And you can always disagree with their choices and keep to what you wrote- or let their suggestions onspire your own changes.

Copyediting

Like the line editor, copyeditors work on spelling, punctuation, and grammar consistency. Often the two services are offered together because they are complimentary processes. Copyeditors get very into the weeds on a word-by-word basis and usually set up style sheets to record author choices on spelling. And not just things like character names or places. Is the author using gray or grey? Are they spelling out eight or using the number 8? What does the author want hyphenated? Capitalized? Without necessarily realizing it, authors make thousands of choices with every click of the keyboard and the copyeditor works to keep track of all of them and ensure that those choices are kept consistent across the entire manuscript.

Proofreader

Last (but not least!) comes the proofreader.  They check for errors one last time before your writing is published. That can be anything from typos that have gotten past other eyes to new errors that were introduced along the way (this can often happen with layout designs when it comes to spacing, indents, footnotes, etc.).

Can’t AI Do That?

You’re probably thinking right now: this all sounds like a lot. Why can’t I just have spellcheck take care of this for me?

AI is good and getting better all the time. Having the program of your choice (Grammerly, Prowritingaid, etc.) check your spelling is a great first step. But it isn’t failsafe, and it isn’t all that these editors do. Human judgement is still a major part of editing. Did you mean shield or shade? You might have spelled one correctly but meant the other- the computer isn’t going to catch that. When it comes to punctuation the computers help a lot, but will sometimes add mistakes! I once had a program that suggested a comma in a sentence, then when I added the comma, it thought that was wrong. The poor AI couldn’t make up its mind and thought both were right and both were wrong. So that was one for a judgement call. And when it comes to things like readability for your audience, computers can’t replace human judgement.

So yes, AI can help us with some early self-edits: which is great because that makes the editing we pay editors for easier (and therefore potentially faster and cheaper). But it doesn’t replace the professional editor completely.

Other Things to Think About

Make sure to check out an editor’s website before hiring them. Find out what you can about them and see if they feel like a good fit for you. Many (but not all) line editors will give sample edits, but usually copyeditors and proofreaders don’t. The EFA and NAIWE are good places to find editors, but also check in with writers you may know in your community or on LinkedIn. If you’ve worked with an editor you liked but they don’t do the other kinds of editing you need, you can ask them if they would recommend someone for you to look up. There’s nothing like getting a recommendation from someone who has worked with the editor directly.

For any work you do with editors, always make sure that you and your editor are on the same page when it comes to what exactly the scope of the work is. Especially in line editing and copyediting, there tends to be a range between “light” and “heavy” work. If you go straight to a proofreader, will they flag things and suggest you need a line editor or just do what you paid them for and leave the rest alone? Is there any fact-checking, and if so, how much?

Ask the editor to explain exactly what it is they offer, and their definition of those terms- because frequently different people mean different things by the same words. Our industry isn’t standardized so when one editor uses a term it may not necessarily be the exact same thing another means. Ask questions. Take notes that may help you ask different questions later on. Have your contract list each item you’ve both agreed on so you know you’re both still on the same page.

Remember, you may not need to do all the levels of editing, but you should definitely get some outside editing. Fresh eyes on your writing will always help you level up your writing from good to great.

Are you looking for a writing coach, or developmental editor? Contact me for a free discovery call and let’s talk about your project!