Proofreading vs. Editing
Perfect Your Writing
The Difference Between Proofreading and Editing
Too often, people say they want a proofreader when they really want someone to redo their project. It’s essential to know the difference between proofreading and editing.
Proofreading is the last stage in the game before a piece of content goes live.
A proofreader searches for items that previous editorial passes have missed.
Proofreading
A proofreader finds and corrects the following:
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Typos
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Double words (“the the,” “and and,” etc.)
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Grammatical errors
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Punctuation errors
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Misspelled words
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Formatting issues (margins, etc.)
Editing
Developmental Editing
(usually for book manuscripts)
Developmental editing involves editing the story as a whole or looking at the “big picture.” A developmental editor will read the document, ensure the story makes sense, and the author addresses more significant issues before the project progresses.
A developmental editor works on:
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Plot
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Setting
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Overall structure
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Character development
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Addition/deletion/rearrangement of scenes or content
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The introduction and ending
Line Editing
The line edit comes after everything noted in the developmental edit has been fixed. It is sometimes called stylistic or content editing. This is where the editor drills down into more specific items.
A line editor works on:
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Voice (word choice) and style (phrasing)
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Refinement of characterizations
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Dialogue and dialogue tags
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Hooks and prompts (beginning and end of each chapter)
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Sentence structure
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Coherence and concision in sentences
Copyediting
Copyediting is most commonly confused with proofreading. Sometimes, people request a proofreader but actually need a copyeditor. Copyediting and proofreading are very different. If someone wants words changed or sentence structure fixed, that’s not proofreading—that’s copyediting.
A copyeditor works on:
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Grammar. Punctuation, spelling, fact-checking
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Double-checking table of contents, footnotes, bibliography, etc.
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Fixing echo words (when an author uses the same word repeatedly)
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Accuracy of timeline
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Checking for the correct sequence of chapter and page numbers
Pricing
Proofreading is charged at $3.00 per page
Editing is charged at $25.00 per hour.
(Larger projects may be negotiated at a “per project” charge.)