Editing, Copy Editing, & Proofreading

The primary differences between editing and copy editing are that editing is more of a macro activity and copyediting is a micro activity. An editor makes changes to the overall look and feel of the product. A copyeditor is responsible for the details of the product and making sure that the changes made by the editor conform to the overall style. A proofreader is responsible for making the editorial changes conform to the overall style of the product.

To most people, editing means making changes to a product to make it conform to a specific style. For instance, an editor often uses a specific style guide in their work on a project. In the editorial process, the editor takes the author's work and shapes it to conform to a clear, concise, and cogent whole. When she is done with the editing, the copyediting process can begin. Sometimes an editor is responsible for both stages of the editorial process, but there is a distinct difference between the processes.

A copyeditor takes the work done by or in the editing process and corrects any differences and sometimes adds material to make a whole product. Copyediting is a detail-oriented process, more akin to proofreading than editing, on the whole. The difference between copyediting and proofreading is important, however, since the copyeditor is more responsible for change management than is the proofreader.

Proofreading is checking up on the changes made by the macro/micro activities. The proofreader is responsible for making sure the changes made by the editors are consistent and all typos, bad line breaks, and so on are fixed. Compared to copyediting, the proofreader does not make changes to the product. She may, however, suggest changes to be made to the copyeditor and/or editor.

At Zen Content & Social Marketing Management, I am responsible and accountable for the project, I am the proofreader, copyeditor, and editor. The customer is always consulted and informed of any necessary changes during the project. The customer always has the ultimate yea or nay power over the final, deliverable product.

NPM

© 2012 N. P. Maling — Zen Content & Social Marketing Management