Editing

what is a copy-editor?

Copy-editors and proofreaders have similar roles, but they are not quite the same thing. Copy-editors check the manuscript (the draft, or working version) of your written work and make corrections. They ensure that there are no spelling or punctuation mistakes, that you have used appropriate grammar and terminology, that you have been consistent in style and tone and that your work makes sense to the intended audience.

why might i need a copy-editor?

Anyone who produces anything in the written form needs a copy-editor. No matter how good a writer you are, when writing an essay, or a book, or when producing any piece of written work, there is a tendency for the author to become too close to their work;  they see what they want to see, not necessarily what is actually there! A copy-editor is a skilled person who, with a fresh pair of eyes, is able to find and correct any mistakes that you might have missed, or not even realised you had included. Contact me for more information about freelance copy-editing and to request a quote!

what is a proofreader?

Whereas copy-editors work on draft versions, usually in Word (or sometimes handwritten form), proofreaders work on the proof – the typeset, laid-out, almost-ready-to-print version. After the copy-editor has worked their magic, the text from the draft document might be laid out into a PDF brochure, or replace the ‘lorem ipsum’ placeholder text on a website, or be typeset ready to be printed as a book. A proofreader takes the ‘proof’ and checks that no errors remain in the final, print-ready version.

why might i need a proofreader?

Anyone who produces written work that is to be converted from a textual draft into a finished product needs a proofreader. No matter how diligent your copy-editor has been, mistakes can creep back in during the production process. Your artworker might miss out a page. They might accidentally insert or delete text or incur typos. Your web layout guy might have misunderstood a request from the copy-editor, or put the wrong caption with a picture. The proofreader checks the copy-edited manuscript against the laid-out copy and corrects any final mistakes. When the proofreader is finished, the product can be printed and published. Contact me for more information about freelance proofreading and to request a quote!