Your Ultimate Guide To Copyediting: What You Need To Know

You’re a writer and have heard the phrase copyediting, but may be unsure exactly what it means or how it pertains to you and your book. Whether you choose to traditionally publish or the route of self-publishing on Amazon, choosing the right copy editor services is crucial. 

There is so much nuance to how each individual copyeditor copyedits your manuscript, but regardless, knowing what it is and the process behind this editing style can set your book apart. A great copyedit shows, trust me.

Whether you are just now drafting your manuscript or plunging into your book marketing, it’s never to early to learn about this edit. Here is everything you need to know about copyediting and how to succeed!

Copyediting: everything you learn

• What is copyediting vs. proofreading?
• How do I know if I need copyediting?
• What are the 5 C’s of copyediting?
• Which copyeditor is right for my book?
• What is the copyedit process like?

What is copyediting vs. proofreading?

Copyediting is a style of edit that focuses on the details of a manuscript, while a proofread is the final edit before a manuscript goes to print. 

There are many types of editing styles to choose from. Where you are in your publishing process determines which type of edit you need. Let’s compare editing to your book cover design process.

Just as there are key steps to choosing a book cover and which designer you work with, the same is true for editors. 

With your book cover design, you likely start with a vague idea of what you want. Your designer may create mockups to help provide concrete images that represent your idea. Eventually though, you choose a design and the designer gets into the nitty gritty details. 

Finally, they present you with the final version, you make last minute suggestions, and your book cover is complete. The same is true for the copyediting and proofreading phase. Let’s break these two down into separate categories. 

Copyediting overview 

While each editor uses their unique editing prowess for various editing styles, overall, a copyedit focuses on ensuring the copy (your words) are accurate and consistent from first page to last. This means the editor will focus on the book at a closer level than a proofreader does. 

There are four C’s commonly associated with this editing process (we discuss them in a bit). For now, consider this style of edit as looking at your book cover as it nears the end of the design stage, but knowing you can still make significant changes to the overall look. 

Proofreading overview 

Proofreading, on the other hand, is the final stage in the editing process. At this stage, the editor is not looking to enhance character development or plot structure, build stronger characterization or switch up character traits. 

Instead, a proofreader looks at the final proof of your manuscript and combs through it to make sure it is free of typos and formatting issues.

For nonfiction, they want to ensure your footnotes or endnotes are formatted and spelled correctly, your table of contents accurately represents the copy as it appears in the book, and every word is spelled exactly as it should be spelled. 

There is nothing worse than printing your book, opening to a random page, and a glaring typo jumping out at you. After all, you just spent months (or even years) writing your book. You want it to be the best it can be. Proofreaders save you from this embarrassment! 

How do I know if I need copyediting?

If you are a writer, you need copyediting. It’s just that simple. I am a creative writer, but I am also an editor for a publisher in Manhattan. You might think that if I am both a writer and an editor, I don’t need to hire an editor.

I understand style guides, formatting, and know how to proofread a book, right? Yes, I do. That is how I spend many hours of the week. However, even editors need editors! When I was working on a specific draft of my work-in-progress, I hired a bestselling author and editor to coach me through the editing process.

She spotted issues I would have missed, simply because I was too close to my work. While I had tediously worked to create strong characters, a detailed plot, and an emotional journey for my readers, she dove in at the sentence level, pointing out areas I could enhance and others I could cut. 

If I hadn’t worked with this editor, my manuscript would lack the credibility that only comes from a fresh set of (professional) eyes. 

But how do you know if you need copyediting, specifically? There are many types of edits to choose from. A copyedit is only one of many. 

If you wonder whether or not it’s time for this type of edit, ask yourself the following:

• Have I worked with a book coach at the developmental edit level?
• Have beta readers provided insight at a content level? 
• Have I edited my manuscript the best that I can?

With these questions in mind, here are a few insights on each one.

Developmental edit

A developmental edit is the first in the series of edits your book should move through. This edit focuses on…you guessed it, the development of your plot and characters. If you write nonfiction, a developmental edit focuses on how you present your big idea. 

It’s helpful to work with a coach one-on-one at this level, as they can provide feedback and constructive criticism you would not otherwise receive. How you develop your book can make or break its success.

Consider the Harry Potter series as a classic example. Imagine if J. K. Rowling had started the series with Harry as a teenager and developed the plot by him staying in the Muggle world until he was halfway through school. 

We would miss his coming-of-age moments with Ron and Hermione, as well as lack any depth of understanding how magic works in his world. The series would be entirely different. 

If you’ve read the bestselling nonfiction, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, you can imagine what this book would look like if Robert Kiyosaki had developed it differently.

One of the reasons this book does (and continues to) do so well is because it is accessible. The book is accessible because he develops financial literacy through the eyes of a young boy engaging with two dads, one rich and one poor. 

Content edit 

If you don’t want to invest in a content editor, you can work with beta readers for a type of content edit. Beta readers are invaluable. They provide constructive feedback on the content of your manuscript.

When working with a beta reader, be sure to ask them their thoughts on your:

• Plot/idea 
• Characters/flow
• Prose

After you receive this feedback on your content, you can then go back and edit your book accordingly. Remember, you are the writer so you have the final say, but it is helpful to strongly consider what beta readers tell you.

Have I edited my manuscript the best that I can?

My writing mentor always told me to “ferociously self-edit” my work and not stop until I was only changing it, rather than making it better. If you have edited your own work to this extent, then it’s time to hire a copyeditor. 

I strongly suggest you forgo hiring an editor until you believe your manuscript is the absolute best it can be. This will save you financially, as many editors charge based on the quality of the manuscript. 

If your manuscript is clean, you can save some of your editing costs and invest them in marketing and promotion. This is a win-win. 

What are the 5 C’s of copyediting?

Now that you know your manuscript is ready for a solid copyeditor, let’s take a look at the five C’s of copyediting: clear, correct, concise, consistent, craft. 

When you focus on these five areas, you increase your chances of selling well, and, if you self-publish, joining this incredible list of self-publishing success stories.

1. Clear

Clarity is key when writing, whether fiction or nonfiction. Consider the truism, less is more. Writers only have so many words for their genre. The more clearly you can communicate your story idea or plot, the more time you have to develop your idea or characters.

To reference Robert Kiyosaki’s book again, he was extremely clear on his idea. Early on, he communicated to the reader that the book was about a rich dad and a poor dad and what he learned from each one. He then spent the rest of the book using these two examples to expound on his story idea. 

Clarity can be more granular as well. While a copyedit is not the same as a line edit, a great copyeditor should ensure you have clarity from sentence to sentence, as much as possible.

If the manuscript is ambiguous or contradicts itself, you as the author forfeit your credibility. The flow of your book matters, no matter what genre you write, and readers will appreciate a clear story structure. 

2. Correct

Speaking of a clear flow, your book should also be correct so as not to stump readers or negate your author credibility. While copyediting is not the same as a proofread, as your copyeditor works through your manuscript, they will catch typos you missed. 

They can also pick up on ways you can write dialogue in ways that correctly fit your characters, or craft your prose to better align with the tone of your nonfiction work. While you will still want to hire a proofreader to look over the final copy, a copyeditor will help make your manuscript as correct as possible, for this stage. 

Don’t forget the importance of adhering to grammar rules, especially in nonfiction. While fiction regularly breaks writing rules (not every character speaks with perfect grammar!), a great copyeditor can help get your manuscript up to par. 

3. Concise

Some writers craft prose with extreme brevity while others labor on, describing and then re-describing the scene or a specific idea. 

To be clear, there is a place where conciseness paired with clarity equates to concisely stating a point in a variety of ways. In fact, this is a common public speaking and teaching method.

If you’ve ever listened to a speaker or sat through a lecture, you know how professors and public speakers use repetition to engage their audience. The trick is to be concise in how you do so.

Just as public speakers like to reiterate their points, you can do so in your book as well. However, how you choose to do so matters. Copyediting gives you a chance to be both concise and clear, without over-explaining. 

There is a balance in explaining a point and beating it over the head. It’s your copyeditor’s job to find this line and stick to it. That’s why you pay them! 

5. Consistent 

Just as the branding on your author website should strike a consistent balance between your writing and where you want to go as an author, your book itself should maintain consistency from first page to last. 

If you choose to self-publish fantasy, your tone will be much different than if you choose to write and publish your memoir. Readers expect a consistent tone genre to genre, and while this fluctuates among writers, they do want each chapter to reflect the previous one. 

Imagine if you write a science fiction book and crush it with the show, don’t tell writing rule through the first three chapters. You hook your reader and they eagerly turn to chapter four. But chapter four is when your baby started crying, you remembered your homework was due, or you had to rush off to your job. 

As a result, you started “telling” the chapter and the entirety of the tone changed. This is where copyediting is vital to the success of your story. A copyeditor will help match your tone from chapter to chapter, allowing you to maintain consistency from first page to last. 

The same goes for what you write, how you write it, and why you write it. These three points should appear consistently throughout your manuscript. 

One caveat: Note that sometimes you want to change the tone of your book for a brief period to drive a point home or showcase a new aspect of a character. I did this once to reveal the emotional state of my character. Once she came out of that mental state and resumed her normal headspace, I resumed the original tone of my story. 

6. Craft

Your writing craft is the written art style you develop as you grow as a writer. You can always grow in your craft because craft is ever-evolving. However, your editor can help spotlight your craft, as well as enhance it.

When working with authors, one of my favorite parts of the editing process is pinpointing their distinct style, then drawing it out and enhancing it through my edits. 

Oftentimes, a good editor can see your writing voice even better than you can. Every author I’ve worked with has a distinct voice, whether or not they realize it. When an editor draws this voice out, it helps the author improve their craft and come into their own as an author. 

Copyediting is just one step in discovering how you approach your craft, but it is a tremendous step in the right direction. 

Which copyeditor is right for my book?

While any professional editor can take your manuscript through copyediting, there is something to be said about finding the right fit. Learning how to hire a book editor includes more than simply searching “copyediting editors” online and choosing the first one that pops up. 

Settling on an editor 

There are several valuable steps you can take to help set you and your editor up for success in the copyediting process.

Consider these ways to choose an editor:

• Check the acknowledgments section of books you love. Writers often include the editor they worked with and you can contact that editor. 
• Reach out to fellow authors and inquire who they have worked with and loved.
• Ask indie publishers if they have a list of editors they have vetted and recommend to authors.

Each of these steps will help you pursue the correct editor for your book. If you love the tone of a specific title, reaching out to the editor who worked on that manuscript is a great start. Of course, recognize that in large part, tone comes from the author’s unique writing style, but editors definitely play a role in the final product. 

Reaching out to fellow authors is a great way to find word-of-mouth referrals. This will also help you niché down and find an editor who specializes in your genre. 

For example, I mostly edit nonfiction (as you will quickly see in my testimonials!), but I studied creative writing under a 21-time, New York Times bestselling author. When the occasional fiction manuscript comes across my desk, I’m not averse to accepting the project. 

Note: If you choose to traditionally publish, the publisher will hire an editor for you. 

Accepting an editor 

There is a big difference between choosing an editor to work with and accepting the work they do. Copyediting is an in-depth, very hands on process. While a proofread does not change the development or structure of your manuscript, a copyedit can. 

If you do not feel you are at the point to allow someone (even a professional!), to change your manuscript, hiring an editor will do you more harm than good. First, you will pay them for edits you will later reject. Second, you may even double-down on your current draft, which will make it even more difficult to make edits later. 

Before you hire an editor, make sure you are prepared to take their advice! Of course, you have the final call, but typically, it’s best to accept most of what an editor recommends. 

What is the copyedit process like?

The copyediting process varies editor to editor, but when I work with a new author, it looks something like the following. Upon signing the contract, the author sends me their full manuscript via a Word document. 

I then turn on Track Changes so they can see every edit I make. I often leave comment bubbles in the margin, especially early on, to describe why I made the edits I did.

This helps them process the edits and also teaches them the editing process. The next time they write a book, they can refer to these edits and present an even cleaner manuscript to their editor. 

Once I complete edits, I send the full document to the author, who then works through accepting the changes and making appropriate changes. They then send it back to me (lots of back and forth here) for a final pass to make sure everything is perfect and ready to go to press. 

Every copyediting process varies, but whenever I work with an author, and every time I’ve worked with an editor myself, Track Changes are non-negotiable. They provide so much clarity and can even act as a type of liaison between author/editor! 

Does copyediting pay well?

You pay for what you get, even when it comes to copyediting. For new copyeditors, it may not pay as well, whereas for more experienced editors, it can pay quite well. 

Just remember, investing in copyediting largely contributes to the final product of your book. To save on your editing investment, ferociously self-edit and only hire an editor once you are simply changing your book, and no longer making it better.

Copyediting: take your next step today! 

Ready to outline your book so you can start your copyediting process? Use your free Book Outline Generator to get started. Tweak the outline as you see fit, then delve into your writing. If you buckle down and stick to writing, it’ll be time for copyediting before you know it!