Choosing a copyeditor

Recently I was contacted by a potential client who was looking for someone to proofread his manuscript.

As part of the process of putting together a quote for any type of editorial work, I always read a few chapters of the manuscript.

This enables me to determine a few things:

1. Is the project at the right stage for what the client has requested?

2. Is this a project I am interested in?

3. Do I have the right skills for this project?

I started reading.

I was hooked from the start. The author had crafted a compelling story.

The only problem was, there were distracting inconsistencies, incidences of awkward expression and quite a bit repetition. Both Australian and US spelling had been used. Some of the language was clunky and anachronistic.

This book was not ready for a proofread. What it needed was a thorough copyedit.

I replied to the author and said that I couldn’t in good conscience proofread the book as I thought it needed a thorough copyedit. Proofreading occurs right before publication — it’s the final check to see that there are no typos or embarrassing errors, that page numbers are correct and that everything is in its place.

Copyediting, on the other hand, involves going through the manuscript sentence by sentence to ensure that:

1. the language serves the story (e.g. is there a more concise word that could be used? Should it be phone list or contacts?)

2. consistent spelling has been applied (e.g. US or Australian English)

3. sentences, including dialogue, have been correctly punctuated

4. the actions and descriptions of the characters are consistent (e.g. Bill was wearing jeans two paragraphs earlier, but suddenly he’s wearing shorts).

The author got back to me and said that he appreciated my advice, but the book had already been copyedited.

I felt bad for this author. He had clearly paid good money to a person claiming to be a professional editor. Yet, from what I could see, the work had not been copyedited to a standard that made it ready for the next stage of the publication process: proofreading.

When choosing a copyeditor for your project, ensure you hire someone who will look at the nitty gritty of your manuscript.

If you’re unsure about their skills or experience, ask them to do a sample copyedit of the first chapter, just to check they are picking up inconsistencies and problems at the language level.

For an obligation-free quote on your project, contact me.

I've been an editor since 2002 and accredited (IPEd) since 2016. I help writers of history, biography and memoir share their research and stories with the world. I offer manuscript appraisal, copyediting and proofreading services. Let me help you take the next step on your publishing journey.