I offer two different kinds of editorial service: proofreading and copy-editing. While there is some overlap between the two, there are quite a few differences.
PROOFREADING
As part of my proofreading service, I will:
- check your spelling, punctuation, and grammar
- make sure that your preferred style is applied throughout your work
- ensure that the page numbers, headers, headings, and any footnotes and references are consistently formatted.
In proofreading your work, I will essentially give it a final polish before you send it out into the world.
COPY-EDITING
As part of my copy-editing service, in addition to the above I will:
- ensure that the phrasing and argument of your work is accurate and unambiguous, and that there are no obvious factual errors (although please bear in mind that fact-checking itself is not part of the services that I provide)
- offer suggestions to resolve or improve the overall structure of the text.
As you can see, copy-editing is more thorough and requires more time and attention. Whereas proofreading is one last sprucing up before publication and printing, copy-editing requires a bit more elbow grease and planning to work around any deeper problems that might be found. This could well involve a discussion between me and the author, either in person or on the phone, to solve some of the more complicated issues.
More often than not, however, the distinction between the two is something that only publishers really pay attention to. If you’re in any doubt, drop me a line and let me know what you want; we’ll talk it over and work something out.