Copyediting, Line editing, Proofreading - what's the difference and what do you need?

"How much do you charge for proofreading?" sounds like a very innocent question, and one that should be easy to answer.

Unfortunately, a short answer is probably going to be wrong. Or at least make somebody unhappy (me or my client).

It seems like everyone - including the "experts" - have different ideas about what constitutes proofreading, light editing, copyediting...you get the idea.

This is why, when asked to quote a job, I usually say, "Well, it depends. What do you want?"

I"m not hedging. I'm trying to get it right - for all involved.

Below are links to some "definitive" descriptions about "general" proofreading and editing work. Keep in mind, these are general guidelines for "regular" copy. Typically, costs to edit industry-specific or very technical writing are double or even higher.

• A book editor's view from 2015
• An editors' forum tries to nail Jello to the wall...
• And what The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill tells students about proofing and editing

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Would you like some help proofreading or editing your marketing copy, website, or other business communications? Let's talk. Let's get it right.

7 Signs You're a Word Geek

7. You know that the OED has an appeals process.
6. You know that OED is not an acronym for a health condition or trade association.
5. When someone describes you as "verbose," you know it's not intended as a compliment, but may question whether the user knows that.
4. When you realize you don't know the difference between optimal and optimum, finding out becomes your most urgent task.
3. Admit it. You're miffed that there aren't more headlines like this and hate that more people read articles like this.
2. In a potential mate, no amount of physical attraction can overcome a poor vocabulary.
1. While you read this, you came up with 7 more.

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~Diane Stresing

(Bonus for copyeditors: you knew what to do with hashtags WAY before Twitter did.)  

Proffreading? Who needs it?

Sometimes the headline just says it all, but when has that ever stopped me?

I recently pointed out a few typos and grammatical errors in a chiropractor's website. A half dozen or so, just on one page. The doctor said, oh, thanks. I'll add that to the list. Seems the professional firm that created and maintains the site had yet to fix a phone number the doctor had pointed out (months earlier) that was also wrong. Phone numbers, you know, are kind of a big deal, even when they're wrong "just" because a couple of digits are transposed.

Look, it's easy to make mistakes. Everybody does it. Good news: it's pretty easy to fix 'em too.

Here's the bad news: while just about everyone makes typing errors and grammar mistakes, most people don't correct them.

That's why proofreading is not going out of style, folks. If you don't catch or correct your own mistakes, you can still fix 'em by inviting a proofreader or copy editor to make you look good.

Look, I proofread and edit stuff for other people all the time. I even get paid to do it :D but guess what? I make mistakes, too. Catching and correcting them is what sets me apart.


The last word -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can fix you up! Don't send embarrassing errors along with your employee newsletters, contract renewal notices, or other business correspondence. I bet I work faster (and cheaper) than you think. Try me.

Online Editing Tips from ACES: Readers Notice Sloppy Writing

I'm not convinced that the web spells the death of decent writing. Sue Burzynski Bullard of the American Copy Editors Society (ACES) recently offered 8 tips to improve online editing, especially for news sites. My favorites:

4. Be transparent. “Tell us what you know and how you know it...and tell us what you don’t know.”  (One of my aha! moments in J-school came when a professor told us: what you leave out of the story can bias it as much as what you put in.~ Diane)

and

8. Quality counts. . ."..readers notice sloppiness whether online or in print."

All 8 tips -- all worth reading -- here:
http://www.copydesk.org/resources/2011/tips-for-editing-online
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Why Copyeditors Are So 2011

Artificial intelligence just ain't good enough to replace good copyeditors. Not yet, anyway. Do you know what copyeditors do?

The job description goes way beyond spell-checking and perfecting punctuation. An errant ellipse or  extra space can be forgiven when what you're reading makes sense.

That's what copyeditors are supposed to do: make the reading make sense. That's why copyeditors are still relevant today, and why they probably will be for years (or decades) to come.

And here's a newsflash: copyeditors don't necessarily need to know the subject to do a great job. Case in point:  once I caught a math error (me!) in a user manual I was editing on Chromospectography. And the wonderful copyeditor who has vastly improved the second edition of my hiking guide, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Cleveland, managed that not-so-small task while sitting in her office in Birmingham AL. (Thanks, Amber!)

The self-published book business is booming, without copyeditors. But can you name a self-published best-selling novel? I'm pretty sure that's not a coincidence.

No matter what your business, you could probably improve it by hiring a copyeditor - or proofreader. Sure, there are differences between the two, but they're both important to readers (and writers) and quite relevant in 2011. Perhaps even more than ever, as our reading environment changes. (Ever heard of Google Reader, Kindle, or an iPhone app?)

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Is there a typo in your sales contract? You'd rather hear about it from someone on your payroll, instead of a former customer's lawyer, right? What about your new employee handbook? Your website privacy policy? Who actually reads those? Well, copyeditors and lawyers... and really upset customers who can make your whole staff miserable. Copyeditors are relevant, and not nearly as dorky as you might think. Find out what one can do for your business. 

Top Ten Signs You Need a Copywriter

10. Your website still has a "coming soon" message on the home page.  (Or on any page - "coming soon" tells the visitor "goodbye")


 9.  Your employees don't know what's going on...and it's costing you money. (A short, simple employee newsletter can increase productivity, reduce accident rates, and improve morale and retention rates.)


 8.  You found a typo...in your contract. (Better you than your client's lawyer!


 7.  You rely on the cable/radio/newspaper salesperson to write your ad copy, or...

 6.  ...you do it yourself.


 5.  You lernt all the English you needed in high school.

 4.  Your products are very unique - and you see nothing wrong with saying so. (Don't get it? see #5 again.)


 3.  You're shipping a panda overseas, or doing something else noteworthy.

 2.  You're shipping a panda overseas, but you don't have time to write a press release about it.

.....And the number-one reason that you need a copywriter....


 1.  You're reading this.   --------------------------------------------------(written by a copywriter)


Contact this copywriter to discuss your needs.

We're all fact-checkers now?

Could be a good and/or bad thing, I think. Certainly worth considering and if you're willing, participating in the public "calling %v!!$#i+," as the author says. Read the article at regrettheerror.com