Proofreading vs. Copyediting

What's the Difference?

A recipe calls for salt. But does that mean kosher salt, table salt, or sea salt? Some people would say that all are salty and can do the job, but a chef would tell you each type absolutely has a specific use. Swapping in sea salt where you should use table salt just won’t give the same results.

I’m not a chef, but I’ve ruined enough dinners to know I should trust their advice.

I’ve heard similar comments about copyediting and proofreading: “Aren’t they kind of the same thing?” Would you use sea salt in your snickerdoodles??

Let’s break it down.

Copyediting: Strengthening the Writing

What it is: Copyediting is potentially major review of text to ensure it is concise, clear, grammatically correct, and accurate. This also often involves fact-checking, rewriting for better flow, cutting to fit word counts, checking for consistency, and confirming correct style guide usage. Copyediting aims to let the author’s voice and message shine by improving readability, accuracy, and structure. Good copyediting can elevate writing to make it excellent.

When to use it: In the middle of the process – after the writer is finished with their draft and before formatting and proofreading.

Proofreading: Perfecting the Page

What it is: Proofreading is a final review of text to check for any grammatical, formatting, punctuation, or mechanical errors. This will catch mistakes as small as an extra space or as large as misnumbered pages or an incorrect caption. Proofreading doesn’t involve changing the writing itself; in fact, there is typically NO rewriting, even if the text could use it. Proofreading will not necessarily make writing better, but it will eliminate typos and mistakes, and add polish. It’s the step that adds professionalism to published work.

When to use it: At the very, very end of the process – after a piece has already been copyedited and formatted.

But wait, how does a writer know which they need? Well, just as many recipes call for salt during cooking and salt at the very end, most writing needs both copyediting and proofreading. Skipping copyediting to only proofread at the end will result in a text that might be typo-free but is likely not cohesive. Alternatively, skipping proofreading is risky. Formatting can introduce many mistakes, as can the many hands a file passes through even after it’s copyedited. That’s not to say these approaches can’t stand alone; a menu or calendar may only need a proofread since there’s not much text, and an author may decide to only copyedit a document that will be proofread and published at a later date.

Keep in mind that there are even more types of editing not mentioned here, just as you can find even more types of salt in a fine-dining kitchen. Line editing and developmental editing are often used with prose, but here at Far and Loud we offer the two main forms of editing that businesses use, copyediting and proofreading. Both have their place and when used correctly, will combine to make your writing delicious.

And, for those of us who could use it, here’s a handy guide to cooking with salt.