What is a copy editor?

A copy editor reviews written content for accuracy. Most copy editors take a comprehensive approach to editing to ensure the style, voice and technical elements of the writing are correct.

When working on content, copy editors typically review:

• Grammar and spelling
• Style guidelines
• Brand voice and tone
• Clear messaging
• Facts and citations for accuracy
• Awkward or redundant phrasing

Copy editors may make or suggest changes that may make the writing stronger. Even if a sentence or paragraph is grammatically correct, a copy editor might make changes to word choice or sentence structure to make content easier to read, ensure content matches the author’s intent or elicit a potential response from readers.

Different types of editing

Some organizations use a more in-depth editing process that’s broken up into separate tasks, including copy editing. This can be helpful as each type of editing generally involves unique skills. Three common types of editing include:

• Developmental editing: The focus is on overall structure and effective messaging or storytelling. Developmental editing may address plot points for fiction stories or the organization and arguments in a nonfiction piece.
• Line editing: Editors focus paragraph by paragraph to address word choice, sentence structure and overall readability. They may address writing style and make suggestions to ensure sentences flow well and impact the reader in the desired way.
• Copy editing: The focus is on clarity, consistency, grammar, punctuation and adherence to style guides. Copy editors check for spelling errors, formatting issues and factual accuracy, verifying names, spellings, statistics and other information.

Copy editor vs. copywriter

A copy editor differs from a copywriter, who creates content based on client or employer instructions and style guides.

While professional copywriters are responsible for writing clear, quality, error-free content, processes often include several review layers after the copywriting step. A copywriter may create content that’s reviewed by a copy editor. Depending on your process, copywriters and copy editors may collaborate to improve content through feedback, revisions and editing.

What is a proofreader?

A proofreader ensures the final copy is polished and free of errors. While the focus is typically narrower than that of a copy editor, the role plays a crucial part in maintaining accuracy and professionalism.

Proofreaders typically correct any missed grammar and spelling mistakes without addressing voice and style. They also make sure the document is consistent in style and layout, often working on the final formatted version, such as a PDF or print proof. Proofreading is usually the final step before any copy is published.

The main difference between copy editors and proofreaders

To understand proofreading versus copy editing, consider the main difference in these roles:

• Copy editors work before publication to improve clarity, readability and correctness by fixing grammar, punctuation and style. They may also reorganize sentences, ensuring the text effectively conveys the author’s meaning.
• Proofreaders perform the final check after publication, focusing on catching remaining errors like typos, formatting inconsistencies and minor mistakes without making substantive changes to the text.

Consider this hypothetical real-world example of creating a blog post for a law firm:

• A copywriter writes the first draft of the blog post based on instructions, which might include a title, outline and style notes.
• A copy editor reviews the draft to ensure the writing meets the objective of the task and the sentences and paragraphs are compelling and clear.
• The copy editor might make changes or provide feedback to the copywriter for revisions.
• Once the copy editor is satisfied that the writing meets the objective, they submit the post to the next step.
• Lastly, a proofreader might review the blog post layout and correct small errors before publication.

This example helps illustrate how copy editors and proofreaders handle related types of content review.

Do you need a copy editor or a proofreader?

To help decide between proofreading vs. copy editing when hiring, consider answering the following nine questions.

Question 1:

Do you have mostly polished documents that need a final check for typos and other minor errors?

If yes, you may need a:

Proofreader

Question 2:

Do you have an editor already involved in the production pipeline?

If yes, you may need a:

Proofreader

Question 3:

Does your team handle content localizations that require spelling checks for American versus British English?

If yes, you may need a:

Proofreader

Question 4:

Does your written copy follow a specific structure that needs review?

If yes, you may need a:

Proofreader

Question 5:

Do you want an editor who can improve readability and clarity?

If yes, you may need a:

Copyeditor

Question 6:

Do you need someone who can ensure documents follow specific style guides?

If yes, you may need a:

Copyeditor

Question 7:

Do you have a limited budget and want to ensure your copy is free of major mistakes?

If yes, you may need a:

Copyeditor

Question 8:

Do you want an editor who can improve awkward sentence structure, remove repetitive wording and improve flow?

If yes, you may need a:

Copyeditor

Question 9:

Do your documents have facts that need verifying during editing steps?

If yes, you may need a:

Copyeditor

FAQs about copy editor vs. proofreader roles

Can a copy editor act as a proofreader and vice versa?

An editing professional with the right skills can act as a copy editor or a proofreader. If you hire someone to handle both types of work, you may look for candidates with skills relevant to both tasks. Consider the scale of editing required and the complexity of your projects when determining whether you should hire one editing professional or separate copy editors and proofreaders.

Can you use AI for proofreading?

AI tools can offer some assistance with proofreading, such as automating spelling and punctuation checks, to help a human proofreader speed up their processes. However, AI may incorrectly identify correct grammar as an error, and it can miss real errors due to nuances in writing and prompting.

What tools do copy editors and proofreaders use?

Successful copy editors and proofreaders are generally proficient in the same types of tools. When hiring someone for either role, you might look for knowledge of Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Adobe Acrobat, Grammarly, ProWritingAid and the Hemingway Editor. Editing professionals should be familiar with style guides like the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook or the Chicago Manual of Style.

Are copy editors and proofreaders full-time positions?

These positions can be full-time in-house if you have enough editing or proofreading work. Many businesses may also hire part-time or freelance copy editors and proofreaders to handle ad hoc work. Consider hiring contract editing professionals if you only have periodic or part-time needs and want to switch between copy editors and proofreaders.