6 Important Things To Know About Copyediting

September 11, 2025
6 Important Things To Know About Copyediting blog feature

Things To Know About Copyediting

What is copyediting, anyway? Is it the same as proofreading? Do I need a copy editor? 

If any of these questions have been swirling through your head, you’re in good company. Today I’m digging into the nature of copyediting to help you understand both its place in the book publishing process and how it applies to you as a self-publishing fiction author.

In other news . . . hi, I’m Kaitlin! I’m a copy editor (or copyeditor, your choice!) for indie romance authors. If I could choose just a handful of things you need to know about copyediting, these six would be it. 

1. Copyediting requires training

Copyediting is a specific field that requires specific training. It follows the Chicago Manual of Style, which has many small but critical differences from the AP or MLA style guide (what most people are familiar with). It’s way more than “just grammar,” or being “good with words.” It requires intimate familiarity with one or more style guides, current industry standards, and language structure. It also requires specific deliverables (more on this later) that untrained people don’t know how to create or use effectively.

No, your neighbor who used to teach English can’t do it.

No, your friend who loves to read can’t do it.

No, your sister who is a published author can’t do it.

If they aren’t professionally trained, they’re not a true copy editor, and they won’t be worth your money. Full stop.

When you’re vetting editors for your manuscript, be sure to ask about their training and credentials so you can hire someone who knows what they’re doing. This training can come from several different places: certificate courses at some universities, programs through professional organizations such as ACES (American Copy Editors Society) or EFA (Editorial Freelancers Association, where I got my training), or in-house training at a legitimate publishing house. Credentials from any of these sources are just fine, as long as your editor is actually trained.

 

2. It's not a story-focused edit

Think of copyediting as a consistency edit rather than a content edit. This type of editing makes sure all your style choices and story elements—from character details to timeline accuracy to spelling and capitalization choices—remain consistent throughout. 

As a copy editor, this means I’m checking the timeline, keeping track of the details, and being meticulous about grammar, style, and punctuation. What I’m NOT doing is critiquing the storyline, character arcs, or any structural issues with your novel. These items fall under developmental editing, which should be completed BEFORE your copy edit. 

Speaking of different types of editing…

If you’ve read any of my other blog posts, you know there are four editing types: Developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. Check out this post if you need a refresher on the differences!

3. A style sheet is a must

Copyediting should always, always include a style sheet.

This is one of the specific deliverables I mentioned above in #1. It’s essentially a list of all the editorial choices made throughout your book—all the relevant details about characters, times, and locations, as well as any stylistic choices, so your editor can cross-reference and ensure everything is consistent throughout. 

It also serves as an explanation for any changes they might have made to your manuscript. Later on, it also helps your proofreader (more on this below) tell the difference between a true error and a stylistic choice you made as the author. Without this reference point, they might end up correcting things that don’t need to be corrected!

All good copyeditors worth their salt should offer a style sheet as part of their service, so make sure your editorial contract states you will receive one as part of your agreement. 

4. It's not the same thing as proofreading

This is similar to #1, but important enough to have its own point. Copyediting is NOT the same thing as proofreading! So please, please don’t skip it. I see a lot of newer authors do this— sometimes to save money, but sometimes because they simply don’t know the differences between the two. 

Copyediting ensures your story is consistent with itself, helping your readers stay engaged in the story. Proofreading, on the other hand, is a final pass-through to catch any smaller errors that may have slipped through the previous editing process. 

Think of it like getting braces on top of cavity-laden teeth. Yes, your smile will look prettier, but the underlying issues will still be there and ruin the final result.

5. The feedback can be overwhelming

Remember getting an essay back from a teacher and seeing tons of red marks all over it? That feeling of discouragement, disappointment, or even embarrassment? Getting a copy edit back can evoke similar feelings, so be prepared! 

However, while a copy edit can certainly feel like a “grade,” those red marks are not a judgment of you or your writing. They are morally neutral and exist simply to make your story stronger and more consistent for your readers. This is an overwhelmingly positive thing!

However, it can feel overwhelmingly negative when you receive a copy edit back. Be prepared to see a LOT of changes. Even the “cleanest” manuscripts I work with still end up having thousands—yes, thousands!—of edits. 

Also remember that you don’t have to implement every. single. edit. Since you are the author, you always have the final say. So take a deep breath and work through your editor’s changes one at a time. And if you’re still feeling a tad nervous, I wrote a whole blog post about handling editorial feedback here.

6. It will make your book stronger

There’s no denying it—readers can tell when you haven’t invested in professional editing. Look at any book review site and the comments will say it all (yikes). 

A copy editor’s job is to keep readers engaged in your story world. We do that by making sure everything is consistent throughout the book. Whenever readers are pulled out of your story due to timeline issues, glaring grammatical errors, or inconsistencies, they have to make the choice to get invested again. In the age of e-books, it is easier than ever to DNF (“did not finish”) and download something new! Making sure your book has been copyedited by a properly trained editor will keep readers engaged in your story world and less likely to DNF.

One more way your book becomes stronger: If you end up deciding to query literary agents instead of self-publish, having a cleaner manuscript can help you stand out from the slush pile. (Yay!)

All the things to know about copyediting

Did you learn something new in this post? If so, you might also like my blog post on how to successfully work with an editor. And when you’re ready, I’d love to discuss your book and see if we’d be a good fit! Send me a message and let’s talk editing!

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