Are You Editing vs Proofreading? (And Does It Matter?)
Editing and proofreading may be cut from the same cloth, but they’re not synonymous. That’s easy enough to say, but many people still confuse the two, either assuming they are the same thing or forgetting which is which. To put these exercises into practice efficiently, you need to understand the editing vs proofreading difference.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a writer, an editor, or a client looking for these services. By fully grasping what both entail, you’re guaranteed to have a higher quality text that not only impresses but is also near flawless. So, let’s uncover the difference between proofreading and editing and why it matters.
Table of Contents
What is Editing?
Editing is a broad term that includes all areas of improving a text’s quality. From language and content to structure and style, the editing process covers everything. Looking at the bigger picture, editing takes various approaches depending on what the text and client need:
- Substantive editing – Consists of in-depth revisions of style, tone, and clarity.
- Line editing – Looks at sentence-level improvements.
Common Tasks in Editing
The particular editing task(s) an editor performs on a text depends on its type and what needs improvement. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance the writing, so an exhaustive analysis of the content is essential. These tasks include assessing and improving the following:
- Content and structure – Adjusting and improving the text, ranging from quality and relevance to the structure and composition of the content.
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- Clarity and conciseness – Ensuring the content has high readability, is easy to understand, and gets to the point clearly and swiftly.
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- Language – Correcting elements like misspellings, clumsy sentence structure, incorrect use of punctuation, and grammatical errors.
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- Consistency and style – Checking for inconsistencies in content, language, and style, usually via an editing style guide.
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- Fact-checking – Cross-referencing information and conducting research to ensure the facts’ accuracy.
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- Tone – Reviewing word usage and checking the reader is addressed appropriately.
Who Needs Editing?
The difference is in the level and extent of editing necessary for each piece. No matter the length, topic, style, or purpose, editing is vital for effective, impactful writing of a high standard.
This applies across the board: to a novelist who needs assistance with plot structure, a business owner looking to rebrand, an academic who wants to improve their research paper, a blog writer, a journalist whose articles need revision, and educational text publishers. Whatever the genre or content, editing is crucial!
What is Proofreading?
Proofreading becomes necessary when the text is almost ready to be submitted or published. This isn’t the time to make changes to content or structure – that should have happened in the editing phase. Instead, this process requires multiple close assessments to check for mistakes and polish the piece to perfection.
Common Tasks in Proofreading
Proofreading takes a more surface-level approach than editing. Proofreaders require a keen eye and must carefully read through the text to spot and fix errors. They focus on main areas like:
- Spelling – Fixing a typo that was overlooked, checking correct capitalisation, removing a word that was repeated, and following either UK or US customs.
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- Grammar – Checking correct sentence structure and use of verbs, adjectives, and prepositions.
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- Typographical features – Checking the text’s format, layout, headings, font style and size, and spacing.
In addition, proofreaders also review:
- Punctuation
- Numbering
- Citations
- Consistency
Who Needs Proofreading?
Just like editing, proofreading is essential. It’s the final step before publication. This applies regardless of the type or length of the text.
Whether it’s a novel, business report, short story, thesis, essay, or short-form content for online publication, it won’t be ready to send off until it has been proofread.
Key Differences Between Editing and Proofreading
Depth of Work
How intensive is the work that the text requires? Editing entails a deep analysis and reworking of factors like content, style, and coherence to ensure better quality. Proofreading isn’t meant to change or improve anything other than surface mistakes in areas like grammar, spelling, and consistency.
To clarify this concept, let’s look at an example. An entrepreneur has written a business proposal and wants to make sure that it’s up to scratch before submitting it. First, the entrepreneur hands the proposal to an editor who checks that all the content is consistent and reads clearly.
They’ll also check for factual mistakes, appropriate style, redundancies, and missing important content. Once the proposal has been revised, it goes to a proofreader who rectifies errors in punctuation, spelling, referencing, layout, and capitalisation.
Timing
Editing generally comes first. Its timing can vary throughout the writing and publishing processes depending on the type of edit. Usually, there are multiple iterations and a back-and-forth between writer and editor to rework the text.
In comparison, proofreading comes much later, once all the editing is complete and the text needs a final review before submission or publication.
Think of it like this: a writer has written a screenplay and wants to have it reviewed before they begin working on the next draft. They hire an editor to assess the content, including the quality, format, and strength of the storyline. The editor makes some changes and returns it with feedback.
The writer then begins working on the second draft, incorporating this editing feedback, before sending it to the editor again for another review. Once they’ve received feedback and have completed a third draft, they feel confident that the screenplay is ready.
Next, they send it for proofreading before submitting it for publication. By conducting this step at the end of the process, the writer ensures that nothing is overlooked after the editing phase.
Skills
An editor’s skills lie in a strong understanding of:
- Various writing styles
- What makes a good narrative structure
- How to ensure the content is coherent
- Good research skills
- How to appeal to a reader
A proofreader’s skills are slightly different. Their expertise lies in a keen eye for details like spelling and punctuation, a knack for noticing inconsistencies, and an excellent grasp of grammar, referencing customs, formatting, and layout.
For example, when it comes to assessing and improving an academic thesis, the editor must check the content for factual accuracy, coherence, good content flow, and appropriate tone. The proofreader must ensure that the referencing is accurate, there are no mistakes with spelling, grammar, or punctuation, and the layout is consistent.
Why the Editing vs Proofreading Distinction Matters
We can see that there are multiple parties involved in the editing vs proofreading processes, but why does understanding the distinction matter to each one?
For Writers
It’s important for writers to understand the difference between proofreading and editing because it helps them manage their expectations and improve their writing process.
Editing focuses on improving content, structure, and flow, while proofreading is about catching small errors. Misunderstanding this can lead to a document that’s grammatically correct but poorly organised or one that reads well but is riddled with mistakes, ultimately affecting the professionalism and impact of their writing.
For Clients
If a client doesn’t understand the difference between an editor and a proofreader, they might employ someone who doesn’t have the necessary skills or experience to fulfil the role.
It can easily lead to a misunderstanding of what services their new hire can provide, which could be detrimental to their practice. For example, if a magazine publication hires a professional whose expertise is in proofreading, but they actually need an editor for their articles, they’ll end up with well-polished pieces but not necessarily ones that hit the brief.
For Editors and Proofreaders
It’s non-negotiable that editors and proofreaders themselves know the distinctions between their practices, as it determines the outcome of the service. The reason is twofold:
- They must understand what their roles encompass to do their job well.
- In turn, it avoids scope creep, where a professional might be expected to do more than they’re meant to for their role.
If a company hires a proofreader for their website copy, but there’s an expectation to do copy-editing, the proofreader won’t complete the task fully.
Common Editing vs Proofreading Misconceptions
There are many misconceptions surrounding editing and proofreading, but you don’t have to fall prey to them if you know what to look for.
"Proofreading is just like editing but simpler."
The myth that proofreading is a simpler version of editing falsely implies that proofreading is a lesser task. Although proofreading looks at the surface level of a text, it still requires its own finely tuned skills.
It takes a considerable amount of effort and understanding, and is of equal importance to the writing process.
"Editing eliminates the need for proofreading."
Because editing tucks into the meat of a text and considers the content as a whole, the process focuses on helping the writer improve the text before correcting the finer details.
Writers also often continue to work on their text after an editor has seen it, so the chances of mistakes reappearing are very high. This means the text must still be proofread before the piece can be deemed complete.
"Proofreading can replace editing."
This is the inverse of our previous common misconception. Editing and proofreading cannot be used interchangeably.
Editing usually comes first and improves the writing itself, while proofreading follows to fix any remaining errors. Both processes are essential.
When Editing and Proofreading Overlap
While separate practices, there are occasions when editing and proofreading overlap. If a professional is confident in both of their skills, this approach can be efficient and successful.
For example, an editor is working on short-form texts. Because the text is shorter and possibly simpler, both services can be done simultaneously. This also occurs when working with a tight deadline.
Time constraints can necessitate that the editor completes minor edits while conducting thorough proofreading. Lastly, some professionals prefer this approach for personal reasons. If it works for them, they’ll complete both services in a single pass.
Collaborative Efforts Between Editors and Proofreaders
Some mountains are just too big to conquer alone. While some editors can offer both services, they sometimes need to call in reinforcements. A common collaboration example is when projects are long-form and on tight deadlines. Work needs to be done simultaneously or closely together for efficiency and timeliness.
This collaboration can include the editor and proofreader working on the text at the same time. The proofreader might begin their tasks on the document, while the editor works on a separate copy of the same document. By using the track changes function, the editor can complete their work and send it to the proofreader.
The proofreader will then add the edits to their copy of the text which they’ve already proofread. The merged document is then used as the final version. The result is a quicker turnaround time with both stages being done cohesively and efficiently.
Why Mastering Editing vs Proofreading Makes All the Difference
When it comes to refining your work, don’t underestimate the editing vs proofreading distinction. This understanding empowers writers, clients, and professionals alike to reach their goal of excellent content quicker.
By identifying when to employ each service and appreciating their unique contributions, you’re not only improving the technical quality of your text but also enhancing its impact and clarity. Knowing when to edit and when to proofread can be the difference between good writing and great communication.
Blue Leaf Team
The Blue Leaf Editing team has over 10 years of combined editing, publishing, and book industry experience. We’re passionate about content and storytelling, and sharing our knowledge with others.
info@blueleafediting.com