Copyeditors are not technically, proofreaders but still do it in process.
Copyeditors are not rewriters or ghost writers.
Copyeditors are not developmental editors.
Copyeditors are not publication designers.
Before The Digital Age in the traditional print publishing environment, copy editors worked alongside line editors, developmental editors, substantive editors, and content editors. Nowadays a copyeditor might be charged with any or all of these duties. A freelancer especially so because indie authors may need the copyeditor to handle more of the heavy lifting in order to get the manuscript into print. Also, an independent author might not know the distinctions between the responsibilities carried by each type of editor: they may expect to see the prose made to flow well (line editing); they might expect large revisions to be made where necessary (substantive editing); they might expect any plot holes to be pointed out (a fiction copyeditor will do this) and suggestions made for the words in type to fill those plot holes (developmental editing). Accordingly, a freelance copyeditor should reflect additional duties in the fee.
Perhaps the new expectations are why there is no consensus about spelling copyediting. Copy editing (n), copy editing (v), copyediting (n), copyediting (v)? The Chicago Manual of Style obviates the problem by calling the job manuscript editing; capturing the editing challenges on a continuum that includes all the potential responsibilities above and describing them as ‘light’, ‘medium’, and ‘heavy’.
Additional responsibilities might include
- art editing (helping the author find illustrations or develop existing ones)
- design (advising the author on the physical appearance of the book)
- formatting (helping the author prepare the book for digital production)
- indexing (providing the author with an index for the book if necessary)
COPYEDITORS ARE NOT PROOFREADERS
Although all copyeditors need to be good proofreaders as part of their responsibilities, much confusion seems to prevail in distinguishing the responsibilities of copyeditors and proofreaders. Copyeditors deal with grammar, punctuation, style, and especially with usage. A proofreader’s role occurs at a later stage in the publication process and the essential check for errors that have been introduced by file conversion, formatting, or the typesetting stage of the final document, and any issues with the page layout. Proofreaders will also make sure to catch any errors not picked up at the copyediting stage.
COPYEDITORS ARE NOT REWRITERS OR GHOST WRITERS
Normally the duties of the copyeditor would extend as far as smoothing out the prose with simple revisions. Rewriting line after line of running text exists at the ‘heavy’ end of Chicago’s definition of manuscript editing and would properly be called substantive editing. It should not be expected of the copyeditor unless agreed upon, in the contract, and reflected in remuneration.
COPYEDITORS ARE NOT DEVELOPMENTAL EDITORS
The author shall be alerted to organisational or structural problems. But the copyeditor will not usually fix them. The following are the responsibilities of a developmental editor: moving a rough draft forward, helping an author get the idea into something publishable, making sure everything of the subject is covered with no gaps, finding solutions if the content could be more effectively communicated, and finding solutions if the book could be placed in the market more competitively.
COPYEDITORS ARE NOT PUBLICATION DESIGNERS
If the copyeditor finds an element in the manuscript that in some way doesn’t fit onto the page or that might not load properly in a digital environment, for example, an illustration, then they will flag the problem up with the author or publisher. However, decisions about the physical appearance of the book—the typography, treatment of headings, layout, images, etc., is properly the domain of a publication designer. A copyeditor can take on these extra duties essentially in collaboration with the author but they are not normally copyediting responsibilities.
CONCLUSION
In a modern editing environment many additional duties have been folded into the role of a copyeditor. From once being responsible for spelling, grammar, punctuation, style, etc., you are now expected to be available for a broader role including the tasks of other types of editor. To wit, make sure you clarify your arrangement with the author and see it expressed on the bottom line.
References:
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. Chicago: UCP, London: UCP, 2017.
Einsohn, Amy, and Marilyn Schwartz. The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communication. Oakland, Calif.: CUP, 2019.
