1st Call Editorial header

‘What Is Copy-Editing?’

 

When an author writes a book, before that book can be typeset for publication it first has to go to a copy editor (usually a freelance) for copy-editing.

I’ll explain the copy editor’s function in a moment.

But first, publishers usually have a house style that the book’s format should follow.

For example, publisher X’s house style may be to use ‘-ise’ spellings rather than ‘-ize’ spellings (e.g. ‘finalise’ rather than ‘finalize’).

Which is where the copy editor steps in.


What the Copy Editor Does

The copy editor changes all instances of ‘-ize’ spellings to ‘-ise’ spellings, to conform with publisher X’s house style.

But sometimes the publisher allows the copy editor to follow the author’s style rather than the house style in some areas – if the author has used her own style consistently throughout (means fewer copy-editing corrections, which saves time and keeps costs down).

A major copy-editing role, then, is to ensure consistency of spelling and style throughout the book.

The copy editor also has to (among other things)

  • ensure the text’s meaning is clear

  • get rid of errors in spelling, grammar and logic

  • ensure that subheads are relevant and follow in
    the correct hierarchy

  • check that photos or illustrations have the correct
    numbering and captions, and that the captions follow
    the publisher’s house style

  • ensure the typesetter knows what style to use for
    headings, displayed text etc. (from codes the copy
    editor marks beside the various text elements)


Two Types of Editing

There are two types of editing in the editorial process:

  1. Editing with a blue or red pen directly on a ‘hard copy’
    printout     of the author’s word-processed files (hence
    the name copy-editing).

  2. Editing of the author’s electronic files on a computer
    screen, known as on-screen editing.


Why On-Screen Editing Is Preferred

On-screen editing is rapidly taking over from the traditional hard-copy editing, as on-screen editingis far more efficient and cost effective.

With on-screen editing, the typesetter has clean, coded files to work with, rather than having to transfer thousands of corrected characters from a copy-edited manuscript to the computer screen – the on-screen editor has already made these corrections for the typesetter.

Plus, if the copy editor has poor handwriting, the typesetter has a hard time trying to make out what the corrections are!

This slows down the typesetting and bumps up the typesetting costs (because the job takes longer).

As the typesetter has far less work (no corrections to transfer from the hard copy to an electronic file), the typesetting is completed much faster. Which means

  • lower typesetting costs, and

  • the book’s production schedule is shorter.

Also, on-screen editing means the freelance copy editor can quickly and easily transfer the edited files back to the publisher via email ... rather than having to take time to (1) weigh, address and seal a heavy parcel of copy-edited pages, (2) drive to the post office, (3) find a parking space, (4) pay the parking fee, (5) join a long queue, (6) post the parcel, and finally (7) drive back to the home office again!

Plus, as email is instantaneous, the publisher gets the files immediately, rather than having to wait for the post to arrive late the next day (or never!).

Emailed copy-edited files thus save a huge amount of time and postal costs.


What Happens after the Editing Stage?

Once the publisher has the edited files from the copy editor, he or she sends them on to the typesetter.

When the typesetter has formatted the edited files into pages that look like the finished book, he or she then sends printouts of these ‘proof’ pages to a proofreader (via the publisher) for proofreading.

So COPY-EDITING or ON-SCREEN EDITING is the first stage in the publishing process, TYPESETTING is the second stage, and PROOFREADING is the third stage.

Copy-editing is far more complex than proofreading (unless the copy editor has done a bad job, and the hapless proofreader then has to sort out the copy editor’s mess – sadly all too common!). Which is why publishers usually pay copy editors a higher hourly rate than proofreaders.