The Different Types of Editing

What is the difference between proofreading and copy editing? Between copy editing and substantive editing?

If you're an editor, you're probably thinking, "Elementary, my dear Watson." And yet, what editors actually do is hardly common knowledge. Even people who work in publishing can be clueless about what different types of editing entail.

Here are my own definitions, based on my professional experience and on the Chicago Manual of Style's definitions. Feel free to comment with your own suggestions and experience.

1. Proofreading
   
   Proofreading is the most basic level of editing. A proofreader whips a document into shape so that it is technically correct English. That means fixing mistakes in spelling, typography, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and syntax.
   
   Proofreaders look for verb tense consistency, misplaced modifiers, one space vs. two spaces after periods, whether reference citations follow the correct format, and stuff like that. They also watch like a hawk for inconsistencies, such as the font changing within a section, or a company president's name being spelled differently on page 3 than on page 1.
   
   Usually, proofreaders will edit text according to a style guide, such as the Chicago Manual of Style or a company's own in-house style guide. In other words, if the company wants the term "health care" to always be two words instead of one, the proofreader will fix deviations to this style.
   
   
2. Copy Editing
   
   Copy editing is a step up from proofreading. Copy editors do everything that proofreaders do, plus more. They are given a bit more authority than proofreaders to make judgments and changes. As a result, tact and discretion are more crucial in copy editing, whereas a proofreader can swing an ax based on hard-and-fast rules.
   
   Copy editing often involves editing for length (e.g. to make a story conform to a particular word count, or to make it fit in a prescribed space on a page in a print publication). This means making judgments about which pieces of information are less important to the whole piece and can therefore be cut.
   
   The copy editor may change a few words to make the text more clear (or longer, or shorter), but only up to a point. More radical changes, such as rephrasing concepts or reorganizing sections, fall under substantive editing (next).
   
   
3. Substantive Editing
   
   Substantive editing is a step up from copy editing. At this level, the editor takes a higher-level view of the text, analyzing how it can be better organized or presented, and making (or suggesting) changes accordingly. The editor asks, "Does this make sense? Is it clear? Could it be rephrased to make it read better?"
   
   From the Chicago Manual: "[Substantive editing] involves rephrasing for smoothness and to eliminate ambiguity, reorganizing or tightening... and other remedial activities." A substantive editor may rephrase a sentence to eliminate wordiness, or move a paragraph to a different spot where it makes more sense.
   
   Because substantive editing can mean significant changes to an author's original work, the edited text is often run by the author again after editing. This gives the author a chance to respond to an editor's queries and accept or reject some changes.
   
   
4. Developmental editing
   
   This is the highest level of editing. It takes a bird's-eye view of a written work, addressing big-picture questions like, "How should this material be presented? Should the style be more formal (or informal)? Should this chapter come before that chapter? Is more documentation needed?", etc. It may involve total rewriting and reorganization of a text.
   

So, there you have it! Everything you ever wanted to know about editing.

If I Were Running the Show

I think the publishing world needs an entire system of pay scales, job titles, and certifications based around these definitions.

Unfortunately, these definitions are not common knowledge. Someone with "Editor" in their job title may be editing at any or all of the levels described above. As a result, pay scales, job titles, and job descriptions vary hugely.

I'll never forget the ad I placed on Craigslist, a few jobs ago, for a contract Curriculum Editor. In the ad, I described in detail the type of editing that the position entailed (mainly copy editing, with specific expert knowledge learned on the job and applied). I also described the specific experience I was looking for. That didn't stop several hundred unqualified people from applying. So you wrote a few articles for your college newspaper? Um, no, that does not make you a copy editor. Sorry. Different skill set, people!