Today I want to talk about two concepts that often get confused – proofreading and copyediting.
What’s the Difference Between Proofreading and Copyediting?
Put simply, copyeditors check over the text at the drafting stage – often before any kind of design elements have been applied. They check for spelling, grammar, and syntax of course, but they also look at structure, tone, consistency, and accuracy. This tends to be a more detailed, hands-on task than proofreading as some significant changes to the content may need to be made.
Proofreading as a task is generally less in-depth than copyediting, but it’s equally as important. It involves looking over the final proofs (after any design has been implemented) to ensure that spelling, grammar, consistency, syntax, punctuation, and so on are all 100% before committing the item to print or digital publishing.
Both stages of development are just as crucial as each other. Mistakes at any point in the process can cost a company money, but they generally become more troublesome as the project nears completion.
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