For a group of people who adore rules and guidelines, it’s ironic that a clear-cut definition for copyediting is hard to come by. Publishers will likely have their own definition and expectations, which can vary from publisher to publisher. And you can be sure that if you’re searching for a freelance editor, what they offer and the methods they use will also have at least slight variations. For this reason, clear and effective communication is crucial to ending up with the product you want.
Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary defines a copyeditor as “an editor who prepares copy for the typesetter.”[1] That doesn’t tell you much, does it? So let’s get into practical terms and talk about what copyeditors actually do on the day-to-day.
I love the way Amy Einsohn describes a copyeditor’s main responsibilities in The Copyeditor’s Handbook:
If you like alliterative mnemonic devices, you can conceive of a copyeditor’s chief concerns as comprising the “4 Cs”—clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness—in service of the “Cardinal C”: communication.[2]
Copyeditors work with manuscripts that have been edited for major structural and big-picture issues and are ready for the nitty-gritty. A copyeditor will comb the manuscript for mechanical errors, looking at every letter and punctuation mark individually. They will ensure consistency within the text and conformity to the chosen style, and they will correct any grammar issues they find.
Generally, they will make all of their corrections directly on the manuscript using a Track Changes feature and will add explanations in comment bubbles.
Communication is the most important part of an editor’s job at any level. They need to be able to figure out what their author wants to convey and determine if the message is delivered as intended. There are a lot of tools to work with in the form of context, spelling, usage, punctuation, sentences, paragraphs, and a whole host of fiction techniques that bring the text to life and form lasting impressions on everyone who reads the finished product. The fact they are working with the English language makes all of this complicatedly delightful—or am I speaking only for myself? I mean, perhaps there are those out there who might use the words tedious, excruciating, and stressful to describe the task of a copyeditor, but thank God he created such wonderfully diverse people. Those who loathe doing what copyeditors do keep me gainfully employed!
As you move forward to greater heights of writing and editing, remember that your voice is significant, and your contribution is unique.
Pleasant penning,
Rachel E. Bradley
Freelance Editor and Indexer
NAIWE Copyediting Expert
Revisions by Rachel Inc.
www.RevisionsbyRachel.com
Rachel E. Bradley holds a BS degree in Paralegal Studies from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. She graduated summa cum laude in 2006 and has been awarded the Advanced Certified Paralegal designation by the National Association of Legal Assistants. She is a gold member of the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, is an established freelance editor with the Christian Editor Connection, is an instructor with the PEN Institute, is a judge for the Editors’ Choice Award, has served as faculty for PENCON—the only conference for editors in the Christian market—and is presenting at the 2024 Experience Writing Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
After nine years in the legal field, Rachel transitioned to her current career as a freelance editor and indexer. She now owns Revisions by Rachel Inc. In 2018, she lost her first husband, Matthew, after an intense battle with brain cancer. That experience has given her a new understanding and a fierce compassion for people who feel broken and are hurting. In celebration of continued life and hope, she became a licensed skydiver. Any chance she gets, she takes to the skies with her rainbow canopy, “Promises.”
In early 2021, she asked God to give her an arranged marriage and gave him permission to choose her next husband. In an incredible tale of trusting God and giving him her yes without exception, she is now gratefully and blessedly married to Alexander Bradley. They have been assigned the awe-inspiring and continually humbling task of raising two incredible children.
Rachel enjoys, among other things, Bible studies, dancing during church worship, skydiving, swing dancing, rock climbing, reading, teaching, discussing important issues, watching Star Trek, sewing, cooking, Pilates, horseback riding, water sports, playing guitar, and snow skiing.
[1] Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “copy editor,” accessed April 17, 2024, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copy%20editor.
[2]. Amy Einsohn, The Copyeditor’s Handbook (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2000), 3.