Ever wondered what the difference between editing and proofreading is?
We’re here to answer all of your questions, with these 8 easy differences between editing and proofreading!
So, you have just finished writing your book? Congratulations! However, there is still a little way to go before you’re completely ready to publish it. It is always important to check any piece of work to make sure you have the best chance of success. But should you edit your book, or proofread it, or both? Many people use these terms interchangeably. However, proofreading and editing don’t quite mean the same thing – and they won’t give you the same results.
Proofreading is a surface-level check. It is usually performed on the final version of a document. A proofreader will look for spelling errors, incorrect/missed punctuation, inconsistencies (textual and numerical), etc. On the other hand, editing corrects issues at the core of writing. This includes problems like sentence construction and language clarity. A thorough editing will help improve the readability, clarity, and tone of the text through careful polishing by an editor.
Here are the 8 main differences between editing and proofreading:
| Editing | Proofreading | |
|---|---|---|
Performed on the first draft of the document and continues until the draft is finalised. | Performed on the final draft of the document. | |
Addresses the core features of writing. | Addresses surface-level issues. | |
Definition varies according to the scope of editing. | Universally accepted, consistent definition. | |
Enhances the language by making changes for clarity, readability, and smooth narration. | Eliminates misspellings, grammatical and punctuation errors, inconsistencies, formatting errors, etc. | |
Includes word count reduction, if required. | Does not include word count reduction. | |
Overall quality of writing is improved. | Makes already good writing error-free. | |
Requires the editor to work with the author. | Does not require much work with the author. | |
Longer time to complete (as the amount of work required is more). | Shorter time to complete. |
When to choose an editing service?
You should hire an editing service when:
- Your document needs substantial revisions for clarity, readability, and flow.
- You want to collaborate extensively with the editor to polish and refine your writing.
When to choose a proofreading service?
You should opt for a proofreading service when:
- You are confident of the language and structure of your document. Your document should only require a basic grammar check to eliminate misspellings, typographical errors, and punctuation errors.
- Your document has been edited and now needs to undergo a final check before submission.
For assistance and further information on our editing and proofreading services, feel free to contact info@preflightbooks.co.za or request a quote here.
Images sourced from ‘Editing versus Proofreading: The Greatest Debate in the World‘ and ‘How To Choose The Right Style Of Editing For Your Book‘.
