On the surface, proofreading and editing seem like the same thing or interchangeable at best. They are not quite the same. First-time authors sometimes get confused about which service to choose between proofreading and editing. There are various differences between proofreading and editing. Here are some of the differences:
Proofreading and Editing have Varying Depths.
In the world of editing, there are various levels of editing. Proofreading involves making surface-level corrections. Such corrections could be made to spelling, formatting, and punctuation.
Editing, on the other hand, is more in-depth. It involves not just correcting spelling, formatting, and punctuation, but also rewriting and paraphrasing sentences to make them better.
An editor could paraphrase a sentence to make it less verbose and more succinct. Editors could restructure sentences, paragraphs, and even chapters so that they convey the writer’s intended meaning in the best possible way. In other words, the editor ensures language clarity.
Proofreaders do not go through all those processes. They simply correct errors that the eyes can catch on the surface.
Proofreading Comes Last.
Proofreading is the last step toward publishing a book. It involves correcting surface-level errors like wrong spellings and improper punctuation that could pop up as a result of all the rewriting and rearrangement done at the editing stage.
Therefore, after an editor is done with a book, it is recommended that the author gets a proofreader to give the book a final touch before sending it off to the publisher.
A Proofreader May not Be an Editor.
Just like we pointed out at the beginning, proofreading and editing are not the same. In other words, a proofreader may not necessarily be an editor. It all depends on the expertise of the individual in question.
Remember that an editor should have a very good understanding of the language, such that he or she knows various ways to pass across an idea more effectively. The editor should have a vast knowledge of the rules of grammar, punctuation, and even the semantics of the language.
In contrast, the proofreader should be a master of spelling, syntax and formatting. However, there are some people who are experts at both proofreading and editing.
Different Turnarounds
Turnaround is defined as the time required to carry out a job or task. Since proofreading involves just making corrections on the surface, it also makes sense that it has a shorter turnaround.
Editing has a longer turnaround because of its many processes and depth.
Word Count Alteration
Another difference between proofreading and editing is that proofreading does not change the word count of a document. In order to make sentences clearer, an editor could revise or rephrase sentences.
This process could lead to a difference in the word count of the document. The word count could be more or less. It is unlikely that the word count of a document will remain the same after sentences have been restructured.
Author-Editor Collaboration
When it comes to editing, there is usually a collaboration between the writer and the editor. An editor could send a writer a query on some unclear aspects of a written work. This query is not like the official query that you may be used to. Instead, it is a document in which an editor points out parts of a writer’s manuscript that need to be clarified.
The query process involves the editor highlighting pages or sections that need to be clarified and asking the writer specific questions that when answered would clear up the clumsiness. The writer replies to the editor in writing and gives answers to each question. This is a correspondence between the editor and the writer.
On the other hand, there is usually no need for any correspondence between the proofreader and the writer. Remember that the proofreader does not revise parts of a writer’s work. The proofreader simply eliminates surface-level errors.
Proofreading and editing are both important in the various stages of publishing a document, be it a book, an online article, a school thesis or any other document. It is necessary for every writer to get another pair of eyes to revise his or her manuscript before publishing it.
If you need a professional editor to guide you on which service to choose between proofreading and editing, or which one your manuscript actually needs, reach us at My Sharp Pen Editing Services.
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