In contrast to common assumption, writers are not the sole system functioning behind a successful book. They have gained immense support from major professionals in the business such as publishers, proofreaders, and copyeditors. To satisfactorily promulgate a book in the market, you have to go through several steps. Hence, although the journey of writing a book is initially a solo one, it is backed by several important supporting characters without whom this publication is impossible.
Contrary to popular belief, copyediting and proofreading are functionally and operationally contrasting in nature. As a result of their borderline similarities, they have gained the reputation of glorified spell checking. However, these arguments can be put to rest after you absorb the distinctions wholly. Hence, both of the concepts are discussed below in detail to ascertain how they vary from one another.
Obligations of a copyeditor:
To understand the profession and duties of a copyeditor, you have to remove all the preconceived notions regarding them. As acknowledged earlier, a copyeditor diverges from a proofreader as the individual has to manage a more significant load of work. After the first draft is originated, the manuscript is presented to a copyeditor who, in essence, increases readability by eradicating all grammatical errors. The task is done in the following steps.
- Read the document thoroughly and correct all the ill-formed sentences. The copyeditor has to effectually follow each line and remove redundant, grammatically inaccurate, inconsistent, incoherent and paraphrased sentences. Once such malformations are concretely discharged, the content becomes useful and readable.
- After eliminating deformed sentences, a copyeditor has to examine the accuracy of factual information incorporated in the content. This is a fundamental step, especially if the manuscript is regarding a historical or scientific phenomenon.
- Furthermore, once you’ve established the legitimacy of the content, you will assure that all the words, jargons, and sentences transition well with others and that there are no loose ends as they tend to reduce the overall quality of the content.
- Finally, as the last correctional job, a copyeditor is supposed to correct the spelling errors present in the content.
Functions of a proofreader:
The requirement of a proofreader is necessitated once the copyeditor has performed his or her duties. Therefore, when the manuscript reaches them, it is already edited and in a printed form. Thus, they are required to conduct an extensive reading session that will further bring nuances and coherency in the content. What a proofreader has to perform essentially is taking charge of the presentation. When the proofreader receives the printed copy, he or she has to specifically check the order or words, paragraphs, and overall structure of the book. They are hired to check and correct any missing information that is necessitated in the copy. However, they don’t have the authority to change anything by themselves. By reviewing the final draft of the book, they are assumed to examine spelling mistakes, syntax error, and missing pieces of information that could be taken as human error or printing mistake.
