The question is more common than you think. Some years ago, before the team at ProjectKPub even met, I was writing my first book. When I wanted to look for an editor to look over the completed manuscript, I went to do some initial research.
You might think the answer to “what kind of editor do I need?” is a simple one. You would be wrong.
While browsing Reddit, we encountered the question: what are the 5 steps of editing? If you aren’t in the industry, it’s easy to get terminology confused, and overlap in definitions is common. If you’ve ever wondered what the difference between line-editing and copy-editing is, or the difference between structural and developmental, look no further.
The short version
- Editing splits into two families: technical edits that fix what is objectively wrong, and creative edits that improve the story itself.
- Technical covers copy editing, line editing, and proofreading. Creative covers developmental editing and beta reading.
- Copy editing fixes correctness, line editing sharpens the prose, developmental editing reshapes the story, and proofreading is the final check.
- Most manuscripts need more than one, worked biggest-picture first, with proofreading last.
- Not sure which yours needs? A sample edit on your own pages will show you.
A Streamlined Understanding
The first problem is that there’s significant overlap. Definitions vary slightly and, even worse, sometimes they’re so subjective that the definition could apply interchangeably.
At ProjectKPub, we’ve streamlined these definitions and distilled them to something sensible. That is not to say that this is the universal truth; it is simply how we keep things straight.
Our team has broadly broken all editing down to technical editing and creative editing. Technical edits are generally rule-based and are a simple binary of “is this right or wrong?” Creative edits are more subjective and can be agreed or disagreed upon as a matter of preference or opinion.
- Technical editing encompasses copy-editing, line-editing, and proofreading.
- Creative editing encompasses developmental / structural editing, and beta reading (which is not technically a form of editing but is part of the editing and revision process).
Developmental editing is more of an art. Line and copy editing are more of a science.
Copy-Editing
Copy-editing falls under the umbrella of technical edits. Simply, it is ensuring that the document is correct. An average copy editor will look for:
- Grammar and spelling errors.
- Correct punctuation usage.
- Common mistakes like double words, double spacing, and erroneous capitalization.
For specific examples of what copy-editing looks like, and what sets a good copy editor apart from a bad one, see our copy-editing post where we go into greater depth.
Line-Editing
Line-editing falls under the umbrella of technical edits too. It is a higher level of technical edit that focuses on improving the quality of the prose. Whereas developmental-editing looks at improving the whole story, line-editing focuses on the paragraph and sentence level when searching for improvement opportunities. An average line editor will look for:
- Clarity weaknesses. Reducing ambiguity in a sentence to make it easier to understand.
- Fluency weaknesses. Awkward sentence structure or word choice can ruin the reader experience and grind everything to a halt.
- Flow weaknesses. This can be sentence-level or apply to whole paragraphs. It usually takes the form of odd or weak pacing; an editor may attempt a rewrite or propose deleting sentences wholesale.
For specific examples of what line-editing looks like, and what sets a good line editor apart from a bad one, see our line-editing post where we go into greater depth.
Developmental-Editing
Developmental-editing is a creative service, and we would argue that it’s more of an art, where line-editing and copy-editing are something of a science. Developmental editors need to understand the story being told and then make changes to the plot, characters, and sometimes the setting of the book.
Since it is more of an art, no two developmental editors have the same process. At ProjectKPub, we look for:
- Character weaknesses: insufficient arc; insufficient depth; underutilization in the story, themes, or in how they interact with other characters; unlikeability (assuming likeability is the intention); insufficient weakness and/or interesting traits.
- Plot weaknesses: jarring or weak pacing; lack of setup and payoff; improperly managed micro and macro plot-lines.
- Setting weaknesses: opportunities to add further detail; lack of connectivity to plot and/or characters.
For a deeper look at what a developmental-edit covers and what a good developmental editor delivers, see our developmental-editing post where we go into greater depth.
Proofreading
This is a final pass. Often it is done quickly and meant to ensure that there are no glaring issues in the manuscript. Proofreaders will often check the editor’s work for continuity errors and ensure that grammar and spelling errors have been caught.
This is not to diminish the value of proofreading. Our position is: if the editor does a good job, a final check should not be necessary. But we are only human, and humans make mistakes. Having a dedicated proofreader, or at least a dedicated proofreading pass, is essential.
Structural-Editing
This definition is often used interchangeably with developmental-editing. For clarity, we just use developmental-editing. Paragraph-level structural changes are often addressed by line-editing while making flow changes.
You might have been reading along and felt like a kid in a toy store; with each new aisle, you’re grabbing for something new to add to the cart. We understand the feeling. No one wants to publish a bad piece of work, and your story shouldn’t have to suffer because you can’t justify spending thousands editing a book that might only make a few hundred dollars. That’s exactly why we package our services, so you don’t have to sacrifice one edit to afford another.
Common questions
What order do the types of editing go in?
Work from the biggest picture down to the smallest. Developmental editing comes first, because it can cut or reshape whole scenes, and there is no sense polishing sentences you might later remove. Line editing follows, then copy editing, and proofreading is the final pass once the text is settled.
Which type of editing do I need?
It depends on where your manuscript is weakest. If the story itself is what needs work, start with developmental editing. If the story holds but the writing reads awkwardly, line editing is the fit. If the writing is already clean and you mainly need errors caught, copy editing or proofreading will do. When you are unsure, a free sample edit on your own pages is the fastest way to find out.
Is proofreading the same as copy editing?
No. Copy editing is the deeper pass: it corrects grammar and punctuation, and it also checks consistency across the whole manuscript, from verb tenses to character details. Proofreading is the lighter final glance that catches whatever slipped through after everything else is done. A copy edit changes the prose, while a proofread is your safety net.
What’s the difference between line and copy editing?
Copy editing is about correctness, making sure the writing follows the rules. Line editing is about quality, making the prose clearer and easier to read at the sentence and paragraph level. Copy editing asks whether a sentence is right; line editing asks whether it is working in the context of the story.
Do I need all of them?
Not always. A clean manuscript from an experienced writer might need only a copy edit and a proofread, while a rough first draft often benefits from the full sequence. It depends on the state of your writing, which is why we package our editing so you are not forced to skip one edit to afford another.
Is beta reading a type of editing?
No, but the best beta readers have an editor’s eye. A beta reader responds the way an ordinary reader would, telling you where they lost interest or got confused, rather than making editorial changes. It is a useful part of the revision process and pairs naturally with developmental editing, but it is feedback rather than an edit. Beta readers identify the problem, and it’s up to you to find a solution.