What is copyediting, anyway?

Copyediting is the most misused word in the world of publishing. There seems to be a lot of confusion out there - even amongst professionals - about what copyeditors actually do. 

The best way I've found to explain it is that copyeditors are to the written word what accountants are to numbers. We are the nit-picky, attention-to-detail crowd that never misses a spelling error or a run-on sentence.

But we're really much more than that. We make sure that documents flow - transitions are smooth, headings are logically structured, and the content is easy to follow in the order that it's presented. And that everything, and that means everything, checks out. Think cross-references, tables, and lists.

When would I need a copyeditor?

If you've already taken the time to write something yourself, but you're not feeling very confident about taking the finished product to the masses, then you should probably hire a copyeditor. 

Whether it's a business letter, marketing brochure, or newsletter, you want to be sure that you've got it right before you're holding the printed copy in your hands. You'll save money in the long-run by avoiding costly redesigns and reprints.