Copy editing services for books
Copy editing (also written copyediting) is the editing stage that fixes the mechanics of your writing: grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalisation, word usage and internal consistency. It does not restructure the book (that is developmental editing), and it is not the final check on the typeset pages (that is proofreading).
- Changes: errors and inconsistencies, raised as tracked changes you can accept or reject.
- Leaves alone: your story, your argument and your voice.
- When: on the manuscript, before layout. Proofreading comes after layout.
Copy editing makes your manuscript correct and consistent. It fixes grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalisation and hyphenation, and it harmonises the details that drift over a long manuscript — names, terms, numbers, dates, timelines.
It does not change how you write. That is the line, and it matters: copyediting corrects errors, it does not rewrite your sentences or flatten your voice.
Copy editing, line editing and proofreading
These three are frequently confused, and commissioning the wrong one is how authors pay for a service they did not need. The quick distinction:
Line editing
Works at the level of language and voice — sentence rhythm, word choice, clarity and tone, paragraph by paragraph.
Copy editing
Works at the level of correctness and consistency — grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalisation, hyphenation, and internal consistency of names, terms and timelines.
Proofreading
The final check on the typeset pages, after layout — catching what survived the earlier passes and anything introduced in production.
In practice the sequence is: developmental work if the structure needs it, then line editing if the prose needs it, then copyediting for correctness, then proofreading on the final pages. Each stage catches things the previous one could not. The full comparison is in our guide to the types of book editing.
What a copy edit actually catches
- Grammar and syntax errors, including the ones spellcheck cannot see
- Punctuation and its consistent application, including dialogue
- Spelling, hyphenation and capitalisation held to one standard throughout
- Names, places and terminology rendered the same way every time they appear
- Numbers, dates and measurements consistent in format
- Timeline inconsistencies — a character in two places, a date that cannot work
- Repeated words, accidental repetitions and overused constructions
- Authorial tics that become noticeable across a full manuscript
A sample: before and after
The short excerpt below is illustrative: written to show the kind of correction a copy editor makes, not taken from a client's manuscript.
James walked into the room and their was silence. He had'nt expected too see no one there, least of all the man standing by the window holding a envelope. "I thought you were in london" he said, his voice barely a whisper.
James walked into the room and there was silence. He hadn't expected to see anyone there — least of all the man standing by the window, holding an envelope. "I thought you were in London," he said, his voice barely a whisper.
The changes are typical: a wrong word (their to there), a misspelling (had'nt), a double negative, a wrong article (a envelope), a place name without its capital, and the comma missing inside the closing quotation mark. The voice and the content are untouched.
What you receive
- Your manuscript with every change tracked, so nothing changes without you seeing it and you can accept or reject each one.
- A style sheet: the spelling, capitalisation, hyphenation, number and punctuation choices applied across the book.
- Queries: anything that needs your decision (a name spelled two ways, a date that cannot work) is asked, not silently changed.
How much does copy editing cost?
Editors charge per word, per page or per hour, and the right figure depends on the length of the manuscript and how much work it needs, so we don't publish a per-word rate. Professional copyediting is included in the Premium package. For any other book, we look at the manuscript and confirm the price before any work starts.
How long does it take?
It depends on the length and the state of the manuscript: a clean 60,000-word manuscript might take a week to ten days, and one that needs heavy work takes longer. As part of a full publishing package, the standard timeline is 4–6 weeks (occasionally up to 8) from a final manuscript, with editing and proofreading inside that window. If you have a launch date, tell us first and we'll confirm whether it's realistic.
The style sheet
A good copy edit produces a style sheet alongside the corrected manuscript: a record of the decisions made for your book. Which spellings are used, how names are rendered, whether numbers appear as words or figures, how any recurring term is styled. It exists for two reasons — so the choices stay consistent across a long book, and so the proofreader applies the same standard later. Ask for the style sheet; it is part of the deliverable, not an extra.
Two places errors survive
If you take one thing from this page, take this: the manuscript is not the whole book. Two areas routinely escape an edit because nobody thought to include them:
- Front matter and back matter — title page, copyright page, dedication, acknowledgements, author bio, and any permissions or attributions. These are read by everybody and edited by almost nobody.
- The cover — the title, the subtitle, the author name and the back-cover copy. A misspelling here is the most expensive error in the book, because it is on every copy printed and the cover cannot be corrected without a reprint.
Before any book goes to press, those sections should get the same read as the manuscript. It is a short list and a cheap check, and it prevents the error you cannot fix.
Frequently asked questions
What is copy editing?
Copy editing corrects and harmonises the mechanics of your text: grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalisation and hyphenation, plus consistency of names, terminology, numbers, dates and timeline. It does not rewrite your voice or restructure your book.
What is the difference between copy editing and line editing?
Line editing looks at how you write — sentence structure, word choice, rhythm and clarity — and may rephrase. Copy editing looks at whether the text is correct and consistent. Line editing improves the prose; copy editing makes it accurate and consistent.
Do I need both copyediting and proofreading?
Yes, and they happen at different stages. Copyediting happens on the manuscript before layout. Proofreading happens on the typeset pages afterwards, because layout introduces new possibilities for error — a dropped line, a bad page break, a hyphen that should not be there.
Will a copy editor change my voice?
No. That is the line a copy editor should not cross. Copyediting corrects errors and inconsistencies and queries anything unclear, but it preserves your voice, your dialect and your deliberate choices. Anything the editor thinks is wrong but might be intentional is raised as a query rather than silently changed.
What is a style sheet and why does it matter?
A style sheet records the decisions made for your book — which spellings are used, how characters' names are rendered, whether numbers are written as words or figures, and any house preferences. It exists so those choices stay consistent through the whole book, and so the proofreader applies the same standard afterwards.
Can a copy editor check facts?
Copy editors flag factual claims that look wrong, internally contradictory, or legally risky, and raise them as queries. Full fact-checking against sources is a separate service, and for a memoir or a heavily researched book it is worth commissioning explicitly rather than assuming it is included.
Does copyediting include the cover text and the blurb?
Ask for it explicitly. Back-cover copy, the blurb, the title page and front matter are all part of the finished book and all carry the same risk of error. Books regularly go to print with a typo on the cover because the edit covered only the manuscript.
How long does copy editing take?
It depends on length, complexity and how much work the manuscript needs. A clean 60,000-word manuscript might take a week to ten days. A manuscript needing heavy work takes longer, and the editor should tell you the expected duration before starting.
Do I need copy editing if I already proofread my book myself?
Usually, yes. An author reads what they meant to write rather than what is on the page, so their own errors are the hardest to see. A professional copy edit is the stage that finds them, before the book is laid out.
Is copy editing included in a publishing package?
Professional copyediting is included in the Premium package. For other packages, or for copy editing on its own, we look at the manuscript first and confirm the price before any work starts.
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