What is the difference between copyediting and developmental/substantive editing?
Simply put, copyediting is a “micro” edit that takes into account the line-by-line language issues of a piece of writing, and also addresses issues of consistency and clarity through the work. For example, a copyeditor will edit to address grammar, punctuation, spelling, and syntax, but will also point out discrepancies. Let’s say it’s 1849 in chapter two of your book, but in chapter three it’s suddenly 1894. A good copyeditor will query this issue and leave it up to the author to resolve. Likewise if John Smith is described as a blond on page 40 but has brown hair by page 58. A copyeditor is a close reader, and expertly considers the standards of various style guides. The style guide for most fiction is the Chicago Manual of Style, so a copyeditor may make changes or suggestions to a novel based on Chicago’s standards. Developmental/substantive editing is editing at the more holistic, “macro” level. A substantive editor considers the “big picture” elements—structure, dialogue, voice,
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