Whats the difference between developmental/substantive editing and copyediting?
Copy editors work with the writer to make sure that the material is clear, easy to read, and error-free. As a copy editor, I start from the small picture. I begin by analyzing words, sentences, and paragraphs as I work up to the big picture. During the first read I deal mainly with English issues such as typos, grammatical errors, misspelled words, awkward sentence structure, and abrupt changes in point of view. The second read is more content-based. I watch for problems with the big picture such as plot, pacing, consistency, lack of clarity, and characterization. Because Im now familiar with the material from start to finish, I can focus on the works form and purpose. In other words, the developmental edit is part of the second read.
