The Difference between Proofreading and Copy Editing, and between Copy editing and Content Editing

I am frequently asked what the difference is between proofreading and copy editing. Then there is content editing. What is the difference between copy editing and content editing? Contrary to what most authors think, there are distinct differences among the three.

A manuscript should ideally go through each one of these stages in order. Many authors seem to be of the opinion that proofreading is what they need (and all they need). In thinking this, they mistakenly want to pay for proofreading when what they really want is content editing.

Content editing is performed at the rough draft (production) stage of a manuscript. A good content editor will check the manuscript for style, voice, consistency, and overall narrative flow. They will make suggestions as to point of view, character development, audience, plot issues, etc. This is a very in depth analysis of a manuscript. The content editor is trained to…