The Anatomy of an Edit: Understanding the Critical Difference Between Line Editing and Copy Editing
- Jun 13
- 8 min read
If you've completed your manuscript, the next step is editing - the part most authors overlook knowing which type of editing will benefit your book is one of the most difficult jobs an author will have in the creation process.
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Table of Content
One of the most popular queries that authors have is whether their manuscript needs editing.
The real question is whether your manuscript is ready for the type of editorial assistance it needs. Editing is not a one-time event; it is a series of events. The two types of editing that authors confuse most are line editing and copy editing. Each of these editing types addresses problems that are totally different, occur at different points in the writing process, and require editors to have different skill sets.
Editing in the wrong order and/or jumping directly from line editing to copy editing are two significant mistakes that authors make when trying to get their books ready to publish. The following is how to know the difference between line editing and copy editing and precisely which type of editing your manuscript requires.
The editing is best achieved in the following sequence:
Developmental Editing
Line Editing
Copy Editing
Proofreading
We can think of the various editing types with the example of a forest: During developmental editing, the editor looks at the overall picture (the "forest") of a manuscript as a whole in terms of its plot, structure, argument, and clarity of ideas. At the line-editing stage (the "trees"), the editor gets involved line by line. Copy editing works mainly on those surface level issues like grammatical and factual accuracy, typos, and syntax (the "bark" of the "trees").
Proofreading is the last revision of a manuscript prior to it being printed.
Writers often skip over or mix-up the editing stages above. Therefore, they often end up with a manuscript that has either an unresolved structural issue or has had the final polishing done before a solid foundation was laid down.
What is Line Editing?
Line editing is about reviewing the creative content, writing style, and language being used at a sentence/paragraph level. The purpose of line editing is not to check your manuscript for spelling or punctuation errors but to help you use language for effective storytelling.
Although more art than science, the purpose of line editing is to ensure that the sentences in an article or novel are written as well as possible. A line editor will pay attention to the author's writing style, which is why line editing is sometimes referred to as stylistic editing.
The line editor reads a manuscript as a critical, engaged reader would — in contrast to simply observing where the reader loses interest and stopping there, the line editor determines the reasons for the break and fixes it.
The line editor reads through a manuscript line by line, examining each line for the following characteristics: Is the tone consistent? Do the word selections convey the tone? Are there any words or phrases that detract from the intended meaning? How do individual lines relate to the overall flow of the writing? Is the writing from the same viewpoint throughout?
To assist an author, the line editor will:
Identify sentences that are technically correct but do not flow smoothly
Make the prose more concise by removing redundancies and unnecessary words
Identify any inconsistencies in the author's tone and/or writing style from chapter to chapter
Improve pacing by identifying and addressing sections that either drag or move too quickly
Identify opportunities to use more descriptive or precise language where the writing is dull or vague
Building your sentences up, rather than repeating them, is something you can do when writing. Writing can be like having a writing teacher in the sidebar of your book; if you're looking for an edit that will help your writing flow effortlessly, understand how to write at the sentence level, and make you a better writer, then line editing is probably what you want!
What a line editor does:
Line editors will go through your entire manuscript line by line and look for ways to improve your writing stylistically. While they are very detail-oriented about the way language works at the sentence level, they do not focus primarily on following the rules of grammar or spelling or punctuation — that's the copy editor's job.
What is Copy Editing?
Copy editing is the process that takes care of all the technical aspects of your manuscript, such as grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, and consistency within your manuscript.
For a line editor, the question is, "Is this sentence accomplishing its purpose?" and for a copy editor, the question is, "Is this sentence technically correct?"
A copy editor ensures that all the language used in a manuscript meets standard English rules and follows the appropriate house style guide. Line editors and copy editors have much in common; both will have a very strong focus on detail, and both will be interested in how language functions at the sentence level. However, they do have very different responsibilities.
A copy editor is responsible for the following tasks:
Correcting grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors
Fixing issues with subject and verb agreement
Maintaining consistency and mechanics (i.e., not spelling a character differently or using capital and lowercase at different points within the same chapter, etc.)
Applying a style manual (for example, the Chicago Manual of Style or the Associated Press Stylebook or the publisher's house style)
Highlighting discrepancies (for example, it is winter at a previous point but is now being referred to as summer)
Identifying incorrect word usage (effect vs. affect)
To put it simply, a line editor will help make the manuscript easier to read and relate to readers, while a copy editor is responsible for ensuring the manuscript is accurate, consistent and adheres to a style guide.
To clearly illustrate this difference, consider the following example:
"She slowly and carefully walked down the long hallway to the end of the hallway with her heart racing." A line editor may flag this as overwriting because it uses three times as many adjectives and adverbs as necessary. The editor could suggest - "She crept down the hallway, heart racing."
The copy editor will also evaluate the previous sentence for: Does the term “hallway” match how the author has described that space elsewhere? Is it grammatically correct to place a comma before “her heart”? Are the tenses used in this sentence consistent with the tenses used throughout the rest of the surrounding paragraphs?
Two different questions, but exactly the same sentence.
Why The Order of Line Editing and Copy Editing is Important
Line editing is always done before copy editing. If your manuscript has not been line edited, then it cannot be copy edited. An investment made in copy editing before line editing is wasted since changes made to the text as part of line editing will negate much of what the copy editor has done to the manuscript.
This is why the order of the editing process is important: for instance, a copy editor may have worked for several hours perfecting a single paragraph of text only to find out later their work was for nothing when a line editor suggested deleting or changing that paragraph entirely.
Here is the typical process of editing:
Manuscript → Line edit → Author changes → Copy edit → Author changes → Proofread → Publish
If your budget allows for it, the copy editor is best hired for a new round of editing after line editing has been completed. Some editors offer both line and copy editing services; however, knowing the difference will assist you in asking the right questions to your prospective editors.
Do You Always Need a Line Edit and a Copy Edit?
Not necessarily. But in most cases, yes. As previously mentioned, you should always do a line edit before you do a copy edit.
If you have received a lot of feedback on your manuscript during the developmental editing process, if you do not write vaguely, or if your hybrid editor has provided comprehensive line and developmental edits, then you may have no need for a standalone line edit of your finished work.
You must always have a copy edit performed on everything you publish. Readers are generally willing to overlook a lot of things; however, they will not be very forgiving about a manuscript containing ongoing grammar errors, typos, inconsistency in character names, or the omission of punctuation.
When your finished manuscript is line edited, the editor is primarily concerned with the way you write; when it is copy edited, the editor will ensure that your work meets grammar requirements and follows the style guide. It generally takes about one month to copy edit a 75,000-word manuscript.
When You Hire a Professional Editor, How Much Can You Expect to Pay?
The rates will vary depending on the experience of the editor, how many words your manuscript contains, and how quickly you want the editor to finish your manuscript. The Editorial Freelancers Association, in their rates survey, lists copy editing as $36-$45 per hour and line editing as $46-$60 per hour.
Another common pricing structure for line editing is a per-word rate, which ranges between $0.02 and $0.04 per word, while copy editing typically ranges between $0.02 and $0.05 per word.
The difference between the hourly rates of a copy editor and line editor is based on the work that each performs. For example, the line editor's work includes a deep analysis of the sentences, being mindful of tone, voice, and style, with the intent of ensuring that the writing is clear, engaging, and professional. This type of reading, which requires a “judgment of quality” and a significant investment of time and resources, is more than the one needed to perform rules-based editing or mechanical corrections.
Quick Reference: Line Editing vs. Copy Editing
Line Editing | Copy Editing |
Focus - style, voice, flow, clarity | Focus - grammar, spelling, consistency |
Asks - “Is this effective?” | Asks - “Is this correct?” |
Stage - done before copy editing | Stage - done after line editing |
Fixes - weak prose, pacing, tone | Fixes - errors, adherence to style guide |
Approach - like a writing coach | Approach - like a technical reviewer |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I tell if my manuscript requires line editing or copy editing?
If you are still changing the wording, flow, tone, or readability within chapters of your manuscript, then the answer is yes. Your manuscript likely requires line editing before proceeding to the copyediting stage. However, if you are satisfied with all of the text itself, but would like to double-check for grammar, punctuation, misspelling, and inconsistency, your manuscript is now ready to move on to copy editing.
2. Can I skip line editing and move on to copy editing only?
You can; however, it is usually not recommended. While copyediting corrects all technical errors, line editing actually improves your writing quality. Without having first completed a line edit on your manuscript, it may still be grammatically correct after the copyedit, but it could still come across as repetitive, awkward, unclear, and/or hard to read. Generally speaking, if line editing has been completed, the manuscript will provide the best foundation for the final copy edit.
3. How many editing rounds does a professional book typically require?
Most professionally published books will go through four levels of editing: Developmental Editing, Line Editing, Copy Editing, and Proofreading.
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