Editor vs Proofreader vs Beta Reader

If you’ve ever researched how to publish a novel, you may have come across terms such as editing, proofreading and beta reading. At first, they seem like the same service: reviewing and correcting your manuscript. However, each role has different goals and skills.

Editors or copyeditors will be the ones to bring your manuscript to its best possible form. There are different levels of editing: light, medium and heavy. A light edit will include correcting grammar, spelling, inconsistencies and fact checking. Medium and heavy editing include all the above as well as revising story structure, advising on character and plot development and suggest revisions on any complex or unclear writing. Editors work both in traditional publishing and freelance spaces.

Beta readers will usually receive your manuscript after the developmental edit. As the name suggests, these people review your work from the perspective of a reader. They may point out any confusing concepts, plot holes or character inconsistencies. Their feedback includes emotional response, character connection, flow and pacing, believability of plot and character motivations and any overall impressions of the work. They are not meant to correct errors but often do pick up on them anyway.

Proofreaders come in much later in the publishing and editing process. Once the editor and author have completed their respective edits (sometimes many rounds thereof) the proofreader will step in. This is the stage where any final errors are caught that could have slipped the author or editor’s eye. By the time a proofreader receives the manuscript, the characters, plot and structure should be established. Majority of the work proofreaders do is correcting spelling, grammar and facts if required.

Often, proofreaders and editors are mistaken as interchangeable. There is a distinct difference, and one can’t be swopped for the other. Proofreaders focus on accuracy, eliminating errors and finding inconsistencies in formatting and content. Editing focuses on improving structure, content and readability. Also to note, an editor and proofreader are usually trained to do both jobs but should not fill the same role on a single project. This is because once you are too familiar with a manuscript, small errors can slip through due to blind spots, therefor two sets of eyes are needed.

As an aspiring author you may ask yourself, do I really need so many people to have eyes on my manuscript? The answer is a resounding yes.

If you’re self-publishing, this process can get expensive, especially since your editor and proofreader should not be the same person. Beta readers are also essential to understand what a reader may think of your work. This can be costly too if you are looking for a professional, however there are many free ways to find beta readers such as Facebook groups and Reddit subs. Just be sure to have your work protected in some way and to vet your readers beforehand.

At The Crow's Copy we offer Copy-editing, proofreading and beta reading services.