Understanding Copyediting for Writers: The Technical Polish Your Manuscript Needs

When your manuscript is complete (post-developmental edit if you did one), the next step to check off your list is copyediting. This is the most familiar form of editing, and it’s also one of the most essential ones. What's more, a copyedit is not the same as having your manuscript proofread. Those are two very different services that tackle different issues at different stages of your manuscript. (I'm writing a post about proofreading which will come out shortly).

A copyedited book reads neatly, flows smoothly, and doesn’t distract readers with mistakes. Typos, grammatical errors, and inconsistencies can interrupt the reading experience—and even one negative review mentioning them can drag down your entire rating average. Why risk that when careful copyediting can help you earn glowing reviews instead?

When an editor copyedits a manuscript, we follow a style guide that specifically fits your project (e.g., The Chicago Manual of Style, Associated Press, American Medical Association, Elements of Indigenous Style, Chicago-Deusto for Spanish texts, The Bluebook for legal docs, etc.). We also follow a specific dictionary (e.g,, Merriam-Webster, Real Academia Española, Cambridge, Oxford English Dictionary, Diccionario del Español de México), and we use tools like macros to help us do a thorough comb-through of your work so that every sentence shines.

Understanding What Copyediting Covers

During a copyedit, a professional copyeditor will check for:

• Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage

• Clarity and consistency, including redundancies and repetitions

• Internal consistency of facts

• Titles, headings, sequence, and table of contents (when applicable)

• Head levels and approximate placement of art

• Tables, figures, index, and lists

• Captions, credit lines, and running heads

• Front matter and back matter

• Alt text (when needed) to improve accessibility

• Conscious language recommendations to ensure inclusivity

What You’ll Receive as a Writer

When you receive your copyedited manuscript back, you should expect:

• A style sheet tailored to your manuscript (when applicable)

• Corrections applied on the page using Track Changes

• Comments with suggestions and options for improving flow and clarity

• The ability to accept or reject changes so you remain in control of your text

I can't emphasize enough how important it is that you receive a stylesheet from your copyeditor. A style sheet is a custom document that records all the specific stylistic and formatting choices made for a particular manuscript or publication, ensuring consistency in elements like spelling, punctuation, capitalization, terminology, and character details. It acts as a reference for both the author and editor to maintain uniformity, save time, and enhance the overall quality and readability of the text. It is a guideline that will also be used by your graphic designer and the proofreader, so that everyone is on the same page.

Why Copyediting Matters to Writers

Copyediting is more than just catching typos! It’s about ensuring your work is:

• Correct — error-free and precise

• Consistent — aligned in style, terminology, and formatting

• Accessible — readable for all audiences

  
  

And here’s the bottom line, and I've said it before: it only takes one review calling out typos, grammar mistakes, or sloppy editing for your book’s overall rating to drop (and your target reader not to trust you or your work—especially in nonfiction). Readers expect professionalism, and reviews are permanent. Copyediting gives your manuscript the polish it needs to inspire confidence and earn positive feedback from your audience.

Next Step: Get an Editor's Copyediting Feedback

As a writer, it's important to understand what a copyedit entails; and starting by revising your own work is essential, but you don’t have to do it alone. Here are a few things I want to encourage you to try:

1. Participate in a writer's group that meets regularly before you go into the copyediting stage. The feedback of other writers (who read in your genre) could be key to helping you identify any holes or issues with your manuscript before it's too late. Take the feedback with both gratitude and a grain of salt.

2. Use the Editor tool in Microsoft Word to clean your writing up as much as possible before you ask others to read it, but first establish what kind of writing you're aiming for from the Editor drop-down menu (Formal, Professional, Casual) so it applies the correct checks to your work.

3. Read the book Living Revision by Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew. This book is a great resource to help you get into the "revision mindset" you need to be in as a writer.

4. If you’d like an expert perspective on your manuscript, consider scheduling a free courtesy consultation with me. I'll talk through your project, identify whether your manuscript is ready for a copyedit, and create a plan to move your book forward.

5. Budget and save for copyediting. To get an idea of how much you may have to spend to have your manuscript professionally copyedited, calculate that here.

   
   

👉 Book your consultation here

Note: I only work with nonfiction manuscripts, but I have a list of professional and trustworthy fiction editors I can refer you to so your work stays in good hands.

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Linda Ruggeri is a nonfiction bilingual editor and writer based out of Napa Valley, California, who specializes in memoir, biographies, cookbooks, how-to books, and Spanish translation reviews. She’s the author of the IBPA Gold Medal award book Networking for Writers.