What Is The Difference Between Copy Editing And General Editing

Gary Smailes | 2 November 2025

What Each Service Focuses On

Writers often use one word, editing, for different jobs. Copy editing checks sentences. General editing looks at the bigger picture. Think of one service as tuning the engine, and the other as redesigning the road.

Copy editing targets sentence-level quality. The work centers on correctness, clarity, consistency, concision, and coherence. Decisions follow a style guide such as The Chicago Manual of Style and a primary dictionary. The goal stays simple, preserve intent and voice while fixing errors and enforcing choices.

A few quick examples.

• Grammar and punctuation
  • Before: The team were excited, they launched early.
  • After: The team was excited, so the launch started early.
• Dialogue punctuation
  • Before: “We need to go”, she said.
  • After: “We need to go,” she said.
• Usage and word choice
  • Before: Less people showed up.
  • After: Fewer people showed up.
• Hyphenation and capitalization
  • Before: Part time employee, Internet, e-mail.
  • After: Part-time employee, internet, email.
• Numerals and units
  • Before: Twenty five 8 oz bottles.
  • After: Twenty-five 8 oz bottles.
• Homophones
  • Before: The principle spoke at the assembly.
  • After: The principal spoke at the assembly.
• Light fact checks
  • Before: The 2018 midterms happened in 2017.
  • After: The 2018 midterms happened in 2018.

Good copy editing also smooths meaning without rewriting the voice. One quick fix often helps.

• Before: Due to the fact the committee did not meet, a decision was not made.
• After: Because the committee did not meet, no decision followed.

General editing is an umbrella, usually developmental editing and line editing. Developmental work addresses structure and content. Line work refines prose for tone and rhythm.

Developmental editing focuses on the whole book, chapter order, scene placement, argument flow, character arcs, stakes, pacing, and point of view. Think surgeon, not proofreader.

• Nonfiction example
  • Diagnosis: Chapter 2 repeats Chapter 5. Evidence for the main claim arrives late. Readers lack a roadmap.
  • Recommendation: Merge overlap into Chapter 2, move the case study forward, add an opening roadmap paragraph, and close with a stronger takeaway that matches the main claim.
• Fiction example
  • Diagnosis: Stakes drop in the middle third. The reveal lands too early. A subplot steals focus from the main goal.
  • Recommendation: Shift the reveal to a later chapter, seed a clue in Chapter 3, cut one subplot scene, and raise pressure on the protagonist during the midpoint.

Line editing focuses on style at the sentence and paragraph level. The aim, stronger voice, cleaner rhythm, sharper choices. The editor offers rewrites and examples, often with margin notes on intent.

• Tone and rhythm
  • Before: She was very angry and really wanted to tell him off, so she basically started shouting at him in the middle of the store.
  • After: She bristled, then raised her voice in the middle of the store.
• Wordiness and repetition
  • Before: In order to make a decision, the board needs to meet, meet with stakeholders, and make a decision.
  • After: The board needs to meet with stakeholders and decide.
• Bland verbs
  • Before: He made an attempt to make contact with the witness.
  • After: He tried to contact the witness.

Where the line sits

• Copy editing preserves intent and voice, fixes mechanics, enforces style choices, and performs light checks for facts and timelines.
• Developmental editing reshapes content, rearranges chapters or scenes, strengthens arguments, and recommends cuts or additions.
• Line editing rewrites for tone, rhythm, and clarity, trims flab, and suggests stronger phrasing.

A quick litmus test helps sort tasks.

• A comma out of place or a rogue hyphen. Copy edit.
• A sagging middle, a thin argument, or a character with no goal. Developmental edit.
• Sentences that sound clunky even though grammar looks fine. Line edit.

Mini exercise

Take a paragraph from your manuscript. Mark problems using this key.

• C for copy edit, mechanics or consistency.
• D for developmental edit, structure or content.
• L for line edit, tone or rhythm.

If marks mix across the page, start upstream. Big-picture fixes first, then style, then copy. Copy work comes after content settles, otherwise new revisions reintroduce old errors.

Scope, Examples, and Deliverables

Editing covers different layers of work. Scope matters, because outcomes and files differ. Here is where each service sits and what you receive at the end.

Copy editing: scope and examples

Copy editing handles sentence-level quality, guided by a style guide and a dictionary. The focus stays tight.

• Mechanics
  • Dialogue punctuation, serial comma, em and en dashes, subject and verb agreement, pronoun clarity, and homophones.
  • Before: “We should go now”. She said.
  • After: “We should go now,” she said.
  • Before: The committee have decided to delay.
  • After: The committee has decided to delay.
  • Before: The principle addressed the class.
  • After: The principal addressed the class.
• Usage and word choice
  • Before: There was a total of three errors.
  • After: There were three errors.
  • Before: Less students attended.
  • After: Fewer students attended.
• Hyphenation, capitalization, numerals
  • Before: A part time role for Twenty five hours.
  • After: A part-time role for 25 hours.
  • Before: Re-enter, E-mail, Internet
  • After: Reenter, email, internet
• Light fact checks and logic
  • Before: The 2018 midterms took place in 2017.
  • After: The 2018 midterms took place in 2018.
  • Before: Chapter 4 says Tuesday follows Thursday.
  • After: Chapter 4 reflects the true sequence.
• Consistency
  • Names, terms, timeline, headings, citation format, cross-references.
  • Before: Dr. Smith in Chapter 1, Doctor Smith in Chapter 3.
  • After: Dr. Smith throughout.
  • Before: Figure 2.1 mentions Table 4, which does not exist.
  • After: Reference corrected or flagged.

Copy editors preserve voice. Edits aim for clean, not rewritten.

• Before: Due to the fact the board did not meet, no decision was made, which was frustrating to all involved.
• After: Because the board did not meet, no decision followed. Frustration spread.

Deliverables from a copy edit

Expect three files or threads.

• Tracked-changes manuscript. Every insertion, deletion, and comment appears in the margin.
• A query thread. Questions on unclear lines, sources, references, and timeline items. Answers move the text forward.
• A style sheet. A living record of decisions. Editors and proofreaders rely on it, and so will you.

A simple style sheet often includes:

• Style guide: Chicago 17. Dictionary: Merriam-Webster.
• Spelling: US. Numbers: words one through nine, numerals from 10.
• Hyphenation: part-time, decision making as noun, decision-making as modifier.
• Terms: e-commerce, startup, web, email.
• Names and forms: Dr. Avery Smith on first mention, Dr. Smith after.

General editing: scope and examples

General editing covers big-picture work. Two common services sit here, developmental editing and line editing.

• Developmental editing
  • Focus on structure, argument or plot, point of view, theme, pacing, and chapter order.
  • Nonfiction example
    • Issue: Chapter 2 repeats Chapter 5. The main claim lands late. Case studies drown the thesis.
    • Fix: Merge repeats into Chapter 2. Move the core claim to the front. Trim three case studies and add a roadmap paragraph at the top of each chapter.
  • Fiction example
    • Issue: The middle sags. Stakes dip. The reveal arrives before the midpoint. A side character steals focus.
    • Fix: Push the reveal to Chapter 18. Seed clues earlier. Cut two scenes for the side character. Tighten the protagonist’s goal line so pressure builds.
• Line editing
  • Focus on tone, rhythm, word choice, and readability, sentence by sentence.
  • Before: She was extremely upset and wanted to make sure everyone in the store knew it, so she started yelling.
  • After: She stiffened, then raised her voice in the store.
  • Before: In order to successfully implement the plan, the team needs to meet and meet again to align on next steps.
  • After: To implement the plan, the team needs one meeting to align on next steps.
  • Before: The report was kind of long and sort of unclear in places.
  • After: The report runs long and turns muddy in places.

Deliverables from general editing

Look for material that maps your next draft.

• Editorial letter. A narrative memo with findings and priorities. Often 5 to 20 pages. Sections cover audience, goals, what works, what blocks readers, and next steps.
• Margin notes. In-line comments tied to examples. Notes point to specific scenes or paragraphs with suggestions and questions.
• Revision roadmap. A clear order of operations. For example, reorder chapters, rewrite Chapter 3 for point of view, cut 4,000 words from Part II, add a throughline for stakes, then line edit new pages.
• Optional for fiction. A scene list or beat outline that tracks POV, tension, and reveals.

A short sample from an editorial letter might read:

• Strength: Voice feels confident and warm in Chapters 6 through 9. Keep that register across Part I.
• Priority: The central question shows up on page 60. Move it to page 10, then thread it through each chapter.
• Plan: Combine Chapters 2 and 3. Shift the case study from Chapter 7 into the opening. Add signposts at the top of each chapter.

Boundaries and scope creep

Protect the work by naming what the service includes.

• Copy editors fix mechanics and consistency. Do not expect plot surgery or argument rewrites.
• Developmental editors address structure, pacing, and big moves. Do not expect perfect commas.
• Line editors revise for tone and rhythm. Do not expect a full style sheet or exhaustive citation checks.

Spell out scope in your agreement.

• Service: one pass on the full manuscript, up to 90,000 words.
• Deliverables: tracked-changes file, query list, and style sheet. Or, editorial letter and margin notes for general editing.
• Response: one round of follow-up questions by email within two weeks of delivery.
• Optional add-ons: a second pass on revised pages, up to 10,000 words. A one-hour call to plan revisions.

One last tip. If you plan major changes, start with developmental editing. If structure feels stable and voice needs polish, book line editing. If content sits in final order, book copy editing. Right task, right tools, cleaner pages, fewer surprises.

Where Each Fits in the Book Editing Workflow

Books move through stages. Each stage solves a different problem. Skip one, or run them out of order, and you pay for the same work twice.

The usual sequence

• Manuscript assessment, optional. A quick read to flag strengths, risks, and priorities. You receive a brief memo, not line notes.
• Developmental editing. Structure, argument, plot, pacing, character arcs, and reader promise. Big moves first.
• Line editing. Voice, rhythm, clarity, word choice, and flow at the paragraph and sentence level.
• Copy editing. Mechanics, consistency, correctness, and a formal style sheet. No plot surgery.
• Typesetting and layout. Text leaves Word or Google Docs and enters a layout program for print and EPUB.
• Proofreading. A final pass on laid-out pages, PDF and EPUB, to catch typos and layout faults.
• Final files. Print-ready PDF, EPUB, source files, and a tidy package for distribution.

Why copy editing waits

Copy editing locks in the small stuff. That only makes sense once the big stuff is settled. Move Chapter 3 to Chapter 1 after a copy edit, and every cross-reference shifts. Add a new scene, and fresh errors enter the draft. A copy edit on unstable content feels neat for a day, then turns into a sunk cost.

A quick cautionary tale. An author once paid for a full copy edit, then cut 12,000 words and added a new chapter. The timeline changed. Names changed. Half the copy edits now pointed at lines that no longer existed. She bought the same service twice. You do not need that bill.

What to hand over at each stage

Give each editor the version they need, plus context to aim their notes.

• For a manuscript assessment
  • A full draft, even if rough.
  • Your goal for the book, primary audience, and comps.
  • Your top three questions.
• For developmental editing
  • The most complete draft you have.
  • Any research notes or series outline.
  • A heads-up on nonnegotiables, for example, voice constraints or legal limits.
• For line editing
  • A stable chapter order.
  • The register you want, for example, plain, formal, playful.
  • A short sample of pages that feel “right,” so the editor can match them elsewhere.
• For copy editing
  • Locked content. No planned rewrites.
  • Style guide choice and dictionary, for example, Chicago 17 and Merriam-Webster.
  • All figures, tables, captions, citations, and permissions in place or clearly marked.
• For typesetting
  • The clean, copyedited file.
  • The copyeditor’s style sheet. This document travels with the book.
  • Design specs, trim size, fonts, and any special elements, such as sidebars.
• For proofreading
  • The laid-out pages, PDF and EPUB.
  • The same style sheet, plus any late decisions from the author or publisher.

Proofreading is not copy editing

Proofreading checks what layout introduced. It lives on the page, not in the source file.

A proofreader will flag:

• Typos, dropped words, extra spaces, bad line breaks.
• Stacked hyphens that turn into an em dash during export.
• Wrong running heads, page numbers, or table of contents entries.
• Bad breaks in hyphenated words, rivers in tight columns, widows and orphans.
• Figure numbers that do not match captions, or references to pages that shifted in layout.

A proofreader will not:

• Recast sentences for tone.
• Resolve argument issues.
• Rebuild citations from scratch.
• Rewrite captions or headings beyond light fixes.

If a heavy fix appears in proof, the proofreader will query it. Large changes at this stage ripple through pagination, so you risk a cascade of new errors. Keep late edits surgical.

Self-publishing and traditional paths

The sequence holds for both routes. The people change, the work does not.

• Self-publishing
  • You hire each role. You coordinate handoffs and dates. You store the files. You will be glad you kept the style sheet close.
• Traditional publishing
  • The house assigns editors and a designer. You still supply a stable draft for copy edit, review proof pages on schedule, and answer queries fast. Ask for the style sheet and keep a copy.

Make the style sheet travel

The style sheet is the project’s memory. It records spelling choices, hyphenation, numerals, treatment of terms, and character or place names. Bring it into layout. Share it with the proofreader. If a sequel or new edition appears, start there.

A few lines might look like this:

• Spelling: US. Email, website, startup.
• Numbers: one through nine in words, 10 and up in numerals, except at sentence start.
• Hyphenation: part-time job, decision making as noun, decision-making when modifying.
• Names: Dr. Laila Karim on first mention, Dr. Karim thereafter.

Timing and handoffs without drama

A smooth workflow depends on clean handoffs and firm freezes.

• Freeze text before copy edit. No new chapters. No shuffling.
• If new text enters after copy edit, mark it for a mini copy edit before layout.
• Leave time between stages for your review. Rushing invites misses.
• Track versions. Label files with date and stage, for example, 2025-03-12_line-edit_v3.docx.
• Answer queries quickly. Open questions stall design and proof.

A simple rule serves you well. Big decisions first, small decisions last. Developmental, then line, then copy, then proof. Follow that order and your budget, schedule, and sanity hold.

Choosing the Right Service for Your Manuscript

You do not need every kind of edit. You need the right one at the right time. Here is how to figure that out without wasting money or momentum.

Start with a quick diagnosis

Read your latest feedback. Listen for the type of problem, not the volume of comments.

Choose developmental editing if you hear:

• I am lost in the middle.
• The argument drifts.
• The ending feels unearned.
• The timeline or POV is confusing.
• This chapter belongs earlier.

Choose line editing if you hear:

• The tone feels uneven.
• The prose is wordy or flat.
• Transitions jar.
• Dialogue sounds stiff.
• Great ideas, rough sentences.

Choose copy editing if you hear:

• Typos, punctuation, and usage errors remain.
• Inconsistent capitalization or hyphenation.
• Double spaces, inconsistent numerals, messy references.
• Style choices vary from chapter to chapter.

Still unsure? Try this thirty-minute test:

• Print your table of contents. Next to each chapter, write the point in one line. If you stall, structure needs work. Think developmental.
• Read page 1, page 50, and a random page aloud. If you wince at phrasing but the order holds, think line.
• Skim three pages and circle only mechanical errors. If circles crowd the margins while content reads fine, think copy.

When you are ready for copy editing

Copy editing finishes stable material. Lock the big pieces first, then invite a copyeditor.

Readiness looks like this:

• No planned major rewrites. Chapter order is final.
• Citations, figures, tables, and captions exist in the file or have clear placeholders.
• You have chosen US or UK spelling.
• You have named a style guide and dictionary, for example, Chicago 17 and Merriam-Webster.
• Permissions are handled or flagged.
• Series terms and names are final.
• All back matter pieces are present, for example, acknowledgments, notes, index brief if needed.

If any of these remain in flux, hold. Copy editing on shifting text means duplicate effort.

When to hold off on copy editing

Press pause if:

• You still plan to add or remove chapters.
• A beta reader flagged a plot hole or logic gap.
• A sensitivity read is scheduled.
• Your citations live in a separate file and need reconciling.
• You want to try a different tense or POV.
• You are waiting on legal review.

Fix those first. Then copy edit once.

What people mean by “general editing”

Writers use this phrase for two different services. Ask for exact labels and scope.

• Developmental editing addresses structure, plot or argument, chapter order, pacing, POV, and theme.
• Line editing refines voice, rhythm, and clarity at the paragraph and sentence level.

Do not assume a single provider does both in one pass. Some do. Many split them for focus. Get clarity in writing.

Good questions to ask:

• Do you provide developmental, line, or both, and in what order.
• What deliverables do you provide. Editorial letter, margin notes, or both.
• How many rounds. One pass, or a revision review as well.
• What work you will not do. For example, no citation rebuilding or heavy fact checking.

Request a short sample edit

A sample shows fit fast. Five to ten pages is enough.

What to send:

• A representative chapter or two scenes, not the polished prologue.
• A one-line pitch, target audience, and two comps.
• What you want from the edit. For example, tighten voice without losing humor. Or, flag pacing issues in the middle third.

What to look for in the sample:

• Notes match your goals and respect your voice.
• Queries are specific and clear.
• Edits show reasoning, not guesswork.
• No flattening of style to generic prose.
• A few hard notes where needed. Cheerleading without solutions helps no one.

Red flags:

• Corrections scattered across rules with no pattern or style logic.
• Heavy rewrites in a copy edit sample.
• Silence on structure in a developmental sample.
• Promises of overnight turnaround for a full book.

Match editor to genre and goals

Experience matters, but so does taste. Ask for:

• Recent titles in your genre. Fiction, memoir, business, academic, children’s.
• A brief description of how they would approach your book.
• References or testimonials if available.
• Comfort with your sensitivities, for example, trauma-informed language or technical topics.

Read a few pages they edited, if public. Voice match beats prestige.

Budget and timeline basics

Plan room for thoughtful work.

• Developmental editing often takes weeks for a full manuscript. Expect an editorial letter and margin notes. Your revision will take more weeks. Build that in.
• Line editing tends to follow once structure settles. Turnaround depends on length and density.
• Copy editing happens near the end. A single clean pass, then author review, then a short round of responses to queries.
• If you add new text after copy editing, flag it for a mini copy edit before layout.
• Always plan a separate proofread on laid-out pages.

Rushing invites rework. Give yourself space between passes to think and revise.

Quick decision paths

Use these snapshots to steer.

• Novel with strong voice, saggy middle, and a timeline snarl. Developmental first.
• Business book with a firm outline and bloated chapters, tone swings between casual and boardroom. Line edit.
• Memoir with stable chapters, consistent voice, and lingering comma drama. Copy edit.
• Academic book with sources in order, but style choices inconsistent and notes messy. Copy edit with a clear style sheet and citation brief.
• Essay collection where three pieces feel off-theme. Developmental to refine selection or order, then line.

One last filter

Ask yourself, if a stranger reads my first twenty pages, will they want more for the ideas, the sentences, or both. Your answer points to the service. Choose the pass that fixes the biggest barrier to love. Then move to the next.

Collaboration, Timeline, and Quality Controls

Editing works when you and your editor are rowing in the same direction. No mind reading. No surprises. Set the brief, pick the tools, and agree on quality gates before anyone touches a comma.

Set expectations early

Give your editor a one-page brief. Short, specific, and useful.

Include:

• Audience. Who you want reading this, and why they care.
• Comps. Two or three titles that set the bar for scope, tone, and length.
• Goals. What success looks like. For example, teach X, persuade Y, or deliver pacey, voicey thrills.
• Red lines. Words, topics, or portrayals to avoid. Sensitivities to handle with care.
• Spelling choice. US or UK.
• Style guide and dictionary. For example, Chicago 17 and Merriam-Webster.
• Formatting rules that matter. Oxford comma preference. How you want headings and captions to look.
• Pronouns, slang, and jargon limits. What fits the brand or narrator.

Agree on logistics:

• Schedule. Start date, delivery dates, and buffer days.
• Number of passes. What each pass covers.
• Query response time. For example, 48 hours on weekdays.
• File format. Word with Track Changes or Google Docs with Suggesting. Pick one. Switching midstream causes version chaos.
• Deliverables. Editorial letter, margin notes, style sheet, and a short follow-up call.

Mini exercise: write a three-sentence reader profile. Pin it above your desk. Share it with your editor. Every edit should serve that reader.

Use tools wisely

Tools help, but they do not make decisions. You do, with your editor.

• PerfectIt, macros, and wildcard searches help find pattern errors. Think spaced ellipses, double spaces, straight quotes, or inconsistent capitalization of a product name.
• Grammar checkers give hints, not verdicts. If a suggestion flattens voice or breaks meaning, decline it.
• Keep a living style sheet from day one. Your editor will own it during copy editing. You can start it earlier.

A style sheet should track:

• Hyphenation. Email or e-mail. Front line or frontline.
• Capitalization. Internet or internet. Department names.
• Numerals. One through nine as words, 10 and above as numerals, or your chosen rule.
• Spelling variants. Toward or towards. While or whilst.
• Character and place names. With canonical spellings and nicknames.
• Series terms and internal jargon. Define once, then be consistent.

Version control saves headaches:

• Date-stamp filenames. 2025-02-10_ProjectName_MS_v3.docx.
• One editor in the file at a time unless you plan a live session.
• Resolve comments before sending a new version. Do not nest passes inside passes.

Protect quality with phased reviews

Rushed eyes miss things. Plan discrete passes, each with a goal.

For authors reviewing edits:

1. Meaning and queries. Read the editorial letter and skim margin notes. Answer questions first. If a comment triggers a major rethink, flag it before diving into commas.
2. Mechanical decisions. Review recurring choices on the style sheet. Approve or adjust early.
3. Accept or reject changes. Work through the file once the big questions are settled. Read aloud for tone checks. Slow and steady wins here.
4. Final scan. Search for TK, bracketed notes, and highlights. Clear them.

For teams, assign roles:

• One person makes content calls.
• One person handles references and permissions.
• One person owns the style sheet. They update it as decisions land, not after.

If you add new text after copy editing, highlight it and tag your editor. Ask for a mini copy edit on only those changes. Do not slip new material into layout without a check.

Always book a separate proofread on laid-out pages. Proof is not another copy edit. The proofreader hunts typos, bad line breaks, wrong running heads, missing captions, mislabeled figures, stacky hyphens, and spacing issues. Fresh eyes only.

A sample timeline

Use this as a template. Adjust to your word count and team speed.

• Week 0. Kickoff call. Share brief, schedule, and style choices. Confirm tools.
• Weeks 1 to 3. Developmental pass. Editor delivers an editorial letter and margin notes. You plan revisions.
• Weeks 4 to 6. Author revises. Optional check-in at the midpoint.
• Weeks 7 to 8. Line edit. Editor refines tone, rhythm, and word choice. You review and accept.
• Weeks 9 to 10. Copy edit. Editor runs style sheet, consistency checks, and light fact checks. You answer queries and sign off.
• Week 11. Typesetting or layout.
• Week 12. Proofread on PDF and EPUB. You and the editor approve only proof-level fixes.

Protect buffer time. Real life will try to eat your calendar.

Quality gates worth writing down

Add these to your contract or project plan.

• Gate 1. Editorial brief approved before any edit begins.
• Gate 2. Style sheet set by chapter one. Author signs off on key decisions.
• Gate 3. Mid-pass sample of two to five pages approved before a full line edit or copy edit continues.
• Gate 4. All queries resolved before delivery to layout.
• Gate 5. Proof changes limited to true errors. No new writing at proof.

How to give and receive notes

Notes work best when they are clear, kind, and pointed at the text.

Try language like:

• I intended X here, but the effect you describe is Y. How would you adjust to keep X.
• Flag anything that reads glib about grief. Replace with neutral phrasing.
• Keep the joke. Trim the setup to half.

Avoid:

• Global complaints with no example.
• Vibes without specifics.
• Silence. If you disagree, say why and propose a fix.

Editors owe you the same. You should see examples, reasons, and options, not edits by fiat.

A checklist before you hit send

• The brief is in the folder.
• The file name is clean and dated.
• The style guide and dictionary are named.
• House terms are on the style sheet.
• All figures, tables, and references are present or clearly labeled.
• Permissions and sensitive content notes are flagged.
• You know when the next check-in happens.

Good collaboration feels calm. The work gets sharper. You ship on time. And your future self does not have to untangle mystery decisions, because you wrote them down.

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