What Is Copy Editing for Copywriters? A Comprehensive Guide From a Kick-Butt Copy Editor
“Copy editing is just fixing spelling and grammar mistakes.”
Well…yes, but also it’s SO much more than that!
In a nutshell, copy editing is the art of refining and perfecting copy. It’s the secret sauce that turns just okay copy into compelling, connective, kick-butt copy.
Copy editors swoop into your draft and assess for effectiveness and overall flow, and of course fix grammar, sentence structure, spelling, formatting, etc.
It’s a whole other beast than writing copy itself.
As a copywriter, it’s so important to have a copyeditor to catch things you can’t see when you’re in the trenches of a project. No matter how brilliant your ideas are, if your writing is riddled with errors, typos, and awkward phrasing, your message will be hindered. Yikes! No, thank you!
If you’ve been wondering if a copy editor is right for you, or if you’re looking to offer it as a service yourself – I’ve got you.
As a nurse turned copy editor, I had a bit of a learning curve. Because believe it or not, they didn’t cover any of this in nursing school. 😅
I’ve been in the editing world for a little over three years now, and while I don’t know everything, there are a few key points to understand. So here’s everything you need to know to make the most out of working with a copy editor OR create your own copy editing offers.
Let’s kick things off with the basics.
Types of Editing
I learned pretty quickly that “copy editing” means different things to different people. Mainly, there’s copy editing in the book editing world and copy editing in the copywriting world.
The short and sweet of it is this:
In the book/manuscript editing world, editing happens in distinct phases, and each phase has a different focus.
Copy editing in the copywriting/marketing world, simply refers to reviewing copy before publishing.
So, if you’re a copywriter looking for a copy editor to work with, or you’re looking for resources to help you become a better copy editor – it’s pretty crucial to understand this difference.
The 4 Types of Edits in the Book Editing World
1. Developmental Editing
When it comes to developmental edits – aka structural story editing – editors look at the piece as a whole. (3) The focus is more on the bigger idea and how all the main pieces of the story work together. (1) 1 A developmental editor considers everything from the relationships between the characters to the themes and to the structure of the scenes and chapters. (4)
This is usually the first step in manuscript editing.
2. Line Editing
A line editor is what it sounds like – an editor that goes through the piece, line-by-line. They make sure the language is sharp and clear so every word and sentence contributes to the tone or emotions of the writing. (4)
A line editor identifies run-on sentences, clichés, and makes sure the tone is consistent. (1)
3. Copy Editing
When editing a manuscript, copy editors focus on correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation, and the mechanics of each sentence.3 They also make sure the writing adheres to house style guides, like Chicago Style, MLA, APA, or any specific style specifications. (4)
Occasionally, this step is combined with proofreading, so there is some overlap between the two.
4. Proofreading
Proofreading is the last and crucial step in every editing process. This is where your comma queen skills come into play. At this stage, a proofreader checks grammar, punctuation, and spelling. In addition, they ensure the book has proper formatting so it’s error-free and presentable to the reader. (3)
From misplaced commas to misspelled words, a proofreader’s keen eye ensures your writing is clean and error-free.
In the book-writing process, the editor goes through these distinct types of editing in a specific order…
But in the marketing world, “copy editing” means something totally different.
Copy Editing in the Marketing World
Different from editing manuscripts, copy editing in the copywriting world is the process of taking copy and making it more effective for conversions. Copy editors evaluate clarity, logic, and effectiveness, offering suggestions to strengthen your message and get your audience to act on the CTA (call to action). And, of course, a copy editor also fixes grammar, sentence structure, spelling, formatting, and improves overall flow.
Because copy is often published online, there are so many other factors copy editors have to assess in every piece of work. Things like:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – using specific techniques to make a webpage more likely to appear on certain Google searches.
Headline Analysis – paying extra attention to headlines and headers so they capture the reader’s interest.
Plagiarism – checking for plagiarism is important in copy editing because fresh, informative content performs the best.
Funnel Strategy – a quality copy editor will make sure every piece of copy fits into the overarching marketing strategy.
Readability – to ensure the copy consistently speaks to the target audience.
Call to Action (CTA) – unlike books, there’s a CTA that’s the driving force behind every word that’s written in a piece of copy. So copy editors assess the effectiveness of the CTA.
Comparing this to what a manuscript copy editor does – it’s wildly different right?
It’s sort of like how in England, “biscuit” refers to little cookies. But in the South, a “biscuit” is a fluffy bread-type food that you pour gravy on. Yum. 😋
So Your Client Wants You to Edit Something, Huh?
First things first, you gotta ask them what type of feedback they’re looking for – which biscuits are gonna tickle their fancy.
Do they want developmental edits? Or do they simply want a proofread? Sometimes, they’re actually looking for a fact checker – which is totally different, much harder, and should be priced accordingly.
As in, don’t get roped into fact-checking something when you’re getting paid a proofreading rate.
A business owner might have a different idea of what editing is. A copywriter who’s asking you to edit their piece has their own set of requirements as well. So, when someone asks you to edit something for them or “take a look and provide feedback,” you gotta DTR – define the relationship.
Is this a casual, one-time proofread?
Are they looking for a loyal, long-term editing partner?
Are they just experimenting with something new in their writing process?
Are you friends with copy editing benefits?
It may feel awkward asking for clarification – especially when you’re new to the copywriting world and all you want is to make your client happy and make rent this month. But, I promise you this is worth it. I’ve spent countless unpaid hours on projects because I didn’t know what I was getting into from the start.
So, learn from my mistakes. To avoid miscommunications and wasted time, here are some questions to get you started when a client asks you to edit something for them:
What are your main concerns?
What’s the goal of this piece? (This will tell you where the copy fits into the marketing funnel.)
When and where are you planning on publishing this copy?
Is the copy ready to be edited now?
What’s your editing budget?
When you nail those down, you’ll get a sense of the type of feedback they’re looking for. And it’ll give you a clear idea of the scope so you can price the project properly. 👀
Pricing a Copy Editing Project
Oh the dreaded question, “What do you charge for copy editing this piece?”
And the even more dreaded answer is: It depends!
I used to get this question all the time! And honestly, it’s no wonder…
When you go to Google to find the best pricing strategy for editing, you’ll find a ton of prices for book editing – but not copywriting pieces.
This just adds to the confusion. SO here’s how I would go about pricing a copy editing project.
First, Get the Facts
There are three key factors to consider when setting your copy editing (for copywriting) rates:
Word Count and Complexity. Longer and more complex documents require more time and effort, so adjust your rates accordingly.
Turnaround Time. If a client needs their project expedited, charging a premium for a quick turnaround is totally justified.
Expertise and Experience. Your level of expertise, industry knowledge, and years of experience should be reflected in your rates. You are worth it!
Then, with this information in mind, move on to setting your secret hourly rate.
Know Your Secret Hourly Rate
Before you price a project, you need to determine your baseline pay. By this I mean your secret hourly rate. As a freelancer, having a secret hourly rate has helped me a ton when it comes to pricing.
When I was first starting out, I was setting a secret hourly rate without even realizing I was doing it!
I was simply comparing payment to what I used to be paid as a floor nurse. Which, rounded up before tax, was about $50/hour. Now, my secret hourly rate is higher (and secret, nosy!). And it changes based on expenses, team compensation, and things like that… but I’m getting off topic.
Here’s how you use your secretly hourly rate to price a one-off project:
STEP 1:
Once you have a baseline secret hourly rate, ask yourself these questions:
How long will it take me to complete this project? (then do math, ew.)
Do I feel good about charging that amount for this project? Does it feel fair to me? Does it sit right with my conscience?
STEP 2:
When reflecting on question 2, a few thoughts may come up, like:
Yes, this feels fair, but only if…
I feel like I would be charging too much, so maybe this project isn’t worth my time…
This actually feels like I should charge more…
See if anything else comes up for you and adjust your pricing if necessary.
STEP 3:
Look at what other people are charging for similar services to see if your baseline is close to the industry standard or not. If it's too low, consider raising to the minimum standard. If it's too high, consider why you chose that rate and reflect on whether the value will be there for you and your client.
All this info should give you a good idea of how to price a one-off editing project. I’m talking when your client asks, “Can you edit this thing another team member wrote?” or “Could you please do a once-over on this?”
If you’re looking to start a full-blown copy editing business, you can take this info and apply it to an ongoing pricing model.
Copy Editing Pricing Models
If you're going to be doing this regularly, you'll want to determine your pricing model. Here are three to explore:
Hourly Rates: Charging an hourly rate means you’re compensated for the time spent on each project. However, as you get more efficient, hourly rates will hurt you in the long run. You’ll get quicker and better at editing, but you’ll be paid less because it took you less time to do. So be wary of this model.
Per-Word Rates: This is the most popular and arguably the easiest model to follow. If you’re offering comprehensive copy edits for your client, a good starting point is 4 cents to 5 cents per word.
Project-Based Rates: For larger projects or ongoing collaborations, project-based rates might fit best for your client’s needs. This approach provides clients with clarity on the total cost of the project upfront.
Depending on your offers, you can even have different pricing tiers to cater to a wide range of clients. This allows for flexibility and provides options for clients with varying budgets.
Finding the right pricing strategy for you will most likely require some trial and error. As you gain experience and build your reputation, you can adjust your rates accordingly. Balancing fair compensation for your skills and attracting clients is key to establishing a successful copyediting business.
Define Your Editing Approach
Since “editing” can mean so many different things, it’s super helpful to define your editing approach. That way, your clients know what to expect and you have criteria for choosing who you want to work with.
For example, part of my editing approach is that I only work with trained, professional copywriters. Personally, I find editing something that isn’t written by a copywriter pretty tedious. When I’ve done editing jobs for business owners who wrote their own copy, I found myself re-writing waaaaaayyy more than editing.
Another aspect of defining your editing approach is to outline what you’re looking for when you edit. At CDA, we combine various aspects of different types of editing:
Developmental edits
Line edits
Proofreading
Headline analysis
Plagiarism check
Sales-writing and funnel suggestions
Reading level analysis
SEO-keyword analysis
I could go on, but you get the idea.
Because copywriting pieces have different goals and elements, there are more things to analyze and consider outside of what’s just written on the page.
We offer three rounds of edits to ensure we’re providing quality feedback, helping you hone your writing skills, and making sure your work is ready to publish.
Primary Edits. This is a thorough edit of your copy. We check for everything listed above to make sure your copy flows well and effectively guides your readers to act on your CTA. We aim to make this round as thorough as possible.
Q&A Round. While we explain every edit we make, you may have questions or want our professional opinion when applying our suggestions. This round is an opportunity to get a second look at your updated copy to make sure your changes fit well within the flow, structure, and goals of your page.
Proofreading. This last round is where we pick up any typos, formatting inconsistencies, and grammatical errors from your latest edits. This is where we make sure your copy is publish-ready for you and your clients.
BONUS 1:1 Coaching: We also offer mini editing coaching calls as an optional add-on. This gives us an opportunity to dive deep into your specific piece to give it a little more TLC. These are especially beneficial for new writers or when you’re writing for a picky client.
We go above and beyond in our editing approach, so your copy is effective and gets your clients to say, “This is great – let’s run with it as is!” << Real words from a real client’s real client.
Our experience and approach are reflected in our pricing. As you decide what your editing approach is and get projects under your belt, you’ll have cause to raise your rates too.
Copy Editing Is Right for You
Now you know a little bit more about what copyediting is and the value it brings.
It’s more than just fixing typos. Copyeditors get into the weeds of your writing to ensure you deliver the best piece of copy every time. Making sure your copy is readable, cohesive, and seen.
If you’re interested in offering it as a service and want to learn more, we’ve got great news! The Copy Anatomy Course is a comprehensive course all about copyediting and copywriting concepts. https://www.carleydenboeragency.com/the-copy-anatomy-course.
If you’re looking for a copy editor to take your copy to the next level, our team of professional editors is ready to sprinkle some spicy sauce on your copy. Check out our copyediting services here.