Proofreading and Copy Editing Fiction Writing fiction is a long process. Once a piece of work has been written, it is still nowhere near ready for publication. While many people get them mixed up, proofreading and copy editing are very distinctive parts of the process of editing a manuscript. Copy editing occurs quiet early in the course of publication. When a fiction manuscript is sent to a publisher, while it may be read by the main editor for content and story, the first place it actually goes for actual editing is to a copy editor. The copy editor will ensure that both the dialogue and the narrative flow well, that all the technical concerns such as punctuation, grammar and spelling are checked and corrected, and that there are no plot or character inconsistencies. As well, they will occasionally suggest minor changes that the author might consider in order to improve the work. At this point, the manuscript is returned to the author, who must attend to the recommended edits, though typically they are not obligated to make all the corrections, and have licence to reject suggestions. The author usually has the final say in any editing. When the author has
read more