We aren’t all perfect. In fact, there’s a good chance that anything written for publication will contain at least one grammatical or factual error. A copyeditor is responsible for correcting these errors in the copy. A copyeditor takes material from copywriters, reporters, and freelance writers and polishes it into publishable form using his or her editing skills.
A good copyeditor should be well-versed in proper grammar and spelling, but the job often entails more than just that. If the copyeditor works for a newspaper, for example, he or she must be familiar with the acceptable journalistic style that the publication favors. When it comes to the use of jargon or the general reading level of their subscribers, magazines and trade journals may have their own standards. To maintain a consistent voice, the copyeditor is responsible for making changes to the copy.
A good copyeditor will also be able to create succinct titles and suggest additional material for clarity. A newspaper copyeditor is frequently also in charge of pagination, which is the process of placing the finished article on the correct page. If an article does not fit within the allotted space, it may need to be trimmed down or rewritten. When rewrites or major corrections are required, the copyeditor must also be diplomatic with the copywriters.
There is no one-size-fits-all educational path to becoming a copyeditor. Many successful copyeditors have journalism or English degrees, though a strong natural command of language and grammar is also beneficial. After years of demonstrating writing skills, some copywriters for media outlets may be promoted to copyeditor. Others may be hired as copyeditors directly publishing houses.
Apart from the original writer, it’s not uncommon for a copyeditor to be the only other employee who reads the entire text of a submission. Any critical grammatical or spelling errors, as well as any unverified facts or potentially libelous statements, should be caught the copyeditor. This is why many copyeditors spend hours reading and rereading manuscripts before approving their publication readiness. A copyeditor must be able to work under pressure while also catching even the tiniest typo before 10,000 copies are sent out to bookstores and newsstands all over the world.