Proofreading is the final step, prior to publication, that checks for any remaining errors that may have been missed or introduced during earlier levels of editing. While developmental editing is the “macro” or big-picture editing, and copy editing is the “micro” or nitty-gritty editing, proofreading is a bit like squinting into a magnifying glass, looking for the tiny errors that were missed earlier.

Copy editing is meant to improve the reader experience, decreasing typos or other problems that may cause clarity issues or distract the reader from the story.

Knowing what type of editing you need for your book can be confusing. But it’s vitally important to understand, particularly if you’re an indie author planning on hiring an editor(s) prior to self-publishing. Requesting the wrong type of editing at the wrong time can mean wasted time, money, and energy.