Students on our proofreading course don’t just learn how to be professional proofreaders. We also teach the related skill of copy editing.

A copy editor is responsible for whipping raw text into shape, which can mean addressing readability issues.

As our proofreading course students learn, this means the copy editor has the ability to alter the tone, structure and length of a piece of copy.

The question is how far you should ‘tinker’ with an author’s work. The first thing to remember is that your job is to keep your client happy. This usually means an editor or publisher (although you might work directly with writers).

If they want certain changes, you should make them (unless there is good reason not to do so).

Of course, copy editing fiction is a little different as it is more important the author’s voice is maintained as much as possible.

When you first start working with copy, you might be worried about making significant changes. However, with good training and some practice, you’ll be confident you can keep both the client and the writer happy!

We make sure graduates of our accredited online proofreading course are also able to provide copy editing services to a high standard.

See our proofreading courses