This isn’t surprising, because it has two different meanings within the media and publishing industries. Our online proofreading course makes the distinction clear.
The confusion arises about an ‘editorial style’ and someone’s ‘writing style.’ They are two different things.
Let’s look at both meanings.
An editorial style is based on a publisher’s style guide, and ensures consistency and uniformity on things like titles, use of capital letters, times, and dates. We use the Guardian’s online style guide on our proofreading and editing course, and our journalism courses.
Someone’s writing style is the way they write. For instance, a journalist might write in a tabloid style, but an author’s writing style might be closer to Jane Austen.
But the style guide applies, no matter what type of writing style you have.
So the simple rule is: writers should apply the relevant editorial style to their writing style. And proofreaders and editors should do the same when they check clients’ work.
See our proofreading courses