Line Editing vs. Copy Editing: What’s the Difference?
You probably know this by now: Writing a book isn’t easy.
But there’s another challenge many authors face along the path to becoming published:
Understanding the terminology used to describe the different levels of editing that books often need.
More specifically—and why you landed on this page today—is the issue of understanding the difference between line editing vs. copy editing.
Line editing and copy editing are terms that are often used interchangeably.
They might be done by the same editor, though not necessarily at the same time.
But they’re not the same thing. Each is a different type of editing. Each one has a different focus. One costs more than the other.
Line editor vs. copy editor
In simple terms, a line editor makes a manuscript more readable and more engaging, whereas a copy editor makes the manuscript more accurate, consistent, and style-guide aligned. Line editing is more nuanced and less subjective than copy editing.
Let’s look at each one in a little more detail.
What is line editing? What’s included in a line edit?
Line editing is a thorough examination of a manuscript, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, geared toward making the book more engaging, easier to read and follow, and overall better written.
A line editor may do the following as part of their editing services:
examine the writer’s vocabulary choices and style of expression and offer better alternatives where needed
provide improvements for indirect, unclear, bland, or awkwardly phrased sentences
flag wordy, repetitive, and redundant words, phrases, and points, as well as internal inconsistencies
note where the author spends too much or too little time on a subject or veers off-topic
fix run-on sentences and mark where long paragraphs can be split
point out shifts in tone, voice, or point of view (i.e., a sudden shift from first person to third person)
improve the transitions between paragraphs and chapters
Line editors usually offer explanations as to why the changes they’re offering are needed or beneficial.
A line editor helps the author write more clear, more impactful prose and keep the reader’s attention.
Line editing done well helps the author communicate better and makes writing more memorable.
Line editors typically mark up a Word document or Google Docs file using suggested edits and comments.
They also typically complete an editorial letter for the author that sums up their suggestions for revisions.
Is copy editing the same as line editing?
No, it’s not. Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, line editing and copy editing are two different tasks.
Sometimes a copy edit is done as part of the line edit—and often by the same editor.
Two things could happen:
A round of line editing is done, then the author makes revisions, and then a round of copy editing is done. Budget permitting, this can be an effective way of proceeding.
Line editors also copy edit simultaneously, and vice versa.
When hiring an editor, always have a firm understanding of what type of editing will be done and what is included. Do not make any assumptions.
What is copy editing?
A copy editor applies rules-based standards to a manuscript, ensuring that the document (or manuscript) adheres to the industry standards spelled out in a style guide. For most books published in the US, that’s the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style (you can buy the 18th edition published in September 2024, here).
In academic or specialized contexts, other style guides—such as the ones known informally as APA 7, AMA, MLA, AP, or GPO—may be used.
A copy editor makes sure words are properly spelled and hyphenated, capitalized, and punctuated, referring to a dictionary as needed. That would be Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary for most books published in the US.
While a line editor helps the author craft a better, more engaging manuscript, a copy editor’s job is to polish the manuscript to eliminate errors and make sure it meets publishing industry standards. That usually means formatting the captions, footnotes, and bibliographies of books that have those sections.
Copy editors typically mark up a Word document or Google Docs file using suggested edits and comments.
Copy editors complete a short cover letter. They’ll also create a “style sheet,” a document listing the standards they’ve applied and summing up the types of changes that they have made.
Some authors hire copy editors to sharpen their manuscripts before submitting to publishers (even though publishers will typically have the book copyedited again in-house or by a freelancer, perhaps after additional revisions have first been made). In the case of self-publishing, many self-published authors hire copy editors before advancing to the design stage.
It is proofreading, not copy editing, that is the final form of editing.
Proofreading, meaning checking for typos and any errors that somehow slipped through or were created by the book designer, typically takes place once the book is in a publication-ready EPUB or PDF format.
Line editing vs. copy editing: examples
You can see examples in this article and in this article.
Line editing and copy editing vs. proofreading
Proofreading is different in that it is far less subjective and far more narrowly focused.
Proofreading looks for obvious errors, typos, or inconsistencies in grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and formatting (i.e., bolding and italics, page numbers, table of contents) that somehow slipped past people or were subsequently and inadvertently introduced.
Unlike line editing and copy editing, proofreading is typically done using completed, publication-ready book files—typically PDF “page proofs” or EPUB files—which may or may not be printed out or viewed on computers, tablets, or ereader devices.
Line editing and copy editing vs. developmental editing
Developmental editing, if needed, takes place before line editing and copy editing. A developmental edit is focused on the big picture—on the plot and structure of the book. Line editing takes a more zoomed-in view of the book.
Cost of line editing vs. copy editing (rates)
Line editing is typically a little more expensive than copy editing—10 to 15 percent more.
Most editors charge by the word. Some charge by the hour.
According to the Editorial Freelancers Association’s 2024 Editorial Rates, the average cost of copy editing for fiction books is $0.021 to $0.030/word, and the average cost of copy editing for nonfiction books is $0.030 to $0.040/word.
According to the Editorial Freelancers Association’s 2024 editing rate chart, the average cost of line editing for fiction books is $0.026 to $0.035/word, and the average cost of line editing for nonfiction books is $0.034 to $0.045/word.
(Those rates seem a tad high to me.)
According to Reedsy’s data on the cost of book editing, in 2025, the average cost of copy editing for fiction books ranges from $0.020 to $0.028/word for fiction books and is $0.030/word for nonfiction books.
Reedsy does not provide rates for line editing, but if we were to add 10 to 20 percent, we’d end up with an estimated $0.022 to $0.0336/word for fiction line editing and $0.033 to $0.036/word for nonfiction line editing.
Don’t forget to adjust for inflation as time goes on.
Need book editing or a book proposal edit?
Nonfiction editing services for nonfiction authors—
Self-Help & Personal Development; Dating & Relationships; US History, Biography, Politics, and Culture; Humor/Comedy; Health and Wellness; Mind, Body, Spirit; Popular Science; and other genres.
Line editing vs. copy editing: how long does it take?
For a full manuscript, four to six weeks, either way, is pretty typical, but it all depends on the length of your book and the availability of the editor. It’s not uncommon for editors to book out weeks or even months in advance.
The difference between line editing and copy editing, in sum
So in sum, both types of editing are helpful in producing a better book, but they focus on different tasks.
Line editing makes writing more readable and engaging. Copy editing eliminates technical errors and aligns the manuscript with publishing industry standards.
Neither is interested in the overall structure of the book. Neither one is the last level of editing a book should ever have (we call that proofreading).
Line editing costs a little more than copy editing.
Both are vitally important.
So, do I need a line editor or copy editor?
You need line editing if . . .
you’ve finished the manuscript, and you want to make sure your sentences are clearly written and flow nicely;
you want to make sure the sentences are strung together in a way that makes your book readable and engaging and keeps the reader’s attention; and
you want to ensure that it has a consistent tone that conveys what you’re trying to convey
You need copy editing if . . .
you need your grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, dates, numbers, etc., checked and aligned to industry standards, and you want words properly hyphenated
if you want inconsistencies and repetitions pointed out and fixed
Recall that some editors do both types of editing (make sure you’re absolutely clear on what they will or won’t do before you start working with them), but budget permitting, it’s often best to do a round of line editing (and revisions) followed by a round of copy editing.
What to do next
Get a nonfiction line editing or copyediting quote or get a quote for my other editing services for US-based nonfiction authors.