How Does a Copy Editor Spend a Workday?

Getting Clients

Many copy editors work as freelancers, which means they work independently. In general, successful copy editors will have a few regular clients that they consistently work for, but much of a copy editor's day must be spent looking for work and sending out a resume. Many companies, before they hire a copy editor, will want samples of their work, so many editors will keep "before and after" versions of documents as a way to showcase their talents. Some will create their own websites to make it easier for potential clients to find them. Otherwise, networking is an essential part of being a copy editor.

Checking and Rechecking Documents

The bulk of a copy editor's day is spent actually copy editing (i.e. proofreading documents). Duties include checking for spelling and capitalization mistakes, changing syntax and word choice, and editing of sentences for clarity and flow. It is important to be diligent about making sure mistakes do not slip by, as the only thing worse than discovering that an important document has errors in it is discovering that those errors remain after you have hired someone to check it. A copy editor's reputation---and thus, his or her livelihood---depends on finding every mistake.

Background Research

Copy editors may be asked to edit documents based on specific writing styles. For example, different organizations may want an editor to edit a document in the MLA style, or via the Chicago or AP style. Each style has slightly different rules regarding things such as abbreviations and numbers (though the basic principles are the same) and a copy editor should make an effort to be familiar with as many different styles as possible. In addition, if a copy editor is working in a specialized field (such as medical writing), it is very helpful to make sure that he or she is familiar enough with the subject matter to understand it. This requires additional reading and research.