Which Service?

It is common for those who do not work in the publishing industry to be unsure of whether they need a proofreader or an editor.  Please see below for a short summary of the services offered by each.

For the proofreader, the focus is on correcting any errors that may have been missed by the writer or editor. The work will usually have already been edited, either professionally or by a competent writer and the proofreader is the final port of call before publication. In some circumstances, the proofreading may involve a proof-editing, subject to agreement, depending on the quality of the text submitted and the anticipated level of work required to bring the piece to publishable standard.

Editors are more involved in the content of a piece of writing. They will look for the usual errors, but may also make more substantial recommendations, either to the text or the structure of the piece as a whole. I am the writer of my own projects, but I am not a qualified editor.