The Expert Editor has been editing academic papers, books and business documents since 2012, and we have been writing here since 2013. The blog answers practical questions writers face before and during an edit: What is the difference between copyediting and proofreading? What does a manuscript assessment look at? Which kind of edit does a draft need? We explain these things as we would to a client—plainly, specifically and with the needs of the draft in mind.
Every article is reviewed and approved by our editors before publication. You can read more about how we work in our Editorial Standards.
Editor’s note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to meet Expert Editor’s latest editorial standards. Imagine this familiar scenario: you’ve written your last line and throw your hands in the air. You’re done! A moment of euphoria and relief washes over you – for a very ...Read More
Editor’s note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to meet Expert Editor’s latest editorial standards. You might have heard the phrase: "Writing and editing is art. Proofreading is science." And isn't that the truth? It's incredibly exciting to create an original piece of writing, but when it comes ...Read More
Editor's note: This article was originally written by Laura Gibbs, the author of Becoming an Expat: Thailand. It was reviewed and edited in July 2026 by The Expert Editor's editorial team to meet our latest editorial standards. Whether it's a long school essay, final thesis, the yearly report for work ...Read More
Corrected 23 September 2026: unsupported health advice (caffeine, vitamin supplements, juice, exercise and blood pressure) was removed and tips 3 and 4 were revised to meet our latest editorial standards. Sitting down to a new academic writing project is always a challenge. A 15,000 word article is daunting to ...Read More
Editor's note: This post was originally published by Caitriona McBride in 2014, a former book editor for The Expert Editor. It was reviewed and updated in July 2026 by The Expert Editor's editorial team to meet our latest editorial standards. I recently started teaching a "Critical reading and effective ...Read More
Editor's note: First published in 2014, this article was revised in July 2026, absorbing a shorter companion piece, and checked against how our editors define these services today. Editing and proofreading get talked about as if they're the same job at two different price points. They're not. They catch ...Read More