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: An earlier version of this guide, written by Brendan Brown, was published on The Thesis Whisperer in July 2014 under the title "Should I get an editor for my thesis?". This version was substantially revised in September 2026 to reflect the current IPEd Guidelines for editing ...Read More
Editor’s note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to meet Expert Editor’s latest editorial standards. The Expert Editor has created a guide to professional editing and proofreading to help you navigate the editing world in Australia. You may have spent weeks, months, or even years on ...Read More
Editor's note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to meet Expert Editor's latest editorial standards. This guide presents the four main professional editing options for Australian authors and the key issues to consider when hiring a book editor. Australia isn't short of quality editors, but it's ...Read More
Editor's note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to meet Expert Editor's latest editorial standards. Editing is one field where a human touch is still more valuable than an electronic one. In our digital age, it seems logical that editing and proofreading services would become an ...Read More
Editor's note: This article was reviewed and edited in 2026 by the Expert Editor's editorial team to meet our latest editorial standards. "What do you do for a living?" is a question we get asked when awkwardly socialising with strangers. "I own an editing company" is my answer. "Really", ...Read More
Editor's note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to meet Expert Editor's latest editorial standards. A key consideration for many book authors when it comes to professional editing is affordability. Book authors may have big dreams, but most aren't yet as wealthy as JK Rowling. Professional book ...Read More