Reader

In so many ways, the reader is at the core of copyediting. You need to make sure the work is pitched at the right level for the intended reader; you need to ensure they don’t feel unincluded or alienated by the work; you need to take care of elements like structure, consistency and fact-checking so that they are seamlessly drawn through a text without snags; and you need to ensure that the work delivers its promise to them – that what they’re expecting from it materialises.

A useful way to interact with the author is to phrase your queries with the reader at the centre, too: ‘will the reader understand this?’, ‘will all your readers feel included at this point?’, ‘the reader may be expecting a source here; can you provide one?’ Attracting more readers, or a creating a greater understanding in readers, is something you and an author can agree on. It helps you both focus.