Why Copy Editing and Proofreading Matter

One of the greatest joys of reading is becoming so immersed in a story that the outside world fades away. Readers might not consciously notice every detail, but they will sense when something feels off—when inconsistencies or errors disrupt the flow. Grammatical errors, typos, and incorrect punctuation can disrupt the flow and pull them out of the experience. Have you ever been engrossed in a book only to be jolted out by a missing apostrophe or incorrect word usage (e.g., “your” instead of “you’re”)? It breaks the rhythm, forcing you to reread a sentence to understand it.

Writers often struggle to spot mistakes in their own work because the story is already clear in their minds. Your brain fills in gaps, making it easy to overlook mistakes. Revisions and rewrites can also introduce new inconsistencies. Even minor details can frustrate readers if they find themselves flipping back to check for inconsistencies. These issues might include:

• Character-trait inconsistencies (e.g., eye or hair color changes)
• A character removes their coat, then removes it again later
• A female cat referred to as “he”
• A character’s name spelled differently in different parts of the book

I help eliminate these distractions so readers stay engaged.