…And What It Actually Does For Your Ability To Charge More
If you're a copywriter and a perfectionist, editing probably feels like second nature.
Why delegate it when you're so good at it? And when it can be so fun!
I’m right there with you.
In the beginning, I couldn't understand why anyone would pay for something I enjoyed doing myself.
I had Grammarly and a detail-oriented eye. I was convinced that professional editing was an unnecessary luxury. For people who weren’t as perfectionistic a *me*.
My humble pie got Door Dashed to my step soon enough.
The first piece of copy I got professionally edited was back in 2020 – a guest blog submission to Sarah Turner’s (Write Your Way To Freedom) blog. The lovely Carley DenBoer handled my work.
I didn’t know what to expect. Maybe I’d get an A+ and no recommendations. Or maybe she would tear it up.
Turns out, the feedback didn’t change things as much as it made the work fresher. And I didn’t ever feel judged. Better copy AND an esteem boost.
Now, I’m converted. You need a second set of eyes for your work. Preferably a human, but AI works too.
Obviously, you need the proofreading stuff cleaned up.
But you also need someone who’s got a 10,000 view of the funnel & CTA.
And if you need ideas to fix flow/voice/whatever problems, what’s Grammarly gonna do? Not give you the suggestions you need.
In this blog, I’m covering stuff I wish I knew from the beginning – including when to hire a real copyeditor (and when not to).
I’m also sharing my recommended editing resources.
Plus, I made you a chatbot copyediting assistant. Her name is Calla, and her input is free, professional, and on-demand.
1. What I Didn’t Realize About Copyediting
When I first started, I assumed that all editors did the same thing—clean up grammar, fix spelling errors, and maybe make a few suggestions for improvement. Looks like that’s not the case.
For example, proofreaders focus on the general cleanup. They’re the last line of defense, catching typos, punctuation errors, and minor grammatical issues. They make sure that your work is technically error-free before it’s published.
On the other hand, copyeditors are specialized. They don’t just correct mistakes – they make sure your writing is coherent, on track, and tailored for its place in the funnel.
They’ll cover the grade level of your writing and whether the copy aligns with the brand’s voice. Most importantly, they’re keeping the copy on track with the call-to-action assigned to it.
Crazy important, considering that’s why we copywriters get hired.
I also didn’t realize that different editors specialize in different types of writing.
A copywriting editor isn’t going to take on someone’s fiction manuscript. They handle persuasive writing that sells stuff, which is going to have different editing needs.
That’s why something feels off when you use grammar/editor tools for copywriting. It’s a nuanced skill set that doesn’t always roll over to other kinds of writing. You tend to need a more relaxed writing and grammar style, which lots of tools flag as too casual.
But clearly, those tools are still helpful.
So when do you hire a copyeditor, and when do you use the tools?
2. When to Invest in Professional Copyediting
Can it be expensive? Yes. It’s a premium service. But can it be the bridge between getting better clients, boosting your skills, and getting paid more.
Here’s when I’d recommend looking into copyediting services.
You’re Trying Out New Types of Copy
Imagine you’re writing a landing page for the first time. It’s a very lucrative kind of copywriting. But it’s a high-stakes project where wasting words is wasting attention.
A professional copyeditor’s handled plenty of them. They know what works. If anyone can help set up your landing page for success, it’s them.
That gives you the kind of confidence (and success!) to try out those higher-paying projects – even as a beginner.
You’re Unsure About Your Work’s Quality
It can take a while to build your confidence when you’re flying solo as a freelancer. How do you know if your copy is hitting the mark?
A copyeditor’s expertise can really stand in the gap. They don’t just make changes. They provide rationales for why something works or doesn’t. It’s helpful for learning (when it’s constructive criticism) and helpful for an esteem boost (when it’s affirmative).
They draw from their experience with what has worked for other copywriters, so you’re not left feeling like you need to test everything yourself.
You Need Really Comprehensive Feedback
Copyeditors help keep you on track with your ultimate goal—conversions. Copy is just a piece of a funnel, not a stand-alone essay.
You don’t want your copy to be the part of the funnel where leads drop off, so having it’s super helpful to have both the up-close and 10,000 foot perspective. Especially with direct response copy, like landing pages and sales emails.
You Want To Save Time
If you’re tired of hopping between a million different tools, a copyeditor can streamline your process. You get to focus on what you do best—writing. Copyeditors save a bunch of time you’d otherwise be re-reading your work.
You Want the Max Amount of Awesomeness in Your Copy
What can I say? The professionals make it more professional. It lets you charge more. It potentially helps it perform better. Wins all around.
Now…full disclosure.
I’ve absolutely paid a copyeditor when, in hindsight, I should have skipped it.
Let’s talk about it.
3. When to Skip Professional (Human) Copyediting
Professional editing can be incredibly valuable, but here’s when I would skip it:
You Can’t Afford It
I had a season where I made this mistake. I felt too guilty giving it a break, but I let it pinch my budget until I had no margin at all. Which left me without a professional copyeditor even longer.
You’re Submitting AI-Generated Copy
By all means, use AI to help with your writing process. But if you’re just submitting a piece you coughed up with ChatGPT, you’re essentially asking them to re-write your copy.
It’s lazy. And they can tell it’s AI. It’ll flag for so much plagiarism and struggle to fit in the overall funnel. Giving copyeditors AI copy creates WAY more cleanup work for both you and them.
You’re Submitting Lazy Copy
If you’re hoping a copyeditor will magically fix subpar, rushed writing, maybe hire a junior copywriter to clean up your work. Or get better.
Professional editors are there to refine and elevate your work, not to rescue poorly written copy. Deliver your best effort before expecting someone else to polish it.
You Struggle With Deadlines
I’ve also made this mistake in the beginning.
Copyediting requires planning. If you’re consistently running behind on deadlines, it’ll be tough to fit in time for an editor to review your work.
You need to plan ahead to write your copy in time to get it to the copyeditors (and back) before it's due. Working on self-accountability in that case will be more helpful than hiring an editor.
Whether you’re at a place to hire a human copyeditor, or you need some free/cheap resources, I’ve got some recommendations after 5 years of writing.
4. My Recommended Copyediting Resources ($0 to $$$)
As a copywriter, having the right tools at your disposal can restore a bunch of confidence. Here are some of the resources I’ve found incredibly helpful:
Google Docs' Spelling/Grammar Checker (⌘+alt+X): This tool is a great first line of defense. It pulls up each error with a suggested fix and allows you to click "Ignore" or "Accept," then moves on to the next one. You can blast through corrections in a minute. While it sometimes misses things, it’s fast and integrated right into your workflow.
Grammarly: A fast and free tool that works both as a website and a plugin. Grammarly is great for catching basic errors and making sure your writing is clean. It tends to lean a bit on the formal side, so you may want to tweak its suggestions to match the voice your copy needs.
Hemingway: This desktop app is excellent for toning down overly complex or flowery writing. And if you’re new to copywriting, I promise, it’s too fancy. It highlights sentences that are hard to read and gives you a readability score, which is particularly helpful for copywriting, where we need to convert, not impress.
Quetext: A subscription-based tool that checks for plagiarism and can detect an “AI” tone in your writing. It’s a user-friendly resource when you want your content to sound both original and authentically human.
This Copyeditor Chatbot: My ChatGPT team member reviews my work and gives me a list of editing suggestions without altering the actual copy. It’s a super fast, free second pair of eyes. It’s especially helpful when I’m struggling to connect one section to another or need a quick review.
The Editing Marketplace: These are real humans who specialize in copyediting. I’ve had great experiences with Carley’s team—they don’t just edit your work; they also provide copy coaching. It’s an investment, but you get a lot of value from the feedback and the learning experience that comes with it.
Copyediting Keeps Your Copy From Acting Like Content.
Beyond the technical improvements, one of the biggest benefits of working with a copyeditor is the confidence it gives you.
That boost – knowing your work has been sharpened by a pro – can give you the courage to charge more, try new kinds of copy, and ultimately step up your skill.
That’s why I trained Calla to help you out, for free.
She’s my copyeditor chatbot.
Calla is like having a second set of eyes on demand—she reviews your copy and gives you a list of editing suggestions without tampering with the actual piece (a common issue I’ve found with many AI tools).
If you’d like to have Calla in your corner, I’ll send her right to your inbox.