Do editors catch all errors?

For a profession that prides itself on catching errors, here's a hard truth: editors can’t guarantee perfection. That's right, we're fallible. The best we can do is catch about 95 per cent of errors.

That’s probably not what you want to hear as an author, but when you consider the fact that editors catch hundreds or even thousands of errors, depending on the length of the manuscript, that’s pretty good.

In the meantime, a lot of authors complain about missed errors. A rogue full stop here; a misspelled word there. Then they go on message boards and claim that editing is a scam and a waste of money.

But just because your book has a few outstanding errors doesn’t mean a copyeditor has done a bad job (even though it may seem that way).

Why errors happen

Even with rigorous and experienced editing, errors can slip through. Here's why:

1. Tight deadlines: If an editor is rushed, they won’t have time for deep editing, additional passes or standard checks.

   
   

2. Project mismanagement: A client may be disorganised/overworked or not have adequate document control measures in place, leading to the wrong version being sent to the designer.

   
   

3. Heavy intervention: If the book required a heavy edit (and the pages looked busy), it’s not unusual to find outstanding or introduced errors. In fact, some editors may suffer from ‘correction fatigue’ if the book requires a lot of intervention.

   
   

4. Author preferences: The author may have rejected some edits because of personal preference, allowing errors to slip through. It's also possible they accepted or rejected the wrong edit (particularly if they're not super familiar with Track Changes).

   
   

5. Untracked changes: Authors may accidentally turn off Track Changes and make amendments the editor doesn’t see, which can introduce new errors.

   
   

6. Post-edit changes: After the edit is complete, authors may make further changes that aren’t checked by a copyeditor. (This is more common in self-publishing than traditional publishing.)

How can errors be avoided?

Well, you can’t avoid errors, but you can minimise them. The first two issues can be addressed with more realistic timelines and better project management. If you're a self-publishing author, familiarise yourself with document control strategies, how editors work and how long it takes to complete an edit.

The third issue is tricky because heavy edits can be complex, distracting and messy, and even the most seasoned editor will miss things. Allowing for a second or third pass can help (although this can increase the cost). Alternatively, the author could self-edit rigorously before the manuscript is handed over.

The fourth issue depends on the author. Why? Because it's their prerogative to reject edits or recommendations. While the editor can make a case for why those edits are necessary, authors don’t have to comply. It’s their book, after all.

The fifth issue can be addressed by briefing the author to keep Track Changes on, comparing documents (using the Compare tool under the Review menu) or locking Track Changes (this requires a password).

The last issue can be avoided if the author tracks post-edit changes and sends the manuscript to the editor for one last review.

What about subjective errors?

Some errors are obvious, like using ‘affect’ instead of ‘effect’, using ‘less’ for a countable noun or misspelling a word. But others are more subjective and have to do with style and preference. Some publisher or client style guides follow unconventional rules, like using ‘pc’ for percentage, spelling ‘acknowledgement’ without an ‘e’ (it’s usually spelled with an ‘e’ in Australia) or using numerals at the start of a sentence.

In some fiction, an author may play with language for effect, like inverting syntax to reflect speech patterns (‘It was long, the film’), eschewing speech quotes in dialogue or omitting commas after introductory clauses. These aren’t wrong, per se. They are conscious choices that usually appear in a style sheet as deviations from conventional style.

What if the book contains serious errors?

Okay, minor errors like a missing comma, a straight quote or an orphan aren’t the end of the world. And others, which pertain to style or publishing conventions, won’t be noticed by the average reader.

But what if something serious slipped through, like a factual error, defamatory content or something truly embarrassing? In 2010, a major Australian publisher pulped 7,000 cookbooks because a recipe called for freshly ground black ‘people’ instead of ‘pepper’. The publisher put it down to a 'spellcheck' error, but we'll never know for sure.

It just goes to show: even a major publisher can drop the ball, despite having project managers, copyeditors and proofreaders (heck, even the author) checking pages.

If this happens to you, there are a few options available: you can recall the book and reprint it with the correction (at a significant cost), issue an apology and insert a correction in the remaining books, or update the file if it’s an ebook (a much easier fix).

Source: Wikipedia

Final thoughts: Do editors catch all errors?

If you’re a publisher or self-publishing author – and your page proofs have lots of errors –  take a moment to consider if any of the reasons above apply, and address them in the future.

That said, finding errors on page proofs is normal. Yes, normal. And the longer the document, the more errors you’ll find. After all, editors (and authors and designers) are human. They may be tired or under the pump or just fallible. It happens.  

I’ve been editing since 2009, and I’ve never seen page proofs that were error-free. Ever. A copyedit is never enough, so make sure proofreading is part of your editorial workflow!

Got a manuscript ready for editing? Get in touch through my contact form or request a sample edit.