Crea Editores offers four levels of work on a manuscript: assessment, developmental editing, copyediting and proofreading. They are not the same and they are not bought the same way. This page explains what each level does, the order they belong in, and how to tell which one your text needs. We work in English and Spanish, with tracked changes and a style sheet for the book.
Four levels of intervention
“Editing” is not one thing. Confusing the levels is the usual reason an author pays for a service that was not the one they needed.
Manuscript assessment
A full read and a written report: what works, what does not, what is missing and what should go. The text is not touched. The right starting point when you do not know what state your draft is really in.
Developmental editing
Work on structure, chapter order, argument, pacing and coherence. The deepest level and the one that changes a book most.
Copyediting
Sentence by sentence: clarity, word choice, repetition, register and consistency of terminology, names and conventions.
Proofreading
The final pass on the typeset file: spelling, typography, hyphenation, widows and orphans, running heads and page breaks.
Proofreading comes after formatting, not before. Editing a text once it is typeset pushes pages around and forces a full re-check of the interior.
What copyediting covers
- Clarity: sentences that land on the first read.
- Precision: the exact word instead of the approximate one.
- Repetition and verbal tics the author can no longer see.
- Register and tone consistent from start to finish.
- Consistency: proper nouns, capitalisation, numbers, units, citation style.
- Grammar, tense and punctuation.
- U.S. or international English, chosen for your market.
What copyediting does not do: rewrite your voice. If the text comes back sounding like somebody else, the job was done badly.
How we work
Sample on your text
We edit a few pages of your own manuscript so you can judge the approach before hiring.
Level and scope
We tell you which level the text needs — assessment, developmental, copyediting or proofreading — and why. Sometimes the answer is less work than you expected.
Tracked changes
Visible edits with explained comments. Nothing is changed silently: every decision is yours to approve.
Style sheet
A document recording the conventions applied — names, numbers, italics, treatment — so future editions stay consistent.
Final pass
A second read after your decisions, and proofreading once the book is typeset if the project stays with us.
English and Spanish
We work in both languages. For authors publishing in both markets we keep conventions equivalent across editions: terminology, names and treatment should not drift from one language to the other without a reason.
Cost and turnaround
Editing is quoted on text volume and level of intervention. A 40,000-word non-fiction manuscript that only needs copyediting and a 90,000-word draft that needs developmental work are not comparable in effort or in schedule. We send scope, turnaround and price in writing after reading a sample.
As a guide, editing a full manuscript is measured in weeks, not days. Be wary of anyone offering to edit an entire book in 48 hours.
What it solves and what it does not
What it solves
- A readable, consistent, professional text.
- Errors that damage an author's credibility.
- Unified conventions for future editions and translations.
What it does not
- A book with no clear subject or reader — that is developmental editing.
- Market demand: clean prose does not guarantee sales.
- An unfinished manuscript: finish it first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between copyediting and proofreading?
Copyediting works the text sentence by sentence: clarity, precision, repetition and consistency. Proofreading is the final pass on the typeset file, catching typographic errors, bad page breaks and composition details.
How do I know which level my manuscript needs?
Through a manuscript assessment or an edited sample of a few pages. Either way we tell you which level applies and why, even when it is less work than you expected.
Will you change my voice as an author?
No. The aim is for the text to sound like you, without the obstacles that stop a reader. All edits are delivered visibly and with comments so you approve each decision.
Do you edit in Spanish as well?
Yes. We work in English and Spanish and keep conventions equivalent when the same book is published in both.
How long does editing a book take?
It depends on length and level. A full manuscript is usually measured in weeks. Turnaround is agreed in writing before we start.
How much does it cost?
It is quoted on text volume and level of intervention. Request an assessment and you will receive scope, turnaround and price in writing.
Request an editorial assessment of your manuscript
Send us your manuscript or a sample and we will tell you which level of editing it needs, with turnaround and scope in writing.
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Ángel Humberto Montiel Razo
A systems engineer turned editor and author. He published “Quantum Physics for Kids” in 6 languages through Amazon KDP and now guides authors in Mexico, the United States and Latin America through professional publishing.