Copyediting takes place in a word document and uses tracked changes. Proofreading happens later, once a manuscript is fully edited and typeset or otherwise set in its final format (generally as a PDF file). At this stage, the manuscript has been completely edited, including copyediting, and any tracked changes or editing notes have been addressed and cleared away.

These days, with e-books and all sorts of different places books can appear and ways they can be made, the PDF part doesn’t always happen (which is why every now and then I find myself proofreading a Word document, an e-book file, or even a physical book).

However, even in those cases, I’m expecting to eliminate duplicated words, rogue punctuation, or random formatting issues that crop up, as well as catch the rare error or editorial issue that slipped through the cracks with the regular editing.

Since everything depends on everything else is in its final place, I’m actively not looking to suggest more information or rework sentences unless absolutely necessary, since one change that affects a line can ripple through the rest of the chapter or even book.