In the Realm of Perfection

Giving presentations about Localization and Globalization are all advantages ... not only because it helps put our industry in the place that I think it deserves, but also because it is very useful to get new content for this blog. Because although you do not believe it, sometimes I find it difficult to find a topic to write about :)
From my talk in the Barcelona incubator, I have material and questions to write posts for a few more weeks :), and I still receive questions by email, so great ... more ideas to create new posts!

One of the questions I received is about copywriting and how it was different from the translation phase or the revision phase.
So my post this week is about that ... about the content creation and revision phase. The main reason for this post is to inform, something like Localization for dummies; so I thought it would be a good idea this week to summarize the differences between copywriting / editing and proofreading. Here we go ...

• Copywriting phase is where the content is created. Someone will create the specific texts of your game, software or any other media. A copywriter is an expert in using language in different ways for different reasons. The texts of a video game where you have to fight are totally different from the content of a puzzle game. The text you need to create a traveling website is also different from a website providing you cooking recipes. A copywriter will ensure your message comes across the way you want. In this phase, the goal is to produce content.

• Editing put the focus on the review and flow of the language. The focus is on getting the best possible quality of the written text. Editors will ensure the expressions are clear, they will remove errors and inconsistencies, and they will give feedback about the tone & style. Suggestions are made concerning words, sentence grammar, spelling and punctuation. Content during editing is also reviewed to change active passive sentences if there are too many it might be a good option to swap to more active verbs. In this phase, the goal is to produce a good style

• Proofreading goes deeper into the review process, we use our “magnifying glass” and we review the final draft. We ensure there are no errors at all. Proofreading goes beyond the spelling checks we have in Word where the mistakes are highlighted. For example, a typical mistake reported in this proofreading phase is the correct use of there, their or they’re. In proofreading, we will ensure that our content is ready to be published, and usually, proofreading will be a cheaper service than editing. No content or style changes are done in proofreading. In this phase, the goal is to produce mistake free output material

In summary:

1. A copywriter will create the texts you need for your target audience
2. An editor will rewrite sentences (if needed) so the text is more understandable. They will use their know-how to take the content to the next level
3. A proofreader will catch any typo in your texts
    

I hope this summary helps to clarify the different roles in this specific aspect of our industry and do not hesitate to contact me in case you have any questions or comments.

Have a nice editing/copywriting/proofing week!!

@yolocaizo