Editing: So What, Exactly, Can I Do For You?

I decided I want to do both editing and proofreading.  But, what is the difference, and why are they both important?

Overall, the publishing process goes something like this:

• The author writes something.

• The editor checks out and corrects “overall” issues.

• The proofreader nitpicks the details.

• The piece gets published.

Now, that’s quite a generalization.  But from what I've been reading, the publishing industry has become so varied and flexible in recent years that in many arenas standardization has become a thing of the past.  My focus is on self-publishing, so that’s the process I’ll be learning about.