Quiz: What Type of Editing Should You Do?
You love books. You obsess over words. You know you’re meant to work with writers, but you’re not sure which kind of editing is right for you.
Should you be untangling messy drafts as a developmental editor? Addressing jargon as a line editor? Or maybe you’re the eagle-eyed perfectionist every author needs at the finish line.
Let’s find out.
This quiz is designed to help you identify your editing type, lean into your strengths, and decide which editorial role might be yours. There are no wrong answers, just better fits.
How to Take the Quiz
- Read each question and choose the option (A, B, C, or D) that feels most like you.
- Keep track of your answers.
- At the end, tally your results to see which type of editing matches your natural strengths.
- Then, read your personalized result and learn what next step to take.
Sound good? Let’s go!
Quiz Questions
1: When you read a rough draft, what do you instinctively focus on?
A) The overall flow and whether the ideas are landing
B) The way sentences sound and whether they’re clunky or elegant
C) Grammar, punctuation, and consistency
D) Typos, layout, and formatting quirks
2: What kind of problem-solving do you enjoy most?
A) Helping someone shape a messy idea into something coherent
B) Making things feel or sound smooth and natural
C) Fixing or preventing errors and aligning something with a standard
D) Finding the tiny things everyone else missed (or might miss)
3: How do you like to work with writers?
A) Deep back-and-forth collaboration with big changes
B) Improving their writing while preserving their voice
C) Quietly cleaning up their work and handing it back with little client interaction
D) Finalizing their work for publication with minimal input from the client (or anyone else)
4: What’s your tolerance for ambiguity?
A) High—I thrive in messy drafts and creative chaos.
B) Medium—I like clarity but enjoy nuance.
C) Low—I like rules and structure.
D) Very low—I prefer black-and-white clarity and exactness.
Q5: Which compliment would light you up the most?
A) “You helped me see what my book really wants to be.”
B) “You made my writing stronger but still totally me.”
C) “You caught everything. I feel so much more confident now.”
D) “There wasn’t a single typo left. You’re amazing.”
Results: What Kind of Editor Are You?
Mostly A answers = You’re a developmental editor.
You’re a big-picture thinker with a talent for structure, story logic, and emotional resonance. You’re the one who sees where a piece is going, even when the author doesn’t yet. Developmental editors are idea shapers, plot whisperers, and clarity coaches.
You thrive in early drafts, collaborating with authors to help them find their message and bring it forward. You don’t mind ambiguity; you embrace it.
This path is perfect for you if these are true:
- You love messy drafts.
- You enjoy giving narrative feedback.
- You’re energized by transformation, not just correction.
👉 Want to learn the craft and business of developmental editing? Join Editors School and get expert guidance on how to build a thriving practice.
Mostly B answers = You’re a line editor.
You hear the music in a sentence. Cadence, rhythm, and nuance draw you in. You don’t just fix writing. You elevate it.
Line editors focus on how the writing feels. You sharpen flow, preserve voice, and help authors say what they mean, but more clearly, beautifully, and effectively.
This path is perfect for you if these are true:
- You love working at the sentence level.
- You have opinions about word choice, tone, and clarity.
- You care deeply about preserving author voice.
👉 Want to fine-tune your line editing skills and build client-ready confidence? Explore Editors School’s training.
Mostly C answers = You’re a copy editor.
You love clarity, consistency, and order. You’re the one who notices every mismatched verb tense and rogue comma. You probably own a copy of The Chicago Manual of Style (or want to).
Copy editors ensure that text follows the rules and reads cleanly. You’re the glue between creative and correct.
This path is perfect for you if these are true:
- You enjoy editing with a style guide in hand.
- You want to be the unsung hero who brings polish to the page.
- You don’t mind digging into details for hours.
👉 Want to master copy editing for books? Get practical training and style savvy at Editors School.
Mostly D answers = You’re a proofreader.
You’re the final set of eyes before a book hits the world. You live for the details. You spot double spaces, orphaned words, and misplaced italics with laser precision.
Proofreaders are meticulous, focused, and calm under pressure. You bring the final layer of professionalism to every project.
This path is perfect for you if these are true:
- You’re calm, focused, and detail-obsessed.
- You like working solo, behind the scenes.
- You love the satisfaction of a perfectly clean page.
👉 Want to become a trusted final-stage editor? Learn how at Editors School.
Didn’t Get a Clear Result?
That’s okay! Some editors are hybrids. You might find that you enjoy both line editing and copy editing. Or maybe you love coaching authors and offering developmental feedback.
Just know that developmental editing requires a different type of thinking than proofreading—and most editors eventually choose a specialty based on their natural strengths.
Want to explore multiple types before you decide? Editors School helps you build skills across all editing stages before you specialize.
TL;DR:
Take our quiz to discover what kind of editing fits your strengths. Whether you’re a big-picture thinker or a punctuation perfectionist, there’s a path in the editing world that’s just right for you, and Editors School can help you walk it with confidence.
Call to Action
Ready to dive deeper into your editing personality and build a career that fits who you are?
👉 Explore Editors School for practical training, mentorship, and a thriving community of editors who love what they do.