First, get a good grasp on grammar. Next, remember people aren't always good editors when it comes to their own work. So it's worth your while to have someone else look it over. Get as many pairs of eyes as you can, in terms of copy editing, because it's so easy to miss something. At MultiCultural Review , we have two full-time copy editors.
People constantly comment on how well edited our magazine is, in comparison to our competitors.
Our circulation is higher. We have a more scholarly audience. People want to publish articles with us because they know their work will be well edited. Reputation makes a difference. Copy editing errors can be very distracting.