{{Short description|Written material}} In publishing, advertising and related fields, '''copy''' is written material, in contrast to photographs or other elements of layout, in books, magazines, newspapers and advertising.

In advertising, the term "copy" means the output of copywriters, who are employed to write material which encourages consumers to buy goods or services.

In newspapers and magazines, ''body copy'' (''q.v.'') is the main article or text that writers are responsible for, in contrast with '''''display copy''''', accompanying material such as headlines and captions, which are usually written by copy editors or sub-editors.

In books, it means the text (manuscript, typescript) as written by the author, which the copy editor then prepares for typesetting and printing. This is also referred to as '''''editorial copy''''', which is said to have two subdivisions, the body copy and the adjuncts to the body copy.<ref>{{Cite book|title=English Media Texts Past and Present: Language and textual structure|last=Ungerer|first=Friedrich|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company|year=2000|isbn=9027250995|location=Philadelphia, PA|pages=135}}</ref> The term's usage can be demonstrated in the way an editor decides to embed an advertising material directly into the editorial copy, which means that the advertisement would use the same font, layout presentation, feel of the editorial copy it is being integrated into (or not, as the case may be).<ref>{{Cite book|title=Explorations in Critical Studies of Advertising |last=Hamilton |first=James |last2=Bodle |first2=Robert |last3=Korin |first3=Ezequiel |publisher=Routledge |year=2017 |isbn=9781138649521 |location=New York |pages=61}}</ref> This concept underscores how the copy can also refer to the identity of the newspaper or the magazine since the method of composition and layout can define its brand and positioning.<ref>{{Cite book |title=How to Start a Magazine: And Publish It Profitably |last=Kobak |first=James |publisher=M. Evans and Company, Inc. |year=2002 |isbn=9780871319272 |location=New York |pages=119}}</ref>

==See also== * {{Annotated link |Camera-ready copy}} * {{Annotated link |Content (media)}} * {{Annotated link |Copywriting}} * {{Annotated link |Copy editing}} * {{Annotated link |Hard copy}} * {{Annotated link |Publishing}}

{{Book Publishing Process}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Copy (Written)}} Category:Publishing Category:Copy editing Category:Text

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