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Maybe I misunderstand, but I thought that when it comes specifically to copy editing it is a rather "mechanical" process of comparing a text to style guides etc.
Style guides are to make sure you stick to the right type of formatting for your MS e.g. fiction follows the Chicago style. The guide will also include "mechanical" information such as writing "sixteen" and not "16" (which is in the APA style for journals/academic papers). The copy editor will make sure the MS adheres to the correct style guide, but that is different to an author's actual writing style (e.g. Stephen King's shunning of adjectives and adverbs or Maggie O'Farrell's pointed use of them) and it is different to voice. If your MS already adheres correctly to the style guide, it makes the copy editor's work a lot easier because they just need to look for flow (clunky sentences or ones that veer from the author's usual voice) or inconsistencies (e.g. Henry become Harry/the child has aged two years in only fourteen months etc.). The author can self edit a lot of this, but an author will also be too close to the work and not notice things that the copy editor (or perhaps beta reader) will pick up. The author can, of course, turn down copy editor suggestions but not when in reference to adhering to e.g. the Chicago style.
 
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Is there a UK version, or does everyone use the Chicago manual?
Absolutely not.

See Hannah's comments on Cambridge. Many University publishers, like OUP for example, have their own style guides. As do publishers of academic periodicals. Both in the UK and US.

Many US outlets, mostly news, but not all – writing American English, BTW – use AP style, together with the Merriam Webster dictionary. Implementing that in detail is h-a-r-d work.

I don't think you need to get too into all that, though. Just choose American or British English and go for it.
 
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