exporting to pdf is exactly what you don't want as an editor receiving files from a writer.

Unless you're already a big-name author you rarely get to choose. Docx will generally be an option, and if you're lucky a few other formats.

How is a copyeditor supposed to manage a PDF? PDFs are generally a huge no-no in submissions. (Source: I write short fiction & my short fiction has been published.)

> their editor can just cut and paste to Word if he really wants to make corrections

Is it sarcasm? I mean... make corrections/changes is what an editor does.

Hes, it was sarcasm. A write-only format is the worst way to send a novel to a publisher/editor.