Editing Services
One size fits all may work for socks but it’s not recommended for editing. Depending on your writing background, your manuscript may need more than a copyedit or a proofread. A sample edit is the best way to determine which editing service is right for you.
Levels of Editing
Let’s make sure you get the right level of editing for your project.
Paragraph Level
Substantive or Line Edit
You’ve finished your first draft. You’re ready for a substantive or line edit.
This edit focuses on structure, rhythm, and syntax, awkward phrasing, unnecessary repetition, telling versus showing, passive voice, and inconsistencies.
A line edit will look for varied sentence length, transitions, use of jargon, and whether the vocabulary is appropriate for the intended audience.
Sentence Level
Copyedit
Grammar, usage, and consistent spelling and use of terms and words, character names, and locations are all addressed in the copyedit. The copyeditor will also look for commonly confused words and ensure consistency in capitalization and punctuation such as hyphens, em and en dashes, ellipses, quotation marks, and end punctuation as well as the use of italics.
Word Level
Proofread
The final step.
The proofread double checks for typos and consistency in layout. Very few changes are likely to be made at this stage, except to ensure the manuscript adheres to the publisher’s style guide.
For a more detailed explanation of each level of editing, check out my blog.
Not sure what you need?
Request my free self-editing checklist!
Before you send your manuscript off to an editor, there are some things you can check yourself.
This will save your editor time and you money.