Here’s a breakdown of what I can do for you:
Line Editing
Line editing, also known as stylistic editing, focuses on making individual sentences and paragraphs as sharp and clear as possible. Amongst other things, a line editor:
- Works line-by-line to tighten up sentence structure
- Considers word choices in connection with tone or emotion
- Catches point of view errors and finds common clichés
- Catches errors in description of character, chronology and place
- Looks for unnecessary repetition
- Thinks about the overall pacing of the work
- Reviews the piece for logical flow
- May offer feedback re obvious discrepancies or plot holes
Copyediting
While line editing focuses on style and flow, copyediting focuses on the mechanics of writing. A copyeditor:
- Ensures that the language adheres to the rules of standard English
- Checks and corrects spelling (including capitals, abbreviations, proper nouns etc.)
- Checks and corrects grammar, including tenses, punctuation and sentence flow
- Checks and corrects spacing, including line formatting
- Ensures that the work adheres to the author’s chosen style (or house style)
- Checks for accuracy and consistency in the content e.g. correct titles, dates, names, places and so on
There is a fair amount of overlap between these two services, which is why I offer them together.
Proofreading
The proof reader works with the final ‘proof’ i.e. just prior to publication. The proof reader looks for typos that may have been missed in editing, but also reviews for errors in format, layout, punctuation, fonts, spacing and so on. A proof reader will:
- Check pages numbers, chapter headings and ornamental breaks for consistency
- Check for correct use of indents, word breaks and scene breaks
- Check fonts for consistency
- Check spacing, headers, word stacks, widows and orphans, footnotes and endnotes
- Check dashes, hyphens, abbreviations and acronyms for consistency
- Match content pages to chapter numbers
- Check for missing chapters
- Review the copyright pages
- Review the author bio, acknowledgements, references and index
What you will get back from me
I edit in Word, using Track Changes. When editing is finished, you will receive:
- A marked up document with all changes and comments visible
- A second version with all changes accepted (comments will still be visible)
- A third version (Clean Copy) with all changes accepted and comments removed. This allows you to reread your work without the editing ‘clutter’
- You will also receive a brief report with general feedback, including (if needed) suggestions on how to strengthen your writing
- Finally, you’ll receive the Style Sheet which is developed during editing. This is a record of stylistic preferences, including spelling choices, place names, grammatical preferences and character, place and time details. This can be very useful during the final proofread and for future reference if you are working on a series of novels
I can proofread in Atticus at present. Changes are made in Atticus and you’ll receive a report of what was done. Proof reading done in Word will use Track Changes.
If you’d like me to quote on your project, please use the Contact form.
The form includes questions about your writing and publishing experience, your present work, and your timeframe. I also ask for a sample of your writing – my quote will be based on this. You’ll get the edited sample back with the quote – this gives you the chance to discover if the way I work is right for you.