Copyediting is a bit more involved than proofreading. A copy editor performs a careful reading of the document, checking everything from commas to content. If the edit is done well, the reader will understand your story or message—and appreciate your ability to lead them through it with ease.
Two levels of copyediting are available, depending on your needs.
Light Copy Edit
- Correct inconsistencies in things like spelling, capitalization, punctuation, abbreviations, hyphen/dash use, font and font sizes
- Correct inconsistencies in footnotes and endnotes, table of contents, page numbers, page number placement, headers and footers, charts, graphs and maps
- Correct grammar and word choice (usage) errors
- Flag awkward or confusing language (changes not made by copy editor)
- Flag unusual words that might not be familiar to the audience
- Flag information that seems incorrect or is not factual
- Flag information that might require permission to be used
- Flag anything that could expose the author or publisher to lawsuits
Heavy Copy Edit
All of the above items are included, with these additions:
- Rewrite areas of wordiness and confusing or awkward sentence construction
- Flag inappropriate or overused figures of speech, jargon or sentiment
- Check and revise anything that seems incorrect or is not factual
- If conflicts and discrepancies are found in content, suggest changes or fix problem
- Flag areas that promote bias or stereotyping
- Suggest changes in the order of information to make writing more clear or present a more logical progression of an argument
If you aren’t sure what level of copyediting your document needs, I can review it in advance to offer advice on which level is best for you. Don’t hesitate to call or email.