COPYEDITING
What is copyediting?
Copyediting usually comes before formatting, and is where the editor checks for style consistency, coherence, and awkward ambiguities.
Like proofreading, I comb through your text to find any typos, spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, or formatting issues. I apply a consistent style to your text so that your readers can stay immersed in the story. I can also mark up the text with Word’s Styles so that the formatter knows exactly what to do. I’ll notice if there are logical inconsistencies, like if a cup of tea on one page has magically become a mug of coffee on the next.
Proofreading and copyediting are very similar. The biggest difference is that at the copyediting stage, it is easier and quicker to fix mistakes using Word’s Track Changes. There might also be bigger changes, such as restructuring a sentence to avoid an awkward ambiguity or repetition, or to clarify the point you intended to make. In copyediting I may also dig a bit deeper into my research to find out if that airplane had been invented yet, or whether that form of martial arts uses the move you’ve described.
Finally, I’ll also alert you to any problematic issues with your text that could put you or your readers at risk.
STYLE SHEET
A document outlining the choices that have been made, such as spelling, punctuation and other preferences.
MARKED UP MANUSCRIPT
Your text with the changes tracked and visible so you can approve or reject them individually. It’s your book, and you have the final say.
CLEAN COPY
A copy of the manuscript with all your approved changes accepted, and no comments or tracking left in the text, ready for proofreading and publishing.
What kind of software do I use?
Copyediting is carried out on raw text that has not yet been formatted, so I’ll usually use Microsoft Word to work through it. I use PerfectIt 5 to help me check consistency with your chosen style, but I primarily rely on my own knowledge and reference materials like the Chicago Manual of Style. Using this software makes my work quicker, easier, and more effective. It also makes it easier for you to accept or reject the large number of changes at this stage.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This depends on so many different factors, especially the type of writing it is, how complex the sentences are, or how much help the text needs. I can give you a time estimate by doing a 1000 word free sample for you.
Copyediting goes beyond just checking for spelling and grammar mistakes. For example, I’ll create a style sheet for you which can aid consistency across multiple books in a series. I’ve got hours of specialized training and experience under my belt, and I’m very familiar with the commonly used (and obscure) rules for fiction, such as the Chicago Manual of Style. You’re not paying me for finding the mistakes, you’re paying me to ensure that every mark in the manuscript is consistent with the style choices you’ve made.
Many people opt for a combined proofreading and copyediting pass, called a “proof-edit.” This combines the main tasks of copyediting and proofreading. This can be a budget-saving option for self-publishing authors or small businesses. For the best possible end result, I recommend hiring a copyeditor and a separate proofreader so that the manuscript can benefit from a fresh set of eyes on it. If you book both services through me as part of a package, another member of my team will be the fresh set of eyes.
Automatic spelling and grammar checkers rely on algorithms to spot patterns, but they don’t catch the nuances, connotations, or human intentions behind what you want to convey to your readers. I prefer that you don’t use a program like that before sending it to me; it usually introduces more errors than it fixes.
My rates are based on the suggested minimum hourly rates put forth by the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, and are competitive. However, each project is unique, so I prefer to give an estimate by doing a free 1000-word sample.
It’s best to send me your whole manuscript. This helps me to get a better idea of the overall needs of your book, so I can give you a fairer quote. Many authors revise the beginning and ending much more heavily than the middle, so seeing the whole picture can help me understand your needs better. I’ll choose a 1000-word section that best shows the sort of help I can offer you.
During a copyedit, I might call your attention to some details like days of the week going missing, or a character’s name changing halfway through the book, or some light developmental issues like head-hopping or word choice. However, I won’t tackle big things like the plot or pacing, since your revising those at this stage would mean having to re-edit those sections.
If you need that kind of feedback, you should be looking at my line-editing service instead.
To be honest, most editors can’t agree on this and the dictionaries don’t agree either. These days I try to stick to copyediting for consistency, but some of my older materials may use copy-editing instead.
Working with Katherine has been a great pleasure. Her communication was superior throughout the editing process. As copy-editor, she took the time to understand the book, the audience, and the book’s purpose. Because she invested the time in understanding the nature of my work, her suggestions added great value. She cleared up areas that were unclear or confusing. Her suggestions resulted in a much-improved book. Katherine did a wonderful job, and I would highly recommend her for any editing project.
Copyediting for immersion and consistency
Fiction is fun because the “rules” are more flexible, especially when it comes to experimental genres like speculative fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and literary fiction. It’s also important in game materials; there’s nothing worse than being fully immersed in a great game only to be jerked back to reality by inconsistent or incorrect usage.
Do you italicize the name of a spaceship? When should you capitalize captain? How do you format telepathic speech? These are all conscious decisions that writers make. As a copyeditor, my job is to see if those decisions you’ve made have been applied consistently, or if you weren’t sure, finding a real-world analog to use a guide. For example, if a sea-faring ship’s name is italicized, it makes sense that a spaceship’s name would be too.
Making choices like these helps readers to learn the language of your writing quickly. Then they can get fully immersed in the world you have built and the story unfolding within it.
Is it game master, dungeon master, judge, or referee? These choices matter. In game materials, having consistency means that players can find the information they need, when they need it, without having to decode what you meant to say.
What's the difference between copyediting and proofreading?
Have a look at this handy infographic I made to show the differences between proofreading and copyediting.
Send me a sample
The best way for me to get an idea of how much work needs to be done on your manuscript is by doing a 1000-word sample of your manuscript. Then I can give you a quote and estimate the time it will take.
An added bonus? You get to have a peek at the quality of my work, so you can see if my editing style fits your needs.
Get your book ready to publish
Tell me about your book, send me a sample, and let’s get started!