Copy Editing – Starts at 2 cents per word

Copy editing (sometimes called line editing) is what most people think of when they think of editing: red scribbles—everywhere. It can be jarring to send your prized manuscript to a copy editor only to receive it back covered in markings. “How dare this person tear my story to shreds!? They changed every page!” However, upon closer inspection, you will realize that the edits are more minimal than they appear.

A good copy editor follows the code of the four Cs: clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness. They fix all the little grammar and spelling mistakes in the manuscript and they make sure that every sentence’s meaning is clear so an outside reader is able to read it with no issue. If an editor is confused about the meaning of something, he or she will leave a query or comment about it rather than try to assume. A copy editor does NOT make changes just for the sake of it; every edit has an explanation behind it.

It’s also worth mentioning that there are different levels of copy editing.

Light copy edit. During a light copy edit, the editor only fixes the errors of the utmost importance, such as spelling, punctuation, and sentences that are difficult for outside readers to understand. This is the type of edit to go for if you are confident that your manuscript is in good shape and are completely satisfied with your story.

Heavy copy edit. A heavy copy edit tackles deeper issues such as wordiness, transitions, and the overall flow of the manuscript. This is the type of edit that may be hard to stomach at first and may require some rewriting on your end, but it makes your manuscript more dynamic than you ever thought possible—just like a good workout!

 

Is your manuscript in need of a good copy edit? Contact me here.