All about copyediting
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary makes copyediting sound simple: we CEs "make the words correct." But what does "correct" mean? It can mean many things depending upon what you are looking for. A light copyedit is the most basic and, well, light; a heavy copyedit is the most intensive. If you're not sure what you want, we'll figure it out together.
A light copyedit will evaluate:
If a sentence is has an indisputable grammatical, syntactical, or usage issue, I'll fix it. But if a sentence is awkward or wordy, or if I suspect a factual inconsistency or error, I'll query you--meaning I'll make a comment in the margins alerting you to the issue.
A medium copyedit will evaluate:
If a sentence has an indisputable grammatical, syntactical, or usage issue, I'll fix it. If a sentence is awkward or wordy, I'll query you--meaning I'll make a comment in the margins alerting you to the issue--and I will also suggest a revision. If I suspect a factual inconsistency or error, I'll query you but also verify with a desktop reference as I'm able. If there are problems with organization or gaps in logic, I will query you.
A heavy copyedit will evaluate
If a sentence is has an indisputable grammatical, syntactical, or usage issue, I'll fix it. If a sentence is awkward or wordy, I will revise it. If I suspect a factual inconsistency or error, I'll query and revise it. If there are problems with organization or gaps in logic, I will query you and either fix it or offer suggestions to fix it.
A light copyedit will evaluate:
- grammar (run-on sentences, comma splices, and more)
- punctuation (commas, apostrophes, and more)
- spelling (misspelled words, homophones, and more)
- style (how to treat numbers, abbreviations, and more)
- consistency (are all numbers treated the same way, and more)
If a sentence is has an indisputable grammatical, syntactical, or usage issue, I'll fix it. But if a sentence is awkward or wordy, or if I suspect a factual inconsistency or error, I'll query you--meaning I'll make a comment in the margins alerting you to the issue.
A medium copyedit will evaluate:
- all of the elements of a light copyedit
If a sentence has an indisputable grammatical, syntactical, or usage issue, I'll fix it. If a sentence is awkward or wordy, I'll query you--meaning I'll make a comment in the margins alerting you to the issue--and I will also suggest a revision. If I suspect a factual inconsistency or error, I'll query you but also verify with a desktop reference as I'm able. If there are problems with organization or gaps in logic, I will query you.
A heavy copyedit will evaluate
- all the elements of a light copyedit
If a sentence is has an indisputable grammatical, syntactical, or usage issue, I'll fix it. If a sentence is awkward or wordy, I will revise it. If I suspect a factual inconsistency or error, I'll query and revise it. If there are problems with organization or gaps in logic, I will query you and either fix it or offer suggestions to fix it.
All about workflow
I edit in Microsoft Word or Pages using track changes. If you're not familiar with track changes, I can give you a quick tutorial before we get started. The process will look something like this:
- You send me the manuscript.
- I edit the manuscript using track changes and comments.
- I return the manuscript to you, and you review each of the edits and respond to each of the comments.
- You send the manuscript back to me, and I check over all of your responses. I make any final edits based on your comments and accept all track changes in the document. I run spell check and check for pesky things like double spaces one last time.
- I return the final, clean, sparking manuscript to you.
