Get your sentence structure, grammar, flow, and consistency in tip-top shape for publication
With copy editing
Copy editing a very important stage of any publication process, be it book publication, newspaper or magazine publication, blog post or website publication, article publication, or social media publication. Any written copy, that is any written work needs editing before it can be published to ensure that it is clear, cohesive, consistent in style, and appeals to the correct audience. Copy editing is the process of ensuring that a written piece of work is clean and clear.
What is Copy Editing?
Copy editing is the process where a copy editor will go through your written work line by line and make suggestions and corrections to your grammar use, sentence structure, flow, tone, consistency, and style. The objective of a copy edit is to make the final piece of writing clear and impactful to its intended audience free of awkward sentences, incorrect grammar use (unless intentional, such as in certain works of fiction), inconsistent spelling or punctuation use, and incoherencies.
Copy editing is when a piece of writing of any type, is carefully reviewed and edited to improve its readability. Copy editors ensure the style of writing is consistent and adheres to whichever professional style is appropriate, and that the text flows naturally from one sentence to the next. They also check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and continuity, providing suggestions on how to best convey the message of the writer. Additionally, copy editors can act as fact-checkers, which is especially necessary if the writing is nonfiction and involves review of real information.
Do I Need Copy Editing?
If you have a piece of written work that you intend on publishing, it is highly recommended that you invest in copy editing services. This process is very important and will aid in:
- Appearing more professional
- Having more impact with your words
- Attracting more clients or readers
- Being more confident in your work
- Increasing your chances of getting published traditionally or getting a literary agent
- Making you appear more serious and invested in your work
When Should I Get Copy Editing?
Typically, writers or publishers will hire a copy editor to work on a piece of written copy right before it gets to the proofreading stage. If you have a piece of literary fiction, it is usually recommended to have a developmental edit done first and then a copy edit afterward. However, a copy edit can come at any stage in the writing process, usually after an entire draft has been completed.
I Want a Copy Edit. How Do I Get Started and What Does the Process Look Like?
If you are ready to get copy editing services, then the first step is to get in touch by filling out the contact form or sending me an email at [email protected] with the subject line “Copy Editing Services Inquiry” to get a conversation started so we can discuss your current work. You will be asked to share a sample of your finished written work, or if it is under 2500 words, the entire work along with a short synopsis of the overall work (if it is over 2500 words). If you don’t have a finished piece of written work, please indicate that and how far along you are in the writing process.
A free email or telephone consultation will follow. This will help me to get a good idea of what your story is about, what stage in the writing process you are, what your vision for the finished product is, and how I can best help you. It will also help you to get a good idea of how I will help you, how long the process will take, and of course, the costs involved. All of this will be discussed before any commitments are made.
After the consultation, you can decide if you would like to move forward. If you would like to move forward with a developmental edit, then you will be required to put down a non-refundable 50% deposit and sign a simple contract. I will also provide you with an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) if you do have one.
After all the legal stuff is out of the way, I will get straight to work. I will work through your copy line by line and make notes and changes as required. I will do all of this using Microsoft Word with the ‘Tracked Changes” feature enabled, allowing you to easily see every change or suggestion I make and reject or accept them as you wish.
Once the edited document is ready, I will deliver it to you along with a clean copy that does not have the ‘Tracked Changes’ feature enabled. At this point, you will be required to pay the remaining 50% of the fee. I can answer any questions you have regarding the changes or suggestions included. We can also discuss future projects such as a proofread.