Copy Editing

Copy editing is the fine-tuning of a book's text. At this point any big-picture problems with structure, logical presentation, pacing, and general organization have been fixed. Copy editing is typically the last step before the manuscript gets laid out upon and put together page by page. This is the time for correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, and factual errors.

Copy editing standards

Individual copy editors consult a range of manuals for copy editing. These include The Chicago Manual of Style and The Associated Press Stylebook. Editors also set a specific dictionary as the authority, such as Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Using these references as guides, copy editors will correct errors and fix inconsistencies in details like number treatment (should it be a numeral or spelled out?), compound words (should it be open, closed, or hyphenated?), and punctuation (should it be a comma or semicolon?).

To keep track of the styles in use in a single manuscript, copy editors create a style sheet as they edit. A novel’s style sheet should include notes on typography, punctuation, numbers, and spellings; a list of characters, real people, and places; and a timeline of events. A detailed style sheet is an organized way for an editor to maintain consistency and communicate a manuscript’s style to the author and future proofreaders.

The role of the copy editor

A professional copy editor will thoroughly work through your text, polishing it to error-free perfection by improving accuracy, grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and eliminating redundancies. Related to this, a good editor will also ensure consistency of style, checking that your own personal style remains intact through smaller details such as hyphenation and capitalization.

One of the overall improvements that a copy editor can make to your manuscript is strengthening the prose throughout. They will substitute weak words, phrases, and sentences with powerful alternatives, often even restructuring sentences for improved clarity. Once your manuscript has been copy edited, it will be more efficient, accurate, and focused on your voice. In fact, your manuscript will be in such good shape that it will be ready to be typeset and then reviewed by a proofreader.

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Pricing

The form below provides estimates based on project size. Prices are subject to change based on additional details about your project. Think of this form as a starting point for a dialogue as we get introduced and develop clear expectations ahead of our first collaboration as author and editor.