Types of Editing

Developmental Editing (Content/Substantive Edit) 

A developmental edit looks at the “big picture” of your manuscript. It focuses on the overall structure and organization as well as the development of the topic for non-fiction and the development of characters and plot for fiction. This is the ultimate level of editing and potentially overhauls your book, if necessary, while retaining your writer’s voice and the story.

Some of the areas a developmental edit focuses on are:

• identifying and correcting inaccuracies in both fact and logic.
• reorganizing sentences, paragraphs, sections and chapters for clarity.
• recommending areas for rewriting to improve overall flow and understanding.
• reviewing logic and comprehension.
• identifying gaps in content or story.
• evaluating the manuscript and its marketability for your target audience.

Copyediting (Line Edit)*

A copy edit focuses on word usage, syntax, and sentence structure. It includes minor rewriting as necessary to correct grammatical and syntax issues. It does not include rewriting for content or comprehension; however, issues with these will be noted for the author.

Some of the areas a content edit focuses on are:

• checking for shifts in tense, person, and number.
• reviewing sentences for reading ease, variety, and overall clarity.
• noting inaccuracies and inconsistencies in facts and logics.
• correcting passive voice and weak verb usage.
• finding redundancies, poor word choice, and inaccuracies in descriptions.
• crosschecking references, notes, tables, and other features within text.
• verifying unusual facts and statistics for accuracy.
• maintaining consistent style, format, and wording for subheadings, lists, quotations, captions, etc.
• verifying all sources are properly cited.

*I do not offer light copyediting as a stand-alone service. However, I will include it in the project fee for developmental editing if the author desires.

Proofreading*

Proofreading includes identifying and correcting:

• typographical errors.
• misspellings.
• punctuation errors.
• minor word usage problems.
• grammatical issues.

If the manuscript is presented in its final design, all formatting will be checked for consistency. Photo captions and references to illustrations, tables, etc., will also be cross-checked within the text.

*I do not offer proofreading as a stand-alone service. If an author desires, I will include proofreading in an editing package. However, if I work on a manuscript in the developmental and copyediting stages, I will subcontract the proofreading to a trusted colleague or refer the author.