There are inevitably overlaps to the levels of editing described below. If you are unsure which kind of editing is best for your project, please send a sample and I can advise.

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Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature is normally utilized for all editing, allowing the client to easily see the edits that have been made and accept or reject them. In addition, Track Changes’ Comments facility enables the editor to make suggestions and raise queries without altering the original copy.

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• Copyediting

• Substantive editing

• Developmental editing

 

 

 

Copyediting

 

This basic level of editing, also called line editing or mechanical editing, is appropriate for material that is in its final form but needs to be reviewed for the basics, including spelling, capitalization, punctuation, hyphenation, abbreviations, and consistent presentation of these elements. A copyedit includes a check of grammar, sentence structure, syntax, and repetition. It doesn’t include fact-checking but if egregious factual errors appear (say, “Lincoln served as president from 1961 to 1965”), they would be corrected or flagged.  Sentences will not be rewritten unless they’re ungrammatical or incoherent.

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This level of editing to include correcting for and/or querying

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• spelling, capitalization, and punctuation errors

• grammar

• consistent treatment of numbers/numerals

• appropriate use of hyphens, dashes, ellipses points, parentheses, quotation marks

• word usage and syntax

• subject-verb agreement

• consistency of spelling and styles

• cross-check of references, art, figures, tables with their mentions in the text

• stylistic consistency of references

• consistency of footnote/endnote call-outs

 

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Substantive editing

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This rigorous editing level is suitable for writing that requires more editorial input and/or is less polished.  It includes reviewing all the elements cited in copyediting as well as editing for flow, readability, triteness, repetition, wordiness. Consistency in verb tense, style, and voice will be checked and flagged, or corrected, if found wanting. Substantive editing will generally involve more back-and-forth with the author, incorporating queries and comments into the edit.  If required, sections of text will be rewritten—or flagged—to improve readability and clarity.

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This level of editing to include all corrections for copyediting as well as correcting for and/or querying

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• general organization

• wordiness

• paragraph and sentence structure

• redundancy

• slang or jargon

• implausible or inaccurate content

 

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Developmental editing

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Developmental editing applies to a project that is in draft form or at the concept stage. It involves close liaison with the author to help organize and structure the material into a cohesive document or manuscript.  It takes a “big picture” view of the project and will address the purpose, general focus, style, and voice. If working with a first draft, it could involve restructuring, reorganizing paragraph and chapter order, and making suggestions for deletion and addition of copy. Developmental editing doesn’t include mechanical corrections as in copyediting. Normally, the project would require a copyedit following finalization of the development edit.

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