If your story has already been through edits to check for big-picture issues, and you’re confident rewrites are not in order, then your project is ready for a copyedit. A copyedit focuses on grammatical correctness and clarity of expression at the sentence level.
A copyedit will do all of the following:
- fix all mechanical errors in spelling, punctuation, hyphenation, and capitalization
- correct grammar or syntax errors, such as subject-verb agreement and dangling modifiers*
- ensure proper usage, such as lie vs. lay
- flag wordy, confusing, or problematic sections for your attention
- ensure consistent spelling and capitalization of names and places
- check for consistent formatting of elements like epigraphs and quotations
All edits bring the text in line with the latest editions of The Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, the two references preferred by most publishers.
*Fiction writers do get to break grammar rules sometimes! My goal as the editor is not to squash your voice or force every fragment into a proper sentence. Instead, my job is to evaluate how the language choices are working, to determine whether the reader will be confused or tripped up, and to seek out those places where grammatical errors were not intentional. And, as always, suggestions made within the text are tracked—so you are free to accept or reject any changes you like.
How It Works:
- I perform sample edits for free for prospective clients, up to 1,000 words. Samples for a copyedit must come from the middle portion of your manuscript if you would like one.
- I will request to review your manuscript as a whole to quote an exact project rate. All submissions of your work are strictly confidential.
In a copyedit:
- I will use Track Changes to make my corrections and comments within the text. I will return your manuscript to you in two versions—one copy showing all markup and one clean copy with all changes accepted.
- I will also provide you with a style sheet to track stylistic decisions.
Have questions once you’ve reviewed your manuscript? No problem. I am available for questions for up to a month after your manuscript has been returned to you. I’m more than happy to hear from you!
Rate: $0.018-0.02 per word
If you are an author interested in self-publishing in particular, a copyedit is critical. No one wants to find out in comments from their readers that an embarrassing gaffe made it into publication!
Contact me to sign up for a copyedit.
Is this the right service for me?
- Are you struggling with how much interior monologue is too much? Want to know if you have too many filter words? A copyedit will not go that deep. You may need a line edit instead.
- Has your book already been checked for correct language and formatted? What you need is a final proofread.