Copyediting

You’ve written something you feel proud of, but is your language as clear as it could be, are your spelling, punctuation and grammar accurate, does your document look tidy, is the narrative watertight? Small inconsistencies are often invisible to the writer, who tends to see what they intended to write rather than what is actually there, and can create a poor impression or weaken the full impact of their words.

I will edit your document with a fresh and well-trained pair of eyes so that your work looks polished and professional, your language shines and your message reaches your intended readership. I am experienced in copyediting in both UK and US English.

What is copyediting?

Copyediting ensures that your writing and formatting are clean and consistent so that your work looks professional and readers trust you as the author. Another way of looking at it is that the copyeditor is the person who will save you from yourself! Is your main character six in Chapter 3 and nine in Chapter 7 with no reference to time passing? Did someone ‘slam on the breaks’ while you went for a ‘five-minute brake’? Should it be ‘compliment’ or ‘complement’? I will spot these issues and edit your text for readability, consistency and flow. 

Copyediting is working on draft text in Word format. It includes:

• tidying up and formatting the different elements of your document so that everything transfers properly to design software
• checking for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors
• applying your house style to ensure consistency in things like hyphenation, capitalisation, numbering, or compiling my own according to your majority usage
• improving the flow and tone of your writing, all the time bearing both your unique voice and your intended readership in mind
• checking the content of tables, lists, illustrations etc against text and captions 
• ensuring references are presented correctly
• querying obvious factual inconsistencies
• highlighting items that you may need permission to use, such as quotations and case studies
• flagging potential legal issues
• considering the power and history of words and flagging potentially problematic language

The role of copyediting within the publication process

The graphic below explains where copyediting sits within the editing process on the road to publication.

How do I work?

Every project requires different skills and I will liaise with you at the outset, tailoring my approach to suit your requirements.

File format and Track Changes

​I work in Microsoft Word, the industry standard for editing, using Track Changes, which allows you to see and review all the edits I have made. If you’re not familiar with this, there is some guidance here. It will be useful for you to explore this feature before receiving your copyedited work. Please note: I do not copyedit PDFs, as this is inefficient and costly, or work on Google Docs or Apple Pages. If your file is in any of these formats, do still get in touch, as there are ways to convert them to Word.

My process

My process follows four key steps:

1. I will carry out an initial clean-up of your document, removing unwanted formatting (such as unnecessary spaces, italic where it isn’t needed, and any underlying rogue formatting) and formatting the different elements consistently so that it is easy for your designer or typesetter, if you are using one, to know how to treat the text and so that all the different elements transfer properly into the design software.
2. I will address mechanical issues, such as consistency of spelling, hyphenation and capitalisation. Where, for example, a word is spelled two different ways and both are acceptable, I will check with you what your preference is. I record all decisions made for consistency on a style sheet, for your reference and so that the proofreader, if you use one, is aware.
3. I will read the manuscript through carefully, reading for clarity, sense, logic, flow and tone with the reader in mind while preserving your unique voice. I will directly address any sentences that I feel need attention and make suggestions for improvement/query things where I feel this would be helpful. I will also flag any language you may have unintentionally used that could be potentially problematic, so that you can make an informed decision about whether to change this. I will leave comments on the Word document explaining my changes. I read each chapter twice, the second time checking my changes and picking up anything I missed during the first pass. I will then return the edited file to you for you to review.
4. Some authors prefer to then resolve everything themselves; others prefer for me to make any final edits necessary so that the file is ready for typesetting.

You are the author of your document, and a successful editorial process relies on good communication and trust between author and editor. My aim is not to re-write your ideas but to help give them the clarity and consistency they need for your voice and its message to be heard.

What files will you receive?

I will return two versions of the Word document to you: one with comments attached and my edits tracked and another, clean, version with comments deleted and all edits accepted. I will also send my handover notes and the style sheet I have compiled during the edit.

How much will it cost?

Every editing job is different. Among other factors, the size, complexity, subject matter and initial state of the manuscript will affect the price. Guided by the suggested minimum rates set by the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, my copyediting fees are £42 per hour. On average, I copyedit at a rate of between 1,500 and 2,500 words per hour.

Having seen a sample of your work and knowing the total word count, I will estimate how long I think the project will take me and work out the overall price from there. I ask for a deposit of 40% to book the slot in my diary, with the balance due within two weeks of me returning the files to you.

The use of AI

I don’t use AI in my work and I don’t work on AI-generated texts. Some authors choose to use AI programmes to assist them in refining their work. If you have done this, please let me know so that I am aware. It is also important to understand that any work you have written yourself and then run through an AI model may then become part of that model and used in other people’s prompts, so copyright will have been compromised.

Please note: I do not offer illustrating or design and typesetting services or advise on publishing with KDP or IngramSpark. However, as a member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, I have colleagues skilled in these areas and would be happy to put you in touch with relevant professionals if you would like.