STONE
EDITING AND PROOFREADING
Editing Services
I offer two types of service.
- Combined line editing and copyediting
- Proofreading
The exact definition of these terms wavers between different publishing houses, genres and editors. I explain my own approach to each below.
(If you would you would like more clarity on which is right for your manuscript, see my page on the road to publication.)
Note: I combine line editing and copyediting into a single service, as the thorough reading required for either lends itself to both. I am open to providing either service exclusively at the author’s preference. Get in touch and we can discuss options.
View a Sample Edit
Line Editing
Line editing considers adjustments affecting tone, style and content. During a line edit I familiarise myself with the writer’s voice and the way he or she uses language to achieve it. I look out for where the writer’s choice of words is at odds with their intended effect, and I read for inconsistencies in voice, character traits and plot. Most importantly, I do not impose my own stylistic preferences.
My line editing process will address the following:
- Â Narrative voice
- Consistency of tone
- Overdescription
- Under-description
- Unwieldly metaphors
- Cliches
- Content repetition
- Telling over showing
- Character
- Authentic word choice for character dialogue and narration
- Consistency check for character traits
- Dialogue tags
- Plot
- Time-frame inconsistencies
- Chapter sequencing
Copyediting
Copyediting is a mechanical servicing of language intended to weed out errors and inconsistencies in spelling and grammar. It does not include stylistic adjustments.
My copyediting process will address the following:
- Spelling
- Misspellings
- Unintended homonyms and homophones
- Consistency check for words with more than one acceptable spelling
- Punctuation
- Sentence punctuation
- Dialogue punctuation
- Capitalisation
- Punctuation consistency check for situations with more than one acceptable choice
- Grammar
- Unintended word insertions and omissions
- Ungrammatical syntax choices
- Tense consistency
- Layout
- Spacing and indentation errors
- Consistency in indentation and paragraph style
- Publisher-friendly manuscript layout
Here is a before-and-after example of a copyedited manuscript.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final stage of manuscript preparation before publication. My proofreading process will correct any surface-level errors including:
- Errors and inconsistencies in spelling and punctuation.
- Typographical errors such as hyphen stacking, orphans, widows and extraneous line and paragraph spacing.
- Inconsistencies in formatting and pagination.
During a proofread I may occasionally offer alternative word choices on a purely functional basis.
Please note that a proofread assumes that a copyedit has already been performed.
Here is a before-and-after example of a proofread manuscript
