Services
Copy Edits
Copy edits
focus on a manuscript at the mechanical level to improve readability and bring your manuscript to the next level of professionalism. Think of it as sharpening a sword: sure, it’ll cut, but it’s more effective when it’s sharp.
Copy edits address technical aspects such as spelling, grammar, word usage, syntax, hyphens, repetition, dialogue tags, numerals, font, capitalization, and so forth. I’ll also check for consistency and factual accuracy.
Timeline
Copy edits should be done once you have worked with a developmental editor and made necessary big picture changes; they’re micro edits, so all major story parts need to be in place before we tackle prose. You may choose to do copy edits after or in conjunction with line edits.
What to expect
We’ll begin by touching base about the answers on your intake form. To best serve you and your story, it’s important I understand where you’re coming from and where you’re heading, both with your manuscript and as a writer.
Upon completion of revisions, you can expect 3 things:
manuscript markup
Your manuscript will arrive with inline comments and suggested revisions, all in Microsoft Word’s handy ‘track changes’.
editorial letter
This expands on inline manuscript revisions and commentary as needed, highlights overarching areas for improvement (crutch words/phrases, common grammatical errors, etc.), and offers suggestions to level up your prose for future projects.
style sheet
Customized to your manuscript, this includes everything you’ll need to keep track of the specifics that make your story yours: preferred spellings and abbreviations, unique abbreviations and terminology, and character stats and other details, in addition to guidelines and preferences for grammar and punctuation.
I’m always available to answer questions/field ideas as you’re going through your markup – this is a collaborative effort! After you’ve made changes, you may choose to resubmit for a final look, where I’ll ensure nothing’s been missed.
Investment
To enhance readability and professionalism, a good copy edit is invaluable. Copy edits are priced at $0.02/word, with the total cost dependent on your manuscript’s word count.
Let’s sharpen those words.
