 Content/Heavy Editing  A heavy edit involves editing for broader story elements like organization, plot, character development, and structure. How substantial the edit will be depends on the condition of the writing itself. A good editor will improve the overall manuscript, eliminating any issues that would lead an agent to say, “Well, I liked the writing, but the characters weren't appealing,” or “I loved the plot, but the pacing was way too slow.” Get these problems solved right off the bat! |
Copyediting
This is summarized with the Five Cs: to make the copy clear, correct, concise, comprehensible, and consistent. Typically, copyediting involves correcting spelling, terminology, punctuation, grammatical, and semantic errors. Also, factual errors are corrected by copyediting. Traditionally, copyeditors mark the changes on the actual manuscript, but now, changes can be made in Word, using Tracked Changes. I leave the preference up to the client.
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Proofreading
This usually consists of a final polish to your manuscript. This includes checking for typographical, spelling, and formatting errors, using standard proof correction marks (see Chicago Manual of Style). Proofreading often includes light copyediting, depending on the job. |
