In contrast to a line edit which focuses on sentence structure and the way you use language to tell a story, a copy-editor looks at the technical aspects of your writing. Copy-editing is a rule-based task which looks at your use of style and requires a deep understanding of British and American English usage.

As copy-editing is a rule-based task, your copy-editor should work with you to clarify which rules and principles apply to your manuscript. My personal approach is to analyse your manuscript for any preferences: ise vs ize, UK vs US spelling, three dots vs proper ellipses, hyphen vs en-rule, etc. I would then clarify these findings with you before starting work on your manuscript.

What will I do?

The general focus of attention during the copy-editing phase will be:

• • Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax
  • Style consistency in spelling, hyphenation, numerals, fonts, capitalisation
  • Extraneous words, sentences, and phrases
  • Internal consistency in the plot, setting, and character traits
  • Repetition of words and phrases
  • Correct and consistent dialogue punctuation

The copy-edit is the third phase of the editing process and should follow the line edit and come before the final proofread. As with the line edit, when complete, I will return two copies of your manuscript. One copy will be the original manuscript showing the tracked changes and my suggestions. The other will be the manuscript with changes and suggestions accepted so you can see the effect they have on your story.