Services

The editorial service you need depends on the type, stage, and quality of the writing in your project. It may take a service or two (or three!) to get your work ready for the world.

Here, I summarize types of writing and editing as I define them, but in the publishing world, there could be some variation in how these tasks are described and named. (For context, my descriptions are fairly standard.)

These summaries are meant to give you a sense of the different stages of the publishing process, but understand that I don’t offer all these services—each requires a specific skill set, way of thinking, and type of energy.

I’m not a proofreader, and I’m not offering writing services at this time. I am taking on developmental editing projects, but not for academic works.

Writing

Writing is the use of research, interviews, experiences, and other kinds of information to generate written products, such as learning materials, essays, white papers, newsletters, biographical sketches, and articles.

Developmental editing

Developmental editing addresses how well a piece of writing fulfills the author’s vision and goals but also meets readers’ needs. A developmental editor writes an editorial letter, marks up the manuscript with comments, or does a combination of both. The editing process

  • focuses on overall content (Are there gaps in information that need to be filled? Is there tangential or irrelevant information that needs to be removed? Does the piece really do what you say it does? Are your arguments well supported?)
  • addresses structure, flow, and tone (Would a few paragraphs of a section—or an entire chapter—better serve the piece elsewhere? Does the work unfold in a way that makes sense, even if unconventional? Does the language convey your desired tone—for example, authoritative but approachable?)
  • offers suggestions for engaging and serving the audience (Do you include elements that keep readers interested until the end? Do readers find your work useful for their own purposes?)

Developmental editing—followed by the author’s revising—gets the content in solid shape before line editing and/or copyediting.

Line editing

Line editing is the artistic and stylistic refining of a manuscript. The objective of line editing is to craft the language to bring a piece to life. A skill that relies on the ear as much as the eye, line editing

  • concentrates on the sentence and paragraph levels;
  • suggests wording and syntax to support mood, flow, and pacing;
  • points out or removes extraneous words and unnecessary tangents; and
  • elevates language from bland to nuanced.

Line editing occurs after developmental editing and before—or along with—copyediting.

Copyediting

Copyediting focuses on the mechanical aspects of a manuscript for correctness, consistency, conciseness, coherence, and clarity, usually following the guidelines of a specific style, such as Chicago, APA, or AMA. Copyediting

  • corrects spelling, grammar, and punctuation;
  • smooths awkward sentence structure and cuts wordiness;
  • fixes improper word usage and assures consistency in facts and terms;
  • makes style and formatting consistent and proper, such as capitalization, punctuation, numbers treatment, citations, and references;
  • points outs—but does not correct—structural and tonal issues;
  • usually includes the creation of a style sheet for guidance during later stages of the publication process.

Copyediting happens after developmental editing and/or line editing and before proofreading. Some authors may opt for “heavy” copyediting, which addresses not only mechanical aspects (i.e., grammar, punctuation) but also some stylistic aspects (e.g., mood, flow) that would be addressed by a line edit.

Proofreading

Proofreading is the thorough reading and inspection of copy that has been set in its final form for publication. The proofreader marks up the print or digital document to indicate errors, often using a style sheet for direction. The markups inform the typesetter of corrections to make before publication. Proofreading

  • identifies minor errors and typos missed or created during copyediting; and
  • points out text misplacement and style errors introduced during formatting, file conversion, or typesetting.

Proofreading is the final step of the editorial process.

Educational content reviewing

Educational content reviewing ensures that teaching and learning materials are accurate in content, error-free in presentation, complete in the coverage of key terms and concepts, and clear in language and instruction. Educational content reviewing

  • ensures pedagogically sound instructional tools,
  • makes materials more concise and clear,
  • targets an appropriate reading level, and
  • adjusts content to an appropriate difficulty level.

Conscious language* reviewing (equity and justice reviewing)

Conscious language reviewing examines content through a lens of humanity. The reviewer identifies language and framing that dehumanizes, disrespects, or disempowers through insensitive, inaccurate, or exclusionary wording, images, or perspectives. The reviewer also briefly explains these issues, provides resources for informed decision-making, and offers suggestions for remediation, including advising authors of evolving terminology or ongoing debates. This guidance allows authors to choose current, accurate, and respectful language that values people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences.

* The concept and term conscious language—coined, developed, and championed by Karen Yin—refers to the “flexible approach to language that includes, respects, and empowers” (The Conscious Language Style Guide, 2024).

Multiple services

Some projects require more than one type of editing. For instance, you may request a developmental edit to improve the structure and content of a manuscript, then a copyedit to clean up the revised manuscript. Or your manuscript may need both copyediting and proofreading. For the freshest eyes and greatest objectivity, it’s generally best to contract different editors to complete these tasks.

If you do end up hiring the same editor for two stages of editing that are normally challenging to conduct one after the other, allow ample time between the stages for the editor’s perspective to refresh. Content reviewing for pedagogy or conscious language, however, can be done along with copyediting or line editing.

What (Not) to Expect

I’m not perfect. No editor is. But expect me to be in your corner working hard with you to make your writing shine in every way possible.

I don’t use artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate, edit, or review text. Every word, correction, suggestion, and assessment offered is mine.

I don’t edit fiction. That area requires a skill set I haven’t developed, but I’d be happy to direct you to editors that do.

Questions? Let’s talk.