There are many different types of editing, and there are no definitive industry standards for which types of editing include which skills and services. (We can’t even decide between: copy editing and copyediting.) At Writing is Thinking, you’ll find three tiers of sentence-level editing, arranged here from lightest to heaviest. Any level can be combined with developmental editing, which addresses content, organization, and bigger picture feedback. Each of these tiers has something unique to offer depending on which stage your writing is at.
With every tier of editing, you will benefit from the signature Writing is Thinking approach. I take your sentences seriously, and I recognize that small changes to sentences make big changes to the ideas being expressed. I aim to help you identify and articulate exactly what you want to say.
Three Tiers of Editing
Basic Copyediting includes:
- Editing for accuracy
- Grammar, word choice, punctuation, capitalization, consistency of terms, etc.
- Proofreading, or editing for correct formatting
- Headings, spacing, page numbers, font consistency, etc.
Light Line Editing includes:
- Basic Copyediting plus:
- Light sentence smoothing for clarity and flow
- Eliminating passive voice, repairing vague pronouns, ensuring parallel constructions are consistent, breaking up long sentences, ensuring sentence clauses are accurate and clear, etc.
- Marginal comments indicating sentences that need more revision by the author
- Meaning unclear, awkward grammatical phrases, sentences that need to be unpacked into multiple sentences, word choice that needs more consideration etc.
Heavy Line Editing includes:
- Basic Copyediting plus:
- Light Line Editing plus:
- Maximal sentence smoothing for ease of reading
- I revise your sentences for you to accept, revise, or reject changes.
- Restructure sentences for emphasis, brevity, and clarity; provide strong verbs; reorder sentences when helpful; ensure variety and flow in sentence length; tighten prose, etc.
Developmental Editing Add-On includes:
- Marginal comments about the content of your writing
- reader reactions and questions; paragraph- and section-level organization; comments about the logic of transitions; comments about sections that need to be clarified, shortened, or expanded; comments about content that could be added or removed from intros and conclusions, etc.
- Can be combined with any level of sentence editing.
Every option includes a corollary “editor’s notes” document with anything I notice about your writing tendencies (commonly used words, phrases, or sentence structures, etc.)