Editing is the most crucial part of the writing process. It determines whether your reader sticks with you or bails out of the boring ride. Editing is where the struggle over what to keep and what to leave out molds and shapes your project.
Once you have piqued your reader’s interest in your work, you are obligated to keep that same dynamic energy throughout their time spent with you or risk losing a reader and a fan. Your word choice is the determining factor.
There are several types of editing, and the type you need is dependent on the quality of your manuscript and where you are in the writing process.
Helping Writers Write only does two types of editing, and they are both designed to polish your work to perfection. They are Copy Editing and Line Editing.
Copy Editing
Copyediting is a light form of editing that applies the finishing touches to your work. The copyeditor reviews your work, fixing any mechanical errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
A copyeditor has three responsibilities. The first is to correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word usage. The second is to ensure their proper consistency over the entire manuscript, often following a specific style guide (we use The Chicago Manual of Style). The third is to correct or improve the formatting of your text.
The copyeditor makes sure your writing is accurate, clear, and correct. A copy editor will catch the mistakes you missed. After you have poured over your work for weeks, months, and even years, you will likely see what you thought you wrote. The second set of eyes will improve your manuscript’s quality and improve your reputation as an author.
Full-length Manuscript Copyediting
50,000 words (max)
$3,000
Line Editing
Line editing focuses on how you communicate your ideas by analyzing the construction of your writing closely, literally line-by-line. Line editing examines the whole story making sure it all works well.
The line editor considers word choice and the power and meaning of a sentence. Line Editors look closely at how a writer’s word choice and syntax contribute to a piece of writing’s tone or emotion.
Line Editors also consider whether a sentence needs to be trimmed or tightened. A Line Editor is also concerned with the overall pacing and logical flow of a piece. The line editor and the writer form an alliance, work together to talk through the edits, resolve disputes, and address questions about the writer’s intent.
In the end, the manuscript is made significantly better because of this teamwork.
Full-length Manuscript Line Editing
50,000 words (max)
$3,500