COPY EDITING
Clarify your writing
Copy editing is the most common service required by writers of any kind. It strikes a balance between general improvements to the way a piece is writing and the finer corrections necessary to prepare a document for publication. Copy editing considers paragraph and sentence level changes rather than broader overall edits. It includes the fine detail changes as well.
Copy edits should be applied to any document that is being considered for publication, especially if it has only been seen by one set of eyes.
This service includes:
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An initial read of your document, and a summary statement.
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Any preparation work required, including reviewing relevant style guides, referencing requirements, or any notes from the author on voice, tone, or other requests.
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In-text notes explaining recommended changes to sentence structure, word-choice or other changes.
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Track-changed edits to your document with an eye for accuracy, consistency and clarity of expression.
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If necessary, detailed edits to references (if they are included in the initial quoted word count) using external software such as EndNote.
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Other incidental comments on structure or voice – but the focus will be on the paragraph and sentence level of the work.
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A style sheet that will be developed during the edit including broad assumptions (e.g. Australian or American spellings), stylistic choices (e.g. en-dashes or em-dashes), and other specific spellings.
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A talk through of the edits if requested, or any other kind of clarification, to ensure the recommendations are understood.
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Optional: Specific message simplification to reduce the number of words or focus on the core elements of your idea.