SUBSTANTIVE EDITING

A substantive edit is time consuming, demanding a careful and comprehensive look at the development of your ideas (for academic writing) or plot structure and character development (for creative writing). When we read for development and content, we do so from a high-altitude point of view, because the details are not as important. Not yet. Here are the questions we ask ourselves when doing a substantive edit:

Academic Writing:

• Does the author present ideas clearly and logically?
• Are the ideas satisfyingly developed?
• Does the manuscript achieve its intended purpose?
• Do any sections need revising for readability?
• Is the tone and style appropriate for the intended audience?
• Does it remain consistent in its approach?
• Is the length of the manuscript appropriate?
• Are the chapters and sections organized effectively?
• Are there any noticeable gaps in the content/argument? Is there research missing? Is it well-defended?

Creative Writing (fiction, memoir, etc.):

• Are the opening pages likely capture the reader’s interest?
• Is the ending satisfying and/or well-motivated?
• Are the characters well drawn and nicely developed?
• Is the plot believable (considering the genre)? Does the writer achieve verisimilitude?
• Do the passages strike the right balance of emotional expression (is it too melodramatic or cloying, for instance?) for their events?
• Are the descriptions purposeful and not seemingly self-indulgent?
• Are the points of view and tenses consistent?

COPYEDITING

Once your content is developed and organized, you may need a copy editor. A copyedit is the most common type of editing. It is done in preparation for publication, the penultimate step. Copyediting requires close reading, line-by-line. It still cares about your content and organization, however. It offers corrections in grammar, style, usage, diction, cohesion and voice consistency. Be aware that your manuscript may require light, medium, or heavy copyediting, which is why our prices vary. It is best to consult with us to find out where your manuscript stands.

In a copyedit, we ask ourselves questions like these: 

• Are all sentences grammatically correct and well-structured? (for creative writing, this can change according to character’s voice)
• Are the rules for certain words, titles, numbers, and abbreviations applied consistently?
• Is the writer’s (or narrator’s) unique voice strong? Is it consistent throughout?
• Do the sentences convey their meaning with clarity and precision (word choice)?
• Is the formatting, labelling, footnotes, endnotes, tables, front and back matter correct? (This does not include checking facts or indexing; those are tasks separate from copyediting.) 
• Are the characters well drawn and nicely developed?
• Is the plot believable (considering the genre)? Does the writer achieve verisimilitude?
• Do the passages strike the right balance of emotional expression (is it too melodramatic or cloying, for instance?) for their events?
• Are the descriptions purposeful and not seemingly self-indulgent?
• Are the points of view and tenses consistent?
• Is the protagonist sympathetic, whether flawed or not?
• Is the story predictable? Cliched? How can it be made more surprising?
• Is the antagonist (if there is one) believable? Or is the character too one-dimensional and/or not well-motivated?
• Does the story build enough tension to hold the reader’s interest?

PROOFREADING

Whereas copyediting cares about substance, proofreading is all about looks. This is why proofreading costs you less. You are ready for proofreading once your content and sentence-level writing are essentially error-free and when you’re ready to format or typeset your manuscript. At this stage, we format the manuscript in the way it will appear when it goes to press. All you need is a read-through to make sure all of your i-s are dotted and your t-s are crossed.

Here’s what we look for:

• Readability
• Misspellings 
• Typographical and punctuation errors 
• Technical inconsistencies not corrected or caught in the text earlier 
• Adherence to preferred manual of style (e.g., APA, Chicago, MLA or house style)
• Any errors a regular reader might notice 

Proofreading is a laborious, detailed process. Even after a professional proofread, it’s wise to revisit your work and to have multiple readers look for any typos or errors (ideally, fresh-eyed folks not yet familiar with your text). Sometimes, proofreaders contracted by the press taking up your project will introduce errors. The more technical and complicated the work, the more this is likely to happen. You must stay on top of them. We understand! We had this experience with our book on David Lynch. There can be plenty of back-and-forth at this stage, and just when you think your hard work should’ve ended. But it’s all worth it when you finally get to hold that complimentary copy in your hands.