Copyediting & Proofreading
Once your manuscript or other document has been through the macro-editing stages, and the overall content has been finalized, it's time to move on to the micro-editing stages. This includes line editing, copyediting, and proofreading, to check your writing for rhythm, voice, accuracy, clarity, and consistency at the sentence and word level. PostScripts offers these services for full-length fiction and nonfiction book manuscripts in almost any genre, as well as for shorter writing projects that require a polished, professional look.
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Light, medium, or heavy edit of the mechanics of text to ensure accuracy, consistency, and clarity with message, grammar, syntax, punctuation, style, word usage, spelling, treatment of numbers, etc.
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The final set of eyes on your document before publication, to check for any errors, typos, and inconsistencies with spelling, punctuation, capitalization, style, formatting, etc., as established in the copy edit.
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Line / Copy Edit
Once you're confident in the final structure and content of your document, the next step is to fine-tune the text with a line and/or copy edit. This is where all of your sentences and words are checked for proper grammar and punctuation and to make sure your intended message comes across accurately to the reader. It also checks for consistency with style, capitalization, spelling, formatting, and treatment of numbers. Sentences may be rewritten for better flow or rhythm, to avoid redundancies, to ensure proper word usage and clarity, and for consistency with voice and tone. This is done following a specific style guide, such as Chicago Manual of Style (usually for book manuscripts), AP Stylebok (for many magazines or online content) and dictionary. While some editors separate line editing and copy editing as two different, distinct stages of editing, there is enough crossover between them that I blend them into one type of editing with multiple rounds. Below is a list of everything included in my line/copy edit:
Full-Length Book Manuscripts
[Any type of fiction, memoir, or nonfiction over 30,000 words]
Prerequisites: Your manuscript should be complete in structure, organization, and content. If you have not had a developmental edit or other type of macro-level review, you may not be ready for a copy edit. I will need a sample from the beginning, middle, and end to determine whether you will need a light, medium, or heavy edit.
Estimated turnaround time: 3 - 8 weeks, depending on length and needs of manuscript, and time for author's revisions.
Rate: $0.03 to $0.045 (3 to 4.5 cents) per word, determined based on your sample writing and scope of edit.
Shorter Writing Projects
[Any document under 30,000 words: short story, essay, magazine article, op-ed, blog post, dissertation, print or email newsletter, brochure, website, etc.]
Prerequisites: Completed document, with content already edited.
Estimated turnaround time: Depends on length of document and schedule availability.
Rate: Base rate of $75, plus $0.04 to $0.05 (4 to 5 cents) per word.
- Line-by-line edit of the full manuscript/document to check for style, consistency, formatting, word usage, syntax, grammar, spelling, punctuation, repetition, redundancy, and generally making sure your words and sentences express your intended meaning
- Light fact-checking, as needed
- Basic formatting (if not already done) using MS Word’s Styles feature for chapters, headings, spacing, font style, indentation, and section breaks
- Suggested edits and notes marked directly in manuscript with Word’s Track Changes
- Editorial letter with general feedback and detailed summary of suggested edits
- Style sheet creation with details of formatting, grammar, spelling, and punctuation decisions; MS-specific lists for words, places, and characters/people; notes for proofreader and layout designer
- Detailed instructions for addressing/reviewing edits
- Second review after author’s revisions, to implement approved edits and edit any new/revised text
- Final document clean-up
Full-Length Book Manuscripts
[Any type of fiction, memoir, or nonfiction over 30,000 words]
Prerequisites: Your manuscript should be complete in structure, organization, and content. If you have not had a developmental edit or other type of macro-level review, you may not be ready for a copy edit. I will need a sample from the beginning, middle, and end to determine whether you will need a light, medium, or heavy edit.
Estimated turnaround time: 3 - 8 weeks, depending on length and needs of manuscript, and time for author's revisions.
Rate: $0.03 to $0.045 (3 to 4.5 cents) per word, determined based on your sample writing and scope of edit.
Shorter Writing Projects
[Any document under 30,000 words: short story, essay, magazine article, op-ed, blog post, dissertation, print or email newsletter, brochure, website, etc.]
Prerequisites: Completed document, with content already edited.
Estimated turnaround time: Depends on length of document and schedule availability.
Rate: Base rate of $75, plus $0.04 to $0.05 (4 to 5 cents) per word.
Interested in a copy edit for your manuscript or other document?
For full-length book manuscripts: start with scheduling a free 30-Minute Copy Chat to tell me more about your project, preferred timeline, and publishing goals.
For shorter writing projects: please submit a Misc. Editing Inquiry.
For full-length book manuscripts: start with scheduling a free 30-Minute Copy Chat to tell me more about your project, preferred timeline, and publishing goals.
For shorter writing projects: please submit a Misc. Editing Inquiry.
Proofreading
If the content of your document has already been reviewed for voice, tone, clarity, and efficacy of the message, and a specific style has been applied, a proofreading will check the text for typos and mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. It will also check for accuracy and consistency with design, style, and formatting (such as heading and typeface styles, pagination, photo captions, etc.). For book publishing, this is the last stage of the editorial process, the final set of eyes on your manuscript before it goes to print or to an agent or acquisitions editor.
If you are self-publishing a book, this is a very important step and one that many indie authors skip. Please do not skip this step! It can make all the difference in how your book is perceived and reviewed. For e-books, the proofreading can be done in the Word document, before converting to EPUB files, or you may want to have the proofreading done after file conversion to ensure the text and style display properly in the new format. For print books, it's a good idea to have the proofreading done after the interior layout is designed and in PDF format.
For traditional publishing, it is not required to hire a proofreader before submitting to an agent or publisher. However, be aware that they are inundated with new manuscripts every day (thousands per year!). This means they are looking for manuscripts that will be not only marketable but the least amount of work for them. If you want your document to be squeaky clean before submitting and stand out in the slush pile, you might consider this service. Many publishers and agents have specific guidelines for manuscript submissions, so a proofreader can also ensure your manuscript meets any formatting requirements.
Full-Length Book Manuscripts
[Any type of fiction, memoir, or nonfiction over 30,000 words]
Prerequisites: Ideally, your manuscript has been edited for content, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc., and your copy editor created a style sheet specific to your project. A style sheet facilitates the proofreading by making it faster and more accurate. If your copy editor did not provide a style sheet, that will be factored into your rate. I will also need to see a sample from the beginning, middle, and end of your manuscript.
Estimated turnaround time: 1 - 3 weeks, depending on length of manuscript.
Rate: $0.02 to $0.025 (2 to 2.5 cents) per word, determined based on previous editing, style sheet status, and word count.
Shorter Writing Projects
[Any document under 30,000 words: short story, essay, magazine article, op-ed, blog post, dissertation, print or email newsletter, brochure, website, etc.]
Prerequisites: Completed document, either in Word or Google Docs.
Estimated turnaround time: Depends on length of document and schedule availability.
Rate: Base rate of $75, plus $0.02 to $0.025 (2 to 2.5 cents) per word
If you are self-publishing a book, this is a very important step and one that many indie authors skip. Please do not skip this step! It can make all the difference in how your book is perceived and reviewed. For e-books, the proofreading can be done in the Word document, before converting to EPUB files, or you may want to have the proofreading done after file conversion to ensure the text and style display properly in the new format. For print books, it's a good idea to have the proofreading done after the interior layout is designed and in PDF format.
For traditional publishing, it is not required to hire a proofreader before submitting to an agent or publisher. However, be aware that they are inundated with new manuscripts every day (thousands per year!). This means they are looking for manuscripts that will be not only marketable but the least amount of work for them. If you want your document to be squeaky clean before submitting and stand out in the slush pile, you might consider this service. Many publishers and agents have specific guidelines for manuscript submissions, so a proofreader can also ensure your manuscript meets any formatting requirements.
Full-Length Book Manuscripts
[Any type of fiction, memoir, or nonfiction over 30,000 words]
Prerequisites: Ideally, your manuscript has been edited for content, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc., and your copy editor created a style sheet specific to your project. A style sheet facilitates the proofreading by making it faster and more accurate. If your copy editor did not provide a style sheet, that will be factored into your rate. I will also need to see a sample from the beginning, middle, and end of your manuscript.
Estimated turnaround time: 1 - 3 weeks, depending on length of manuscript.
Rate: $0.02 to $0.025 (2 to 2.5 cents) per word, determined based on previous editing, style sheet status, and word count.
Shorter Writing Projects
[Any document under 30,000 words: short story, essay, magazine article, op-ed, blog post, dissertation, print or email newsletter, brochure, website, etc.]
Prerequisites: Completed document, either in Word or Google Docs.
Estimated turnaround time: Depends on length of document and schedule availability.
Rate: Base rate of $75, plus $0.02 to $0.025 (2 to 2.5 cents) per word
Is your manuscript ready for Proofreading?
For full-length book manuscripts: start with a Manuscript Proofreading Iquiry to provide details about your project, preferred timeline, and publishing goals.
For shorter writing projects: please submit a Misc. Editing Inquiry.
For full-length book manuscripts: start with a Manuscript Proofreading Iquiry to provide details about your project, preferred timeline, and publishing goals.
For shorter writing projects: please submit a Misc. Editing Inquiry.
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Tell me your story and let's find out!
Tell me your story and let's find out!
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