Editing: Consistency, Clarification, and Correction*
*An editor will advise when correction is required. It is the author's prerogative as to whether they choose to follow any recommendations.
Structural Editing (also known as Developmental or Substantive Editing)
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Structural editing involves assessing your article, thesis or manuscript for structure and flow of the content to ensure that it appropriately speaks to your purpose and reader. Structural editing may involve rewriting or reordering of text and focuses on content.
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In academic articles, it is important to ensure that your contention and results are clear to the reader. Often the structure of a sentence can imply more than one meaning.
In fiction, strong character and plot development, pace and voice are important factors.
Copy Editing
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Copy editing is performed to ensure accuracy, clarity and consistency throughout your manuscript. Attention is paid to grammar, spelling, tense, punctuation... the nuts and bolts of well written text. Copy editing does not involve substantial rewriting or alteration of voice.
Manuscript Assessment
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As your work is so important to you, it is often difficult to be objective. An editor can perform an assessment of your manuscript to assist you to move forward.
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This will involve providing a report addressing issues including (but not limited to) structure, plot, character, voice, point of view. Manuscript assessment does not involve copy or structural editing.
Fact and/or Reference Checking
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Fact checking is critical in non-fiction text but is also useful in fiction. Imagine that you have attributed a song to the incorrect band and that annoys your reader and diminishes their enjoyment of your work?
In academic articles, citations are a significant aspect, thus it is important to ensure citations and references are all present and correct.
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Proofreading
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Proofreading is a service usually performed just before publication to ensure consistency in styling conventions, spelling, formatting and so on. This ensures that your manuscript, article or thesis is ready for publication.
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Project Management
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If all of these different steps seems daunting, particularly if you are new to publishing, you may benefit from a project manager who can oversee the process and assist you to meet deadlines, ensure the appropriate permissions are sought, and help you through the highs and lows.*
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*Note, I will not secure a contract with a publisher on your behalf, I can assist you before you present to a publisher OR once you have secured a contract if permitted by the publisher.
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