Writers rarely produce their best copy on the first draft. If you meet a writer who claims to have the secret for doing so, please let the rest of us know!
First drafts – and second drafts, sometimes thirds – exist to hash your ideas out on paper. After you’ve revised your book, story, blog post or article until you can revise it no more, you just hand it off to your editor to clean up, right?
Well, that’d be ideal. But most of us don’t have the luxury of hiring an expensive editor to review our personal blog post It might even be hard to spend the money for book editing. Since procrastination is the writer’s best friend, you might not even have time to even ask a fellow writer pal take a quick peek for errors.
And so, in some cases, it falls on you to be your own editor.
How to edit: Follow these copy editing tips
You’ve got to learn how to edit. Is it really possible edit your own work when all the words you just finished writing are so precious? Yes! It can be done – and for the sake of making your writing stand out, it must be done. Either by you or a professional editor.
So pull up your most recently saved draft and get to work.
Here’s how to edit your own work.
1. Cut long sentences in two
I’m not talking about run-on sentences. Many long sentences are grammatically correct. But long sentences often contain several ideas, so they can easily lose the reader’s focus because they don’t provide a break, leading readers to get stuck or lose interest, and perhaps the reader might get bored and go watch TV instead.
See what I mean? If you spot a comma-heavy sentence, try to give each idea its own sentence.
2. Axe the adverbs (aka -ly words)
Adverbs weaken your copy because these excess words are not truly descriptive. Rather than saying the girl runs quickly, say she sprints. Instead of describing the cat as walking slowly, say he creeps or tiptoes. The screen door didn’t shut noisily, it banged shut.
Find a more powerful verb to replace the weak verb + weak -ly adverb combo.
3. Stick to one voice
Sometimes it’s necessary to use both first and second person, but that can be jarring for readers. For example, you might start your introduction talking about yourself, then switch halfway through the piece and start addressing the reader. Try to stick to “I” voice or “you” voice throughout one piece of writing.
If you must switch, start with one and finish with the other. Don’t move back and forth between the two. Your readers will get lost.
4. Remove extra punctuation
A powerful hyphen here and a thought-provoking semicolon there can be effective. But a piece of writing littered with all sorts of punctuation – parentheses, colons, ellipses, etc. – doesn’t flow well.
Many times you can eliminate these extra pieces of punctuation with commas or by ending a sentence and starting a new one. That makes your writing that much stronger.
5. Replace negative with positive
Instead of saying what something isn’t, say what it is. “You don’t want to make these mistakes in your writing” could be better stated as, “You want to avoid these mistakes in your writing.” It’s more straightforward.
If you find negative statements in your writing that contain don’t, shouldn’t, can’t or another such word, find a way to rewrite them without the “not.” That will probably mean you need to find a more powerful verb.
6. Replace stuffy words with simple ones
Some people think jargon makes their writing sound smart, but you know better. Good writing does not confuse readers. If they need to grab a dictionary to finish a sentence, your writing has room for improvement.
To get your point across, use words people are familiar with. The English language has thousands of words. You can certainly find a shorter or more common word in your thesaurus than a jargony one.
7. Remove redundancies
You don’t need to say the exact same thing with two words. Did you catch the redundant words in that sentence? Here’s a better version: you don’t need to say the same thing with two words.
Brand new, advance planning, basic necessities… the list of these common phrases is longer than this blog post. Check out About.com’s 200 Common Redundancies and then start snipping!
Sometimes sneaky redundancies are separated by an “and”. If you say your sentences are straightforward and to-the-point, they are neither – you don’t need both phrases. Your sentences are straightforward, or your sentences are to-the-point.
8. Reduce prepositions
Though prepositions (of, in, to, for, etc.) are helpful little words, they make sentences more lengthy because they cannot stand alone. Prepositions need lots of friends. By cutting the preposition and the words that follow, you can cut three, four or even five words. Sometimes a prepositional phrase can be replaced with just one more direct word, or cut completely.
An easy way to cut prepositions is to look for opportunities to make something possessive. The car of your neighbour is really just your neighbour’s car.
9. Cut “in order to”
You never need it. If you’re going to the kitchen in order to make a sandwich… your sentence could be tighter. Because you’re really going to the kitchen to make a sandwich.
That “in order to” makes it take a millisecond longer to arrive at the meaty part of the sentence, which means your story is dragging more than it needs to.
10. Don’t use “start to”
Did you start to walk the dog or did you walk the dog? Is the car starting to roll down the hill or is it rolling down the hill?
“Start to” is a more difficult phrase to deal with than “in order to”, because sometimes you do need it. But more likely than not, you don’t.
Rather than making “start” the active verb, use the verb that’s actually more active – like walking or rolling – to tell your story.
11. Get rid of “that”
In about 5% of your sentences (total guess from the grammar police), “that” makes your idea easier to understand. In the other 95%, get rid of it!
“I decided that journalism was a good career for me” reads better as “I decided journalism was a good career for me.”
12. Replace “thing” with a better word
Usually when we write “thing” or “things”, it’s because we were too lazy to think of a better word. In everyday life, we may ask for “that thing over there,” but in your writing, calling anything a “thing” does not help your reader.
Try to replace all “thing” or “things” with a more descriptive word.
13. Try really hard to spot instances of “very” and “really”
This is a very difficult one to remember. I almost never get it right, until I go back through my copy, and the word jumps out at me. Then I change the sentence to: “This is a difficult one to remember.” Because really, how much is that “very” helping you get your point across?
It doesn’t make the task sound more difficult. Same thing with “really”. It’s not a “really” difficult tip to remember. It’s simply a difficult tip to remember. Got it?
14. Make your verbs stronger
“Make” is sometimes used in the same way as “start to”, in place of what could be a stronger verb.
For example. “make it stronger” can be “strenghten”; “make it longer” can be “lengthen”; “make it tighter” can be “tighten” – the list goes on.
15. Ditch the passive voice
Passive voice sticks out to editors, but it can be difficult to notice in your own writing. Learning how to identify it and fixing these instances will make your writing stronger.
Here’s an example of passive voice: “The door was left open.”
To change that sentence to active voice, it would look like this: “Someone left the door open” or “He left the door open.” The idea is to be clear about who or what is executing the action.
If you want to get good at this, Reedsy has a solid post explaining passive voice.
16. Refer to people as “who” not “that”
John is the guy who always forgets his shoes, not the guy that always forgets his shoes.
It’s easy to make this mistake because “that” has become acceptable in everyday conversations. But it’s more noticeable when it’s written down.
17. Avoid “currently”
Pro copywriting tip: “currently” is always redundant.
Don’t write: “Tom Jones is currently a communications director.” Tom Jones is a communications director at that moment. You don’t need “currently” to clarify. Just get rid of it.
18. Eliminate “there is” or “there are” at the beginning of sentences
This is often a symptom of lazy writing. There are lots of better, more interesting ways to start sentences.
See how easy it is to make this mistake? Instead of starting a sentence with “there is”, try turning the phrase around to include a verb or start.
For example, replace the sentence above with “Start your sentences in a more interesting way.” If your copy includes a lot of phrases that begin with “there is” or “there are”, put some time into rewriting most of them.
19. Match up your bullet points
Bullet points are a popular and effective way to organize complex ideas. Just make sure your bullets correspond to one another.
Too often, writers mix and match mistakes with what you should do or transition to shoulds halfway through the post – which only confuses the reader.
If your piece is called Three Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make, here’s a bullet point that works:
Forgetting to tailor your resume each time you apply for a job
Here’s one that doesn’t work (because it’s not actually a mistake – the writer accidentally switched to what you should do):
Make sure you tailor your resume
You can turn most any idea into a tip by adding a verb. For example: “Remember that sitting on your head helps you write better.” Make your bullet points consistent and your writing will read more smoothly.
20. Use contractions
Which sounds more personable: “I am heading to the market that is close to my house”, or “I’m heading to the market that’s close to my house”?
Contractions make your writing sound friendlier, like you’re (not you are) a real person – that makes it easier to connect with readers.
Contractions can also make your post easier to read and comprehend. So go out of your way to include them in your posts! Your editor will thank you.
21. Steer clear of the “ing” trap
“We were starting to… ” or “She was skiing towards… ” Whenever you see an “ing” in your copy, think twice about whether you need it – because you probably don’t.
Instead, get rid of “were” or “was,” then eliminate that “ing” and replace it with past tense: “We started to… ” or “She skied towards … ” Pruning excessive “ings” makes your writing clearer and easier to read.
22. Check your commas with “that” and “which”
When used as a descriptor, the word “which” takes a comma, but the word “that” doesn’t.
For example: “We went to the house that collapsed yesterday” or “We went to the house, which collapsed yesterday.”
“Which” is generally the better one to go for grammatically.
23. Replace “over” with “more than” for numbers
Over 200 people did not like your Facebook page – more than 200 people did.
Of course, everyone will know what you mean if you use “over”. In fact, the AP Styleguide, which many journalists follow as the bible of style, announced a few years ago that “over” is now acceptable in place of “more than.”
But if we’re being really nit-picky, using “more than” instead is still one little detail that will help your writing shine.
24. Hyphenate modifiers
Whenever you modify a noun with more than one word, you need a hyphen. Lots of people don’t follow this rule, so it’s a great way to show you actually walk the walk.
That means you need a hyphen if you’re writing about full-time work. But you don’t need one if you’re working full time.
Got it? The exception: no need to hyphenate modifiers that end in “ly”. Those are OK on their own. So your newly hired employee doesn’t need that hyphen.
25. Identify your tells
No matter how good of a writer you are, when you sit down to write a first draft, you have a tendency to spit out sentences in a certain way or use certain words. The more familiar you become with editing your own copy, the more quickly you should be able to pick up on your tells. Therefore, the more ruthless you can be to eliminate them from your writing.
Book Me
All you have to do is get in touch! Just let me know the length of document you want edited or proofread, your timescale, if you have one, and the type of editing you require (please remember to include an email address). I will then email you a quotation (my prices are fully negotiable) and we can take it from there (remember to put COVID somewhere if you want the discounted rate)!
“I found Sara Davies of Prootheword through the findaproofreader.com website. I picked Sara because she had the experience that I was looking for, she could work flexibly and her quote for the work I wanted done was reasonable. Sending Sara the work was remarkably hassle-free and she was able to turn it around quickly. I would definitely recommend her services.” – Irene Shelley, editor-in-chief, Black Beauty & Hair magazine, UK [copy edited & proofread June/July issue of Black Beauty & Hair magazine, April 2019]
Just started work on the latest, June/July 2020, edition of Black Beauty & Hair magazine. I’ve been copy editing this magazine for over a year now. Therefore the editor-in-chief Irene Shelley, who regularly emails me, is clearly very happy with the work I’ve done so far!
Editing For All Who Need It
If you need any magazine, article, book, website, essay, dissertation or CV/resume edited, you know where to come. I can edit any Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Libre Office or InDesign document to an exceptional level, and annotate any PDF you require.
So why not contact me and let me know what you need editing? I will edit whatever you need. All you have to do is contact me (you can email [email protected] if you’re not happy with contact forms), let me know the word count of what you need editing and type of document it is, attach it if you want, and that’s it!
Book Me
I’ll then send you a quote of my price and we can take it from there. Once we’ve agreed a price, I will do the work and send the edited document back to you via email (or, if it’s a big file, via a dropbox, WeTransfer or whatever means you prefer).
You can then either pay me directly through your bank or through PayPal (all my details are on the invoice I will send you). I also have an IBAN and BIC, so international payments can be made.
It’s guaranteed you will be happy with the work I do! I will make any amendments you require at no extra charge. Happy customers are my reason to keep going, which is why I’ve been successful so far.
I was (until yesterday) working flat out, editing and proofreading a very long thesis by a PhD student. But I’ve now completed this work and am ready and willing to edit or proofread anything you want to send me.
I can edit any InDesign, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Libre Office or PDF (annotate) document you have. I’ll ensure it fits your requirements and is in perfect English. I know all the style guides (APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, etc), so can apply them if you let me know that is required.
I have edited many books, magazines, websites, dissertations, theses, essays, CVs and resumes, articles, blogs and so on. I will edit anything you have! All you have to do is get in touch.
If you have ANY text, document, email, blog, whatever, that needs editing or proofreading, please GET IN TOUCH! I am happy to lower my prices by a quarter during this coronavirus pandemic, so:
Proofread only, per 1,000 words: £11.25/US$13.25/€12.28
Proofread & edit, per 1,000 words: £15.00/US$17.68/€16.38
Proofread, edit & rewrite per 1,000 words: £18.75/US$22.00/€20.47
This rate will apply to anyone who contacts me (or via [email protected]) and enters COVID somewhere on the page. This discount will apply until this pandemic is over.
All you have to do is get in touch! Just let me know the length of document you want edited or proofread, your timescale, if you have one, and the type of editing you require (please remember to include an email address). I will then email you a quotation (my prices are fully negotiable) and we can take it from there (remember to put COVID somewhere if you want the discounted rate)!
Hope you all are ok out there and you haven’t been affected by CoVid-19 too much – except by not going out, of course!
I am still working and available to edit and/or proofread any document you may need. I have a special discount offer during this time, so please take advantage of it!
If you have ANY text, document, email, blog, whatever, that needs editing or proofreading, please GET IN TOUCH! I am happy to lower my prices by a quarter during this coronavirus pandemic, so:
Proofread only, per 1,000 words: £11.25/US$13.25/€12.28
Proofread & edit, per 1,000 words: £15.00/US$17.68/€16.38
Proofread, edit & rewrite per 1,000 words: £18.75/US$22.00/€20.47
This rate will apply to anyone who contacts me (or via [email protected]) and enters COVID somewhere on the page. This discount will apply until this pandemic is over.
All you have to do is get in touch! Just let me know the length of document you want edited or proofread, your timescale, if you have one, and the type of editing you require (please remember to include an email address). I will then email you a quotation (my prices are fully negotiable) and we can take it from there (remember to put COVID somewhere if you want the discounted rate)!
If you have ANY text, document, email, blog, whatever, that needs editing or proofreading, please GET IN TOUCH! Going a bit stir crazy here, so it would really help. I am happy to lower my prices by a quarter during this coronavirus pandemic, so:
Proofread only, per 1,000 words: £11.25/US$13.25/€12.28
Proofread & edit, per 1,000 words: £15.00/US$17.68/€16.38
Proofread, edit & rewrite per 1,000 words: £18.75/US$22.00/€20.47
This rate will apply to anyone who contacts me (or via [email protected]) and enters COVID somewhere on the page. It will apply until this pandemic is over.
If you need any magazine, article, book, website, essay, dissertation or CV/resume edited, you know where to come. I can edit any Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Libre Office or InDesign document to an exceptional level, and annotate any PDF you require.
So why not contact me and let me know what you need editing? I will edit whatever you need. All you have to do is contact me (you can email [email protected] if you’re not happy with contact forms), let me know the word count of what you need editing and type of document it is, attach it if you want, and that’s it!
Book Me
I’ll then send you a quote of my price and we can take it from there. Once we’ve agreed a price, I will do the work and send the edited document back to you via email (or, if it’s a big file, via a dropbox, WeTransfer or whatever means you prefer).
You can then either pay me directly through your bank or through PayPal (all my details are on the invoice I will send you). I also have an IBAN and BIC, so international payments can be made.
It’s guaranteed you will be happy with the work I do! I will make any amendments you require at no extra charge. Happy customers are my reason to keep going, which is why I’ve been successful so far.
As every other company seems to be doing it, I thought I would. This is to let everyone know that I am open for business, happy to do any editing or proofreading work you may need over the coming months.
I edit all sorts of documents – emails, blogs, CVs/resumes, essays, dissertations, theses, articles, magazines and books. I’ve edited them all and will continue to do so.
I can edit any Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Libre Office or InDesign document to an exceptional level, and annotate any PDF you require.
So why not contact me and let me know what you need editing? I will edit whatever you need. All you have to do is contact me (you can email [email protected] if you’re not happy with contact forms). Let me know the word count of what you need editing and type of document it is, attach it if you want, and that’s it!
I will then send you a quote of my price and we can take it from there. Once we’ve agreed a price, I will do the work and send the edited document back to you via email. If it’s a big file, you can send it via a dropbox, WeTransfer or whatever means you prefer.
You can then either pay me directly through your bank or through PayPal (all my details are on the invoice I will send you). I also have an IBAN and BIC, so international payments can be made.
I guarantee you will be happy with the work I do! I will make any amendments you require at no extra charge. I like having happy customers, which is why I’ve been successful so far.
“The edits look great” – Kevin Moran, father of writer, Republic of Ireland [edited & proofread son’s novel Christina’s World, February to March 2020]
Kevin is certainly happy with the work I’ve done, and I know you will be too once you book me!
I edit all sorts of documents – emails, blogs, CVs/resumes, essays, dissertations, theses, articles, magazines and books. I’ve edited them all and will continue doing so.
If you need any magazine, article, book, website, essay, dissertation or CV/resume edited, you know where to come. I can edit any Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Libre Office or InDesign document to an exceptional level, and annotate any PDF you require.
Contact
So why not contact me and let me know what you need editing? I will edit whatever you need. All you have to do is contact me (you can email [email protected] if you’re not happy with contact forms), let me know the word count of what you need editing and type of document it is, attach it if you want, and that’s it!
I will then send you a quote of my price and we can take it from there. Once we’ve agreed a price, I will do the work and send the edited document back to you via email; or, if it’s a big file, via a dropbox, WeTransfer or whatever means you prefer.
You can then either pay me directly through your bank or through PayPal (all my details are on the invoice I will send you). I also have an IBAN and BIC, so international payments can be made.
I guarantee you will be happy with the work I do! I will make any amendments you require at no extra charge. I like having happy customers, which is why I’ve been successful so far.
I’ve just edited the latest, April/May 2020, edition of Black Beauty & Hair magazine. It all went really well and the latest issue must be out very soon – go buy it!
This is the feedback I had from the editor-in-chief after editing my first issue, which was last year:
“I found Sara Davies of Prootheword through the findaproofreader.com website. I picked Sara because she had the experience that I was looking for, she could work flexibly and her quote for the work I wanted done was reasonable. Sending Sara the work was remarkably hassle-free and she was able to turn it around quickly. I would definitely recommend her services.” – Irene Shelley, editor-in-chief, Black Beauty & Hair magazine, UK [copy edited & proofread June/July issue of Black Beauty & Hair magazine, April 2019 onwards]
If you need any magazine, article, book, website, essay, dissertation or CV/resume edited, you know where to come. I can edit any Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Libre Office or InDesign document to an exceptional level, and annotate any PDF you require.
So why not contact me and let me know what you need editing? I will edit whatever you need. All you have to do is contact me (you can email [email protected] if you’re not happy with contact forms), let me know the word count of what you need editing and type of document it is, attach it if you want, and that’s it!
I will then send you a quote of my price and we can take it from there. Once we’ve agreed a price, I will do the work and send the edited document back to you via email (or, if it’s a big file, via a dropbox, WeTransfer or whatever means you prefer).
You can then either pay me directly through your bank or through PayPal (all my details are on the invoice I will send you). I also have an IBAN and BIC so international payments can be made.
I guarantee you will be happy with the work I do! I will make any amendments you require at no extra charge. I like having happy customers, which is why I’ve been successful so far.
This is my post for International Women’s Day (ok, I know it’s a bit late), as I am a woman running a small business, so I’m trying to do my bit.I run a freelance copy editing and proofreading business based in Southampton in the UK. I am happy to take on any work, whether it be an email, blog, CV or resume, article, essay, thesis, magazine, website or book. I’ve edited all of them and will happily carry on editing them all.
While I obviously work for local and national customers, I have regular international customers too. I will work with anyone from around the world. I accept payments through PayPal, so that shouldn’t be a problem for most of you.
If you have any document that needs copy editing or proofreading, then get in touch with me. I guarantee I will respond and do all I can to make your document(s) perfect. I have excellent English-language skills, and always work quickly and accurately. Most importantly, I will provide you with an exceptional service!
I guarantee a great service at a very affordable price. Just ask any of my previous customers and they will all vouch for me.
I will edit or proofread any InDesign, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, LibreOffice or PDF (annotate) document you have.
The most common answer: correcting misspelt words or adding a comma where it belongs. That’s somewhat correct, but only the tip of the iceberg. The editing process involves many sets of eyes and several layers to complete.
It’s important to understand the different types of editing to know what to expect from the process, especially for self-publishing authors. Why? The revision levels focus on specific individual needs, including stylistic and substantive content. For simplicity, we’ll divide editing types into four main categories: content and development, line, copy and proofread.
The Steps Simplified
Step 1: Content and Development Edit
The first step for most manuscripts is content and development editing – reviewing the meat of the story, plot and characters. Developmental editing tackles the following:
Flow;
Organisation;
Chapter (arrangement, length and number);
Character voices;
Dialogue;
Plot and subplot;
Pacing; and
Impact of POV (first, second, third or combination).
Content and development edits can and will sometimes result in revisions to chapter order or construction, and even additional chapters written. Do chapters alternate between the hero and heroine, shifting from first to third person point of view? Content editors eat that up! They’ll ensure the third POV is following singular or omniscient rules, and that the audience connects with the character.
Step 2: Line Edit
Line edits focus primarily on sentence and paragraph structure with attention to:
Words or phrases that are repetitious;
Restructuring sentences that are not complete or inaccurate;
Run-on sentences;
Usage of words that clarify meaning; and
Enhancing boring wording.
A line edit restructures sentences to elevate clarity and flow. Say there are two sentences describing something really important, but they don’t quite pull together. During this step, the line editor will take the two sentences apart and tease them until they read effortlessly.
Step 3: Copy Edit
The mechanics happen during the copy edit, focusing on specific rules, including but not limited to:
Grammar and punctuation;
Spelling nuances (for example, British English versus American English);
Capitalisation, hyphenation, italicision; and
When to use numbers instead of letters.
The copy edit can and should be automated using rules. Every editor uses two to three references to maintain consistency – specifically, a dictionary and a style manual. For fiction, the Chicago Manual of Style is widely used and accepted. Use of dictionaries should be selective to ensure spelling is primarily standard English wherever you reside or want your publication published. If you’re looking for an international or US audience, the Merriam-Webster dictionary is most common. If you’re aiming for a European or UK audience, I would recommend the Oxford English dictionary.
It’s also important to note, there are subtle differences between style manuals (APA, MLA, CMS, Chicago and so on), and dictionaries. This can be frustrating when semantics come into play about an edited final product. Using the same style manual and dictionary throughout will ensure consistency.
The copy editor can and should provide a style sheet, pointing out rules as they pertain to the revisions made. Familiarity with the Chicago Manual of Style is helpful, but the copy editor should provide the changes as they relate to the CMS for relevance as well as improving writing skills.
Step 4: Proofread
The proofread is the final, and hopefully, painless phase. A proofreader has the last shot at the manuscript and looks for:
Spelling errors;
Words that sound the same but are spelt differently;
Correct usage of quotation and punctuation marks;
Dialogue;
Missed words (of, and, the); and
Unwanted spaces.
Proofreading falls outside the technical realm of general editing. In-depth accounting for content and flow should occur before a proofread. A proofreader isn’t expected to critique or provide an exhaustive review.
A Few Pointers
It’s easy to see how manuscripts come together using this methodology, right?
There are common misconceptions. Content and development editors aren’t responsible for grammar and punctuation. Line and copy are often confused, although it’s clear that sentence structure and grammar rules are different focuses. The same problem arises with copy edits and proofreads.
Hopefully it’s clear why the editing steps don’t often occur out of order.
Every piece is essential. Sometimes steps are skipped or omitted. It’s also not unheard of to use multiple proofreaders to polish the final product. Regardless, several editing style combinations based on skill level are possible.
And Then There’s Everything Else
Editing a novel can be daunting. Knowing and understanding what to expect each step of the way is part of the process. Remember, when working with an editor, or as an editor working with a writer, stay open to suggestions and discussion. Sometimes discussing revisions sparks ideas.
Importantly, don’t rush the process. Editing is the last step of writing the novel. At best, it’s harrowing aligning calendars to finalise cover art, formatting, marketing and a million other tasks that coincide at the same time. Taking the time to work through these layers will deliver a sound product.
If you have any document that needs copy editing or proofreading, then get in touch with me. I guarantee I will respond and do all I can to make your document(s) perfect. I have excellent English-language skills, and always work quickly and accurately. Most importantly, I will provide you with an exceptional service!
I guarantee a great service at a very affordable price. Just ask any of my previous customers and they will all vouch for me.
I will edit or proofread any InDesign, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, LibreOffice or PDF (annotate) document you have.
