By Alissa Dedic
In my last post, we learned what a copyeditor does. In this post, we will learn about the different types of copyediting. Let’s keep in the mind the goals of copyediting: polishing and grooming the manuscript for publication and not harming the manuscript. A copyeditor doesn’t make up the rules. Rather, a copyeditor considers suggestions and revisions based on prescribed guidelines. Let’s dive in to the levels of copyediting and the different benefits they bring a manuscript.
There are three different levels of copyediting:
- Line or Mechanical Editing
- Substantive Editing
- Heavy Editing
These can also be called light, medium, or heavy editing.
The level of editing a manuscript receives is determined by the author. The author and the copyeditor agree on the level of editing before the copyeditor begins the editing process. This agreement is made after the copyeditor has seen the manuscript and completed a sample edit of a small portion of the manuscript.
Line or Mechanical Editing
This is a lighter edit of a manuscript. A copyeditor will check the accuracy of the manuscript’s grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and word usage. The format and style will be assessed for accuracy as well. If a confusing sentence is found, it may only be highlighted with a brief comment for the author to revise the sentence.
Substantive Copyediting
This is a medium edit of a manuscript. A copyeditor will check the accuracy of the manuscript as described in the previous section. Additional time will be spent checking for clarity, consistency, and comprehension. A copyeditor will highlight passages that aren’t clear, consistent, or readable. Some copyeditors will make a comment with a suggested revision for these passages, but others may only leave a simple comment for the author to revise the passage.
Substantive editing allows the copyeditor to check facts and sources in a manuscript. This is more than making sure names and dates are accurate. It is confirming that the facts are from reputable sources and not fake news or entertainment websites. This gives the author and the manuscript credibility and authority.
Heavy Copyediting
This level of editing is for a manuscript needing special attention. The copyeditor will preform the previously mentioned tasks and revise the manuscript. Authors who ask for heavy copyediting are more likely to be new to writing or not confident in their writing abilities. We all have stories to tell and messages to share. Poor writing skills shouldn’t stop us from sharing our voices and ideas. A copyeditor can help by highlighting the parts that need the most work and giving suggestions on how to revise it. A quality copyeditor will only offer this type of revision as a suggestion. The author owns the intellectual property in the manuscript. The author is the person who has the final say on how the ideas are expressed in the manuscript.
In this post, we have covered the three different types of copyediting: line or mechanical, substantive, and heavy. Keep in mind that the manuscript is the author’s intellectual property. The copyeditor may suggest revisions and changes but may not make revisions or changes according to personal taste and preferences. In my previous post, I shared that the copyeditor doesn’t make the rules. The copyeditor grooms and polishes the manuscript to fit prescribed guidelines. The copyeditor has two goals: not harming the manuscript and polishing the manuscript for publication.
Email me at elkcreekcontent@gmail.com to find out more about how I can polish your manuscript for publication.
Leave a Reply