O
Often, potential clients reach out to me to ask what I would charge to do a copyedit on their manuscript. I will answer their question but I always refer them to the Services & Rates page of my website. I do this for two reasons. First, I want them to see that my quote is the published rate on my site and not a fee I’ve pulled out of thin air. But the second reason is a bit more surreptitious. I want these folks to read the definitions of each level of my editorial services. Why? Because some of those seeking a copyedit for their writing aren’t ready for a copyedit. Their manuscript is far too rough, maybe even just a first draft.
In this article, I have extracted the details from my Services & Rates page to let you see what I do at each level of editing. My definitions are a conglomeration of multiple editing service sources and the definitions used by the publishers I’ve worked for.
Developmental Edit
A developmental edit has many nicknames: a deep-dive edit, a macro edit, or a big-picture edit. Whatever you call it, this is an organizational edit. At this early editing stage, I look at the presentation of the material in the entire manuscript. I might move chapters around, as well as large chunks of text within a chapter. I suggest how to plug holes in the material. I will:
make the chapter arrangement logical.
give the text a cohesive flow.
highlight jargon to be defined or eliminated.
check to assure the tone and language are appropriate to the purpose and audience.
Substantive Edit
A manuscript that I can do a substantive edit on is in overall good shape, clearer and more coherent than one requiring a developmental edit. A substantive edit addresses the flow of ideas within a chapter or sections within a chapter, the clarity of the ideas and information, and the quality of the prose. I make sure:
the work has smooth transitions between chapters.
we fill in missing content.