copy versus line editing

With so many kinds of editing out there, it can be confusing to work out exactly what you want or need for your manuscript. So let’s break it down a little!

copy editing

This level of editing is really the nuts and bolts of editing. At it’s most basic, it is the technical side of editing, meaning the focus in on this like errors with grammar or punctuation, spelling, etc. Some of that also involves the type of English the manuscript is using. There are differences between, for example, US and UK English that affect not just spelling, but punctuation, grammar, and style. It is the copy edit that makes sure those rules are followed.

But a copy edit also looks at a score of other things, like the following:

• checking formatting
• flagging continuity issues
• checking for accent consistency
• checking for naming consistency
• checking for character description consistency
• fact-checking
• flagging potential copyright issues

line editing

This level of editing is less technical and more about style. It’s about improving the readability of your manuscript by making suggestions about sentence crafting and word choice.

The following are some of the things that are a part of line editing:

• looking at the flow of sentences and scenes
• checking for point-of-view consistency
• ensuring there is no head-hopping between characters
• checking for redundancy or repetition
• looking at the pacing
• ensuring the mood/tone makes sense
• looking for continuity issues
• checking dialogue for structure, tone, ease of understanding
• looking at smooth transitions between scenes/chapters.

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While there are major differences between these levels, there is some overlap. This is why I choose to combine them in my offered services, creating a full edit for writers.