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Editing, copy-editing, copyediting, copy editing. Copyediting Services.
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Editing or Copy Editing.
Copy Editing, Line Editing and Content Editing
Copy editing
The aim of
copyediting is to ensure the copy is as clean as it can be
– clear, concise and easy to understand, consistent in
style, unambiguous, without verbosity or redundancies.
Copyediting's primary objectives are to:
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Make sure the writing is comprehensible and precise 
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Remove any padding and verbosity.
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Avoid flashy or showy language, or too many adjectives. Excessive use of adjectives vitiates the impact of the message.
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Check for consistency in tenses, names, titles, punctuation.
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Avoid repetition.
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Review the arrangement or flow – is the copy organized in an ordered, rational manner, or are the paragraphs in disarray?
The copy editor is
usually the last person to read a piece of writing before it goes for
printing or circulation. A writer creates the content, runs spell check
and perhaps does some cursory editing. The content editor then
goes through the writing, and may make some scattered changes,
concentrating mainly on how the content is expressed, than with the
mechanics or technicalities.
The copy editor is responsible for both content and mechanics.
In copy editing, a
copy editor checks for spelling errors, content errors and formatting
errors. The editor will also verify that names are spelled correctly,
and check for myriad ways to improve the copy. Most copy editors also
have to come up with catchy and accurate titles and sub-titles for the
articles.
Even with the help
of electronic copy editing, proofreading and writing style check, it is
clear nothing substitutes for a good copy editor. To emphasize - A copy
editor not only proofreads material but also offers suggestions for
editing the article's contents to improve readibility, enhance interest
or both.
To achieve this, a
good copy editor will not only have strong editing skills but writing
skills as well. In copy editing, an editor may need to reword a passage
to improve its deliberate message and impact, without altering the
writer's intent and connotation.
Content editing
Content editing
involves proofing or proofreading, verifying fact consistencies,
and, in some instances, includes programming for web page publication.
Basically, the content editor reads the written piece with special
attention to content accuracy and uniformity.
Content editing is done before copy
editing. A proficient content editor looks for inconsistencies or
contradictions in facts, conclusions, provisions or descriptions. After
content editing, copyediting is applied as a final polish, to correct
language usage errors.
Line Editing
Editing is not a
simple, straight-forward single process. It comprises of a series of
approaches, each with its own objective. As the term "line editing"
implies, a line editor peruses a written piece line by line, reading
each word and sentence. Each sentence is then edited for spelling,
grammar, tone, style or genre and uniformity.
In copy editing,
line editors also review word usage, identifying wrongly used words,
clichés, tautology, and non-sequiturs.
Following line
editing, which is an intermediate stage in the copy editing process,
the writing is then submitted to editors who edit the actual content
for any errors and oversights that compromise the quality of the piece.
Freelance Proofreading and Copyediting
Freelance
proofreaders and copy editors are those who offer line and content
editing on a self-employed basis. They usually check content for
language usage errors, inconsistencies, contradictions or construction
problems. Freelance copy-editing or content editing does not include
verifying the veracity of any facts in the article, only the
contradictions, if any.
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2002
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