Developmental Editing

Developmental editing is defined as edits made directly in the document combined with marginal comments and written feedback designed to improve the logic, flow, and structure of the argument. It does not address syntax, wording, or other aspects of the manuscript that fall under the general umbrella of style and usage. Developmental edits are done before heavy line-edits, in a series of rounds.

“General note: Any professional editor should clearly redline all changes made to your work in Track Changes or the equivalent. This holds regardless of the kind of editing you are asking them to do for you. Do not accept work that has not been redlined. ”

Line Editing

Light line-edits are defined as minor revisions intended to address repetitious or awkward wording, improve flow, or smooth syntax. Such edits are often combined with copyediting as defined below. Light line-edits will not be made to every sentence in the document & their extent is at the discretion of the editor. Heavy line-edits are defined as any substantive cuts to the total word count, movements of paragraphs or subsections, and extensive intervention at the sentence level. Heavy line edits are done before copyediting, formatting, or citational editing.

Copyediting, Indexing, Citational Editing, & Formatting

  1. Copyediting is defined as the standardization of terminology and usage throughout a document as well as correcting any grammatical errors. For example, a copyeditor will make sure you use the exact same abbreviation for a given acronym over 500 pages of text. A good copyeditor will follow your authorial voice while imposing consistency and clarity (every comma an Oxford comma, for instance). Copyedtiing requires that the editor be provided with the entire manuscript and that the manuscript not be in need of any major revision.

  2. Formatting is defined as standardizing and bringing the manuscript in line with a given citational style’s guidelines for margins, subheaders, and so on.

  3. Citational editing is defined as correcting and standardizing the endnotes and bibliography to a given citational style (e.g., Chicago).

  4. Indexing is the process of creating a list of key terms in a manuscript and then assigning those terms “locators” (page numbers). A good index functions as a conceptual “map” of your book. An index must be created using final, typeset proofs from your publisher.