Line Editing

As a line editor, my job is to ensure clarity, consistency, and accuracy. I will carefully analyze each page, paragraph, and sentence to correct errors and make sure your text adheres to your specific style.

Ideally, this type of editing should be done after your plot, character arcs, and themes have already been developed and finalized. Remember: this is meant to refine the text on a paragraph and sentence level. The story itself won’t be changed in any major way.

More specifically, I will:

  • Restructure paragraphs to guarantee clarity and fluidity.

  • Make stylistic changes to develop the text’s quality and maintain the author’s voice (including eliminating clichés, filler words, and unnecessary repetition).

  • Check for consistency of small story details, such as dates, names, and characters’ descriptions (eye colors, hairstyles, clothing).

  • Correct grammatical and typographical errors.

  • Fix incorrect or missing punctuation.

  • Adjust the text’s format, such as extra spaces, missing indents, and inconsistencies in font or font size.

  • Work on style consistency. By default, I use the Chicago Manual of Style for American English and The Oxford Style Guide for British English. If you wish to use a different style guide, please let me know.

  • Create a style sheet. This is a document that works as a guide for editing your work. It includes the correct spelling of important elements like characters and places, definitions of unique words, and format specifics such as font or treatment of numbers.

Stylistic changes include the indiscriminate slaughter of filler words.

Turnaround times and other details

  • All the work is done on MS Word or PDF.

  • You will receive a marked manuscript, showing all the edits. You will know exactly what was added and deleted. Important edits will also be accompanied by comments explaining my thought process.

    You will also receive a duplicate of the manuscript, but without comments and with all the changes already applied.

  • I won’t share your work anywhere. Still, upon request, we can sign an NDA for your peace of mind.

  • This service includes a minimum of 2 revisions. More could be added at my discretion (no extra charge) if I think the text truly requires it.

  • Turnaround times will vary depending on the length of the text, but for reference, a 100,000-word manuscript will take me 3-4 weeks.

Sometimes the work doesn’t end after slicing a paragraph into pieces…
…we also put them back together properly…
…and nurse them back to tip-top health.

Interested? Book a free pre-edit talk and let’s figure out the best for your story.

Contact me!

Not what you’re looking for? Check my other services.