Copyediting Services
Copyediting is a crucial step in the editing process, performed after developmental editing and before proofreading. This stage refines your manuscript at the word and sentence level, ensuring clarity, consistency, and correctness throughout.
What is copyediting?
Copyediting is a detailed, line-by-line review of your manuscript that focuses on both technical accuracy and readability.
This Includes:
Correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization
Addressing errors in syntax, usage, and sentence structure
Improving clarity, flow, and readability
Rewriting awkward or overly wordy sentences
Ensuring consistency in style, tone, and terminology
Light fact-checking of names, places, and dates
Aligning your manuscript with the Chicago Manual of Style (for fiction)
Cleaning up formatting and stylistic inconsistencies
Also Included: Light Stylistic Editing
My copyediting service also includes light stylistic editing (often referred to as line editing), focused on strengthening your writing while preserving your voice.
I will identify and offer suggestions to improve:
Repetition and inconsistencies in story or character
Info-dumping and head-hopping
Dialogue that feels out of character
“Telling” instead of showing
Confusing or unclear sentence and paragraph flow
Wordiness, unnecessary adverbs, clichés, and excessive dialogue tags
Consistency of voice and tone
When is your manuscript ready?
Your manuscript is ready for copyediting when:
You are satisfied with the overall story and structure
You have completed multiple rounds of self-editing
Major revisions are no longer planned
Copyediting prepares your manuscript for publication, so significant additions or rewrites should be completed beforehand.
This step is essential before querying agents, submitting to publishers, or self-publishing.
How much will this cost?
$0.02 — $0.03 per word
Copyediting services range in price depending on the manuscript’s length, complexity, and level of editing required.
I understand that editing is a significant investment. Arden Editorial offers interest-free payment plans and is happy to discuss flexible options to make services more accessible.