You do the writing; I’ll make it shine.
The message you want to communicate or the story you want to tell should be your focus. My focus is polishing your writing so that your message (or story) is communicated clearly and concisely while retaining your voice and style.
As writers, we know what we want to say and how we want it to be understood. Unfortunately, because we are so intimately familiar with it, we tend to not see the errors. Most errors aren’t caused by a lack of knowledge or ability but by how our brain focuses.
Our brain focuses on the big picture of the message, not the details. When we review our own work, we see what we meant to write rather than what’s actually there. That’s also why even editors need an editor.
A simple trick to catch and correct errors in your writing is reading it out loud. This forces your brain to focus differently and helps you see any errors. Try it, it’s a quick and easy way to improve your writing.
Of course, there’s more to copy-editing than catching typos and simple spelling and grammar errors. The goal of the written word is to convey an understanding to the reader. Copy editors keep the reader in mind and work to ensure the intended message is communicated in a way that will be understood.
Even the best writers occasionally, and unintentionally, obscure their message with overly wordy passages or complex constructions. These are some of the issues where a copy editor brings value to a project.
Unfortunately, some writers are reluctant to work with a copy editor either because of a previous bad experience or because they fear the copy editor will change their work too much.
I work under a simple, three-part philosophy:
- My job is not to put my mark on someone else’s writing but to make their writing better.
- If I can’t give a logical reason for a change, I won’t make it. In other words, I won’t explain a change by saying, “It just sounds better this way.”
- No surprises. I won’t make more than minor changes (correcting indisputable errors) without letting the author know.
I would be happy to help you with your writing project. I provide English language (US & UK) copy-editing and proofreading services, including working with English as a second language (ESL) writers.
To review the different levels of copy editing, visit Services.
To discuss your project or request an estimate, visit Contact.
