Services
A copy edit works with your document to make it the best version of itself. It is a comprehensive review for consistency, clarity, content integrity, and correctness.
The following outlines what you can expect when you hire me to copy edit your work:
Consistency
- Checking that tone and voice are consistent throughout
- Verifying terminology is used consistently and flagging terms that shift in spelling, capitalization, or usage
- Checking that headings and subheadings are consistent in style, capitalization, and parallel structure
- Reviewing lists for parallel structure and consistent punctuation
- Checking that formatting, including fonts, spacing, indentation, and recurring design elements, is consistent throughout
Language
- Checking for things such as subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, consistency and correctness in semicolon, colon, em dash, and en dash usage, sentence fragments, and run-on sentences
- Reviewing comma and apostrophe usage, including serial commas, introductory clauses, compound sentences, possessives, and contractions
- Flagging jargon, acronyms, or technical terms that may need to be defined for the reader
- Reviewing word choice for clarity and appropriateness to your audience
- Flagging wordy, awkward, or imprecise text and providing suggested revisions
Mechanics and style guide
- Applying the agreed-upon style guide (e.g., AP, Chicago, house style) consistently throughout
- Checking spelling of specialized terms and all proper nouns (including names and titles), capitalization for consistency and correctness, number formatting, and hyphenation for compound modifiers and terms flagged in the style guide
- Verifying consistent spelling of terms not covered by the style guide
- Reviewing abbreviations and acronyms for consistency and correctness
Accuracy
- Flagging questionable statements and factual inconsistencies
- Verifying terminology as needed
- Flagging faulty organization and gaps in logic
- restructuring or reorganization of content.
- rewriting sections or altering your voice beyond what's needed for correctness.
- fact-checking.
- formatting or preparing files for print or e-book production.
- proofreading (ensuring that the approved final copy is correctly rendered in type).
A line edit includes everything a copy edit does but takes it a step further with a more comprehensive examination of every word, sentence, paragraph, and section of your work.
With a line edit, you can expect all the services of a copy edit and the following:
Examining structural elements typical to your project type, such as beginnings, endings, chapters, sections, and paragraphs
Shaping effective transitions
Helping you decide what material supports your message and what to exclude
Offering suggestions for moving chapters or sections to accommodate a timeline, storyline, or the logical flow of content
Conducting heavier fact-checking
Identifying inconsistencies, misrepresentations, unnecessary repetition, and illogical transitions or conclusions.
Revising awkward, imprecise, or wordy sentences
Finding opportunities to vary sentence structure and length, enhancing the project’s flow through rhythm and pacing
Revising for the overuse of specific words, clichés, or repetitive or weak sentence constructions
A line edit from Inkling Editorial does not include
- writing transitions or moving chapters or sections.
- rewriting to remove repetition or fix inconsistencies.
An edit for AI writing targets the signals of AI-generated content. These often show up as repeated patterns, predictable structures, and the lyrical feel readers experience after reading one too many AI-written paragraphs in a row.
In an edit for AI writing, I will flag or revise for
- the repetitive use of words, phrases, and sentence constructions common to AI writing.
- gimmicky punctuation and sentence construction.
- the excessive use of lists of examples.
- general statements that circumvent the point of your claim.
- signposting language.
- repetitive paragraph structures that make writing feel generated.
- unnecessary generalizations.
- vague arguments, bloated language, and corporate speak.
- copy editing as described in "Copy Editing" above.
- line editing as described in "Line Editing" above.
- the removal of every single AI tell. AI learned these tells from human writing. Humans use these words, phrases, and constructions in their writing all the time. They only become problematic with overuse and repetition. Seeing them once or twice isn't a problem.
A customized approach to meet your specific needs, whether you prefer to provide detailed guidance throughout the writing process or want to hand off the project and trust me to deliver independently.
I specialize in turning complex information into clear, accessible content that informs and builds trust with your audience. Whether you're focusing on target keywords, a central message, or educational goals, I create content that supports your mission and expands your reach. From web articles to detailed guides, I deliver well-researched, professionally written material backed by credible sources, designed to clarify rather than complicate and to connect with readers at every level.