Grammar Guru Custom Editing and Writing Services
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What editing service do you need?
A qualified editor will always ask what kind of service you want, to make sure everyone understands the expectations. I categorize editing into three types: proofreading, copy editing and deep editing.
Proofreading takes the least amount of work. It involves a careful, word-by-word reading of the material for typos, misspellings, style changes or simple grammatical errors. Proofing is done at the end of the process, and usually at least twice before any document is ready for final printing.
Copy editing includes the same goals as proofing, but takes a more in-depth look at the writing. The copy editor also watches for awkward sentences, questionable paragraph construction, factual errors, and other issues that may require minor rewriting. The copy editor will clean up many errors that a proofreader would also catch, but corrections by the author might introduce new errors, so proofreading will still be needed.
Deep editing is usually done at the first-draft stage. Proofreading is irrelevant because substantial changes are still ahead. The deep edit asks deeper questions that vary with the type of writing. In prose fiction there might be concerns about character consistency, gaps in the plot, or whether the central conflict is believable. Poets might get feedback about appropriate figures of speech, clarity of ideas, or perhaps rhyme and rhythm. Academics might be pressed to document more sources or clarify the thesis.
An author might reqest deep edits from several people. An action-adventure novelist could ask an editor about plot progression while also asking a police officer-friend if a character is believable. A psychologist would ask a fellow psychologist for a critique of the ideas while a professional editor offers direction on clarity and organization. Professional editors, after all, only know so much about the world. But what they do know is writing, and they can be relied upon for professional feedback at any stage.
Note: The Grammar Guru also offers TUTORING, ghost writing, professional photography and other services related to publishing. Email me if there's something special you need.
