Editing
Reviews
I cannot thank you enough for the exceptional proofreading work you did on my book. Your keen eye for detail and the thoughtful feedback you provided have been invaluable. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with you on this project — my very first book.
As I look forward to publishing more works, I would be delighted to continue our partnership. Your expertise would be a significant asset to my future endeavors.
With many thanks, Chae Heon
Not sure what level of editing you need?
Proofread
Correct all errors in grammar, sentence structure, and usage, but ignore any forms of expression that are not outright errors.
Point out paragraphs that seem especially wordy or convoluted, but do not revise. Ignore minor patches of wordiness, imprecise wording, and jargon.
Ask for clarification of terms likely to be new to readers.
Copyedit
Correct all errors in grammar, sentence structure, and usage. Point out or revise any infelicities.
Point out any patches that seem wordy or convoluted, and supply suggested revisions.
Ask for or supply definitions of terms likely to be new to readers.
Heavy Edit
Correct all errors and infelicities in grammar, sentence structure, and usage.
Rewrite any wordy or convoluted patches.
Ask for or supply definitions of terms likely to be new to readers.
All three levels of editing include ...
Mechanical editing: consistency of spelling, punctuation, hyphenation, abbreviations, format of lists, etc.
Correlation of parts: check contents page against chapters; check numbering of footnotes or endnotes, tables, and figures; check alphabetization of bibliography or reference lists; read footnote, endnote, or in-text citations against bibliography or reference list.
Note: I have used the levels of editing in The Copyeditor’s Handbook by Amy Einsohn, 3rd ed. (with a couple of slight modifications) because they are so well presented there.