Line Editing, Copy Editing, and Proofreading
All the layers of editing can be confusing to assess. Here’s a (very) general view of what line editing, copy editing, and proofreading focus on. This could help frame your editing needs. Start here, and the details of each phase are further explained subsequently. Feel free to send us a quick email or DM if further clarification is needed.
Line Editing – a review at chapter level.
Copy Editing – a review at paragraph level.
Proofreading – a review at sentence level.
Kerning Editorial Line Editing
Line editing is for both fiction and nonfiction projects and manuscripts. It focuses on chapter-level work where we help make every sentence count within the bigger picture of the piece. In the line editing phase, we review your copy line by line, refining the tone and ensuring a natural flow, making sure your voice and message remain effective across all chapters. Line editing includes re-writing at a sentence level to achieve a cohesive tone and style.
Here are some questions we ask ourselves as we conduct a line edit:
- Is the writer’s voice maintained throughout?
- Is the point of view (POV) consistent, and/or does the shifting of POV make sense to the overall message, pace, and story-telling style?
- If there are shifts in POV or tone, do they make the transition logically?
- Can clarity be better achieved with a different word choice?
- Can fewer words say the same thing for readability?
Line editing comes after a developmental or structural edit and before a copy edit. It applies to both fiction and nonfiction projects across all industries. We make sure the final product shows your creative talent in exactly the light you intend.
Kerning Editorial Copy Editing
Copy editing focuses on paragraph-level revision and we ensure consistency across the larger project or manuscript. See below for a detailed list of what our copy-editing services offer for both fiction and nonfiction work.
- Correct typographical errors, grammar, and syntax while maintaining the author’s style and voice
- Correct punctuation and dialogue tags
- Maintain consistent style throughout the document: spelling, capitalization, hyphens, ellipses, dates, spaces, indents, etc.
- Indicate continuity problems and offer suggestions
- Flag inconsistencies in content: names, years, ages, setting, motivation, and internal document facts from one page to the next
- Verify basic facts such as geography, dates, and accuracy of plot timelines
- Flag potential copyright issues when recognized, relating to photos, artwork, and other copyrighted material not owned or cited by the writer
- Flag repetition and offer solutions
- Indicate ambiguous content
- Indicate jargon and acronyms if the meaning is unclear
- Ensure citation format follows the agreed-upon style guide
- Meticulously follow style guides as requested
- Establish new style guides if required
- Set up complimentary word lists that will ensure consistency throughout the document and organization-wide communication
Kerning Editorial Proofreading
Proofreading is the final step before publishing and is preceded by several layers of editing. It is considered a final surface check. Proofreading is neither genre nor industry-specific and is applied to any form of copy including fiction and nonfiction work.
- Correct errors in grammar, syntax, spelling, and punctuation
- Ensure consistency in formatting, pagination, and typography (fonts)
- Correct capitalization, hyphenation, and incorrect word usage
- Surface fact check on any obvious notations
- Check for accuracy on graphs, tables, and illustrations
- Flag inconsistencies in color on web pages, book covers, and internal headings
- Maintain consistency of style guides