Polished prose: Why copyediting matters by donalee Moulton

Visit my BWL Author Page.

                                                        
When you’ve finished the first draft of a book, a weight is lifted. Some writers do a dance of joy. But even as we celebrate an important milestone, we remind ourselves that there is more work to be done. The book needs to be read – line by line – for consistency, conciseness, and clarity. That is the heart of copyediting.

Copyediting is like minor surgery, but the impact can be significant. At this stage, structural changes and in-depth revisions are not necessary. They have already been done. This next step in the editing process brings us from 30,000 feet into the weeds. It’s about polishing prose.

Editors Canada offers the following overview for stylistic editing, or line editing. Many consider this copyediting. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what we call it as long as we do it.

Stylistic Editing

Editing to clarify meaning, ensure coherence and flow, and refine the language. It includes:

• eliminating jargon, clichés, and euphemisms
• establishing or maintaining the language level appropriate for the intended audience, medium, and purpose
• adjusting the length and structure of sentences and paragraphs
• establishing or maintaining tone, mood, style, and authorial voice or level of formality

What’s a Copyeditor to do

Here are six areas of focus to help ensure our writing resonates with our audience and achieves our purpose.

Check for:

Clarity

• Long sentences
• Big words
• Uncommon words
• Meaning can’t be misunderstood
• Tone
• Readability

Transitions

• Between sentences
• Between paragraphs
• Movement in time, place, subject
• Usually short transition words like however, so, then

Concreteness

• Facts and figures
• Specific language
• Action verbs
• Active voice

Repetitiveness

• Ideas
• Words
• Summaries

Completeness

• 5Ws and How
• Emphasis on why
• Unanswered questions

Flow

• Logical
• Smooth
• Read out loud

I’ll give the last word to fantasy writer Patricia Fuller:

Writing without revising is the literary equivalent of waltzing gaily out of the house in your underwear.