Editing Services
The term “editing” can be confusing, because there are a number of different types of editing. At WordeHorde Editing, we do Structural, Stylistic and Copy editing, as well as Proofreading. Here are the definitions as laid out on the Editors.ca website; you can read the whole document here.
Structural editing
If you have a first draft of your piece/manuscript, you may want advice on big picture issues. In the case of a novel, we would look at structure, chapters, story arc, characterization and other ‘big picture’ elements. In the case of an academic piece, we would check for clarity of argument, appropriate use of sources as evidence to back up those arguments, and originality of focus.
Stylistic editing
This involves ensuring that the language is appropriate for the target audience, checking for consistency in style and tone, eliminating jargon and sexist language, clichés, and more.
Copy editing
Copy editing looks at your manuscript on a more granular level and involves correcting grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors, checking for consistency in style (including British/Canadian/US spelling), sentence and paragraph length, and other stylistic elements. If your piece has gone through several drafts, it may only need a thorough copy edit.
Proofreading
This is the final stage before publication, and only applies to manuscripts that have already gone through the copy editing process. Proofreading generally involves checking the material when it is in its final proof stage in order to correct errors in spelling, punctuation, spacing, and pagination. The proofreader also checks for the correct placement of visual elements, and for consistency in headings, captions, hyperlinks, and metadata.
Since every project is different, we can quote only after seeing part of your manuscript and assessing your goals for it in an initial consultation. The process would start with an assessment of your manuscript and how much work it needs. You might choose to opt for coaching in order to do more of the work yourself; or you could let us give you more thorough and detailed feedback with specific suggestions.
Free evaluation
Not sure what you need? We can help you figure it out. Submit 5 pages* of your prose and we will offer you feedback, with an estimate of what you will pay if further work is needed. This can help us identify what kind of editing you would need and how extensive the work might be.
*Please note: A manuscript page is a letter-size page in 12 point font Times New Roman, double spaced, with 1″ margins all round.
WordHorde workshops
We hope to hold one-day writing workshops in the near future. Watch this space for details!
WordHorde Editing 