Service V
Copy Editing
The last technical stage before proofreading — catching every grammar, punctuation, and consistency issue that could break a reader's trust.
What It Is
Small errors. Big distractions.
By the time your manuscript reaches copy editing, the story is working and the prose is strong. Copy editing protects everything you've built from the small technical errors that pull readers out of the experience: a misplaced comma, an inconsistent character name, a timeline that doesn't quite add up. We go chapter by chapter through your manuscript, applying Chicago Manual of Style standards and documenting every correction in a clear, organized report — including a style sheet you can use for future work.
What's Included
Technical precision, chapter by chapter.
- ✦Grammar, punctuation, and spelling corrections
- ✦Dialogue formatting and mechanics
- ✦Character names, places, and terminology consistency
- ✦Timeline and factual continuity checks
- ✦Numbers, dates, and units standardization
- ✦Scene breaks, italics, and quotation mark consistency
- ✦Chicago Manual of Style applied throughout
- ✦Custom style sheet delivered with the report
- ✦Chapter-by-chapter organization for easy reference
- ✦Author Portal progress tracking throughout the edit
Transparent Pricing
Flat-rate pricing by manuscript length.
Copy editing is delivered as a chapter-by-chapter report — not as tracked changes in your manuscript file. Custom style sheets are accommodated on request.
The Process
Methodical and thorough.
Submit your manuscript
Send us your manuscript after developmental and stylistic editing is complete. Copy editing works best on prose that is already structurally and stylistically final.
Chapter-by-chapter technical review
We work through your manuscript chapter by chapter, applying Chicago Manual of Style standards and noting every grammar, punctuation, consistency, and formatting issue with a clear explanation.
Report and style sheet delivered
Within approximately two weeks you receive your chapter-by-chapter copy edit report plus a custom style sheet documenting name spellings, terminology, formatting decisions, and any style choices to carry forward.
Common Questions
Answers before you start.
Should copy editing come before or after proofreading?
Copy editing always comes before proofreading. Copy editing addresses technical correctness and consistency across the full manuscript. Proofreading is the final pass that catches anything remaining after the copy edit is applied.
Do you use Chicago Manual of Style by default?
Yes. Chicago Manual of Style is the standard for fiction publishing. If you've been working with a custom house style or have specific formatting preferences, let us know when you submit and we'll accommodate them.
What's the difference between copy editing and proofreading?
Copy editing addresses the full range of technical issues across an unformatted manuscript. Proofreading is a final check of a formatted, near-final document — it catches what slipped through the copy edit and any errors introduced by formatting. They're both important but serve different stages.
Not sure whether your story needs revision, repositioning, or a different path entirely?
Start with a diagnostic. Most authors discover the answer changes everything.