|
Good
editing is a rare commodity these days. Grammatical
errors and misspelled or misused words pop up
everywhere, even in books from reputable publishing
houses. Sentences are often wordy and difficult to
decipher. These things detract from your writing and
give the reader a bad impression of your business. If
you are a student, you know that poor editing can lead
to poor grades. If you are a writer, you know that poor
editing often means rejection slips. WET Ink Solutions
can help.
We
offer a full range of editing services:
Proofreading
Basic editing
Substantive editing
Proofreading
This
is the most fundamental editing and is aimed not at
substantially changing the copy but to correct surface
errors. When we proofread, we:
correct
typos, misspelled and misused words;
correct
grammar (subject-verb agreement, sentence fragments;
run-on sentences);
correct
punctuation (commas, apostrophes, periods, semicolons,
hyphens);
ensure
consistency in spelling, style (abbreviations,
capitalization, dates, titles etc.) and tone;
flag or
eliminate mixed metaphors, ambiguous pronoun references
and misplaced modifiers.
Basic editing
This
is a level up from proofreading and, in addition to
everything done in proofing, includes:
correcting
incorrect or substandard usage (such as "can" for
"may");
checking
specific cross-references;
checking for
proper sequencing (such as alphabetical or numerical
order) in lists and other displayed material;
checking
geographical references for accuracy;
checking
numerals and math.
Substantive
copyediting
This
is heavy-duty editing. In addition to all the tasks
included in proofing and basic editing, we go over your
document to make sure that from the opening to the
closing the copy is clear, unambiguous and consistent,
and that it flows seamlessly from one thought to the
next and says what the writer intended.
Here’s a partial checklist of what we do:
eliminate
wordiness, triteness, and inappropriate slang, jargon
and figures of speech;
insert
active verbs and change passive voice to active voice
when needed;
ensure
smooth transitions;
ensure
parallel structure ;
move
sentences and paragraphs to improve readability;
ensure that
introductions, summaries, and headings accurately
reflect content;
eliminate
unnecessary repetitions;
delete or
flag ambiguous or incorrect statements;
move
sentences and paragraphs when necessary;
suggest
additions or deletions;
proofread
the final version after all the changes have been made.
|