Editing and Proofreading

Gale was the first professional editor I'd worked with and she set the bar very high indeed.

Kathy Hopewell, author

Structural and developmental editing

Gale combines an unerring eye for grammatical detail with the ability to offer perceptive critiques covering plot, structure, characters, pacing and all the other vital elements.

Stephen Gardner, author

working on your text to make sure it is ready for publication and/or submission
looking at characterization, pace, structure, plot, point of view, language, commercial viability (fiction)
offering possible solutions to inherent issues in the text
suggesting restructuring or rewriting of material where appropriate
checking content flow, illustrations, facts, references and notes, commercial viability (non-fiction)
a general overview (critique) of the entire work, highlighting strengths and weaknesses within the text, as well as considering its suitability for a particular market/audience
drawing attention to possible legal issues or material that might require permissions
can also incorporate copy-editing (see below)
may involve elements of book doctoring

Structural/developmental editing (also known as substantive or content editing) can include:

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Copy-editing

I was very fortunate to find Gale having used numerous copy-editors in the past. … She understood precisely what was required from the onset, her communication not just excellent but empowering throughout. She made a joy of what is, normally, a very stressful experience for me.

Anton FitzSimons, author

Copy-editing (also known as line-editing) involves:

ensuring that your text makes sense, flows properly and actually says what you intended
scrutinizing spelling, grammar, punctuation, consistency
checking for anomalies/inconsistencies in the text
marking up your text for layout

It usually incorporates:

On-screen editing

editing straight onto an electronic version of your text rather than on to a printed version
inputting copy-editing changes from elsewhere onto an electronic version of a text

... as well as:

Styling

checking for consistency of spellings (British or American), subject matter, punctuation and layout markings
correct use of quotation marks and italics
accurate labelling of headings and subheadings, as well as picture captions (non-fiction)
ensuring conformity of abbreviations, such as inclusion or omission of full stops
complying with specific referencing systems, if applicable.

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Proofreading

Gale’s patient and painstaking proofread helped us to publish a complex, fully illustrated, high-quality book with complete confidence. The result speaks for itself.

Alan Boyle, Leannta Associates

Proofreading involves the following:

Checking your final draft for any remaining minor errors, inconsistencies or incorrect layout
Investigating your otherwise unedited text for grammar, spelling, punctuation and other textual and layout inconsistencies
Often confused with copy-editing, this is very much a final polish to your text and nothing more