When you are happy with your final draft and ready to fix US English mechanical errors and inconsistencies, it is time to hire a professional copy editor to polish grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, and style consistency.

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Every manuscript is unique, but I often see some common mistakes:

• repeated words (such as “the the”) 

• homophone errors (such as “peak,” “peek,” and “pique”)

• missing or unnecessary commas

• extra spaces

• incorrect word usage (such as “that” versus “which”)

• inconsistent spelling of words or names (such as “okay,” “ok,” and “OK”)

• inconsistent style (especially numbers and the serial comma)

• run-ons and fragments

• overcapitalization

• hyphenation errors

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I copy edit fiction and nontechnical nonfiction manuscripts, using Track Changes in Microsoft Word and following The Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. I will also create a style sheet to track your characters, preferences, and creative choices, such as made-up terms or intentional dialogue quirks.

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In most cases, I will go through the manuscript twice, first to copy edit and then to review my work. Upon completion, I’ll send the edited file and a clean copy with all changes accepted, although you can certainly reject any of my adjustments—it’s your story. 

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Click to see a sample copy edit.

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Contact me to discuss your manuscript and editing needs.

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“She has now successfully copy-edited three of my manuscripts. I know

I can count on her to find my mistakes. (yes, there are always some!)”

—Barbara T., Novelist