All editing is done electronically in Microsoft® Word. An advantage of electronic editing is that all suggested changes and corrections are placed in a revised manuscript and only have to be accepted or rejected rather than reentered. The process of entering changes and corrections often results in additional errors being introduced into the work. For writers who are not familiar with Microsoft® Word editing tools, specifically "Track Changes" mode, IWS will provide a sample edit before asking that a decision be made to accept this approach.
Copyediting consists of Mechanical Editing and Language Editing. Mechanical Editing includes checking for consistency and correctness in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, hyphenation, table formatting, and use of abbreviations. Language Editing includes correcting grammar, syntax, and usage. Copyeditors may at times point out to the author paragraphs that are too wordy or convoluted. They may suggest the author clarify terms readers may be encountering for the first time.
Substantive Editors (sometimes called Content Editors) focus on the organization and presentation of existing content. The substantive editor may make wholesale revisions to sections of the work. They may rewrite sections of the work, improving text line by line. An editor doing substantive editing may rephrase a section of the manuscript for smoothness. He may rewrite, or guide the author in rewriting, in order to eliminate ambiguity. He may bring attention to text that raises issues but does not address them. He may reorganize whole portions of the work. He may point out any statements that seem incorrect.
A developmental editor may work with writers to shape a book as it is being written, or she may reorganize or restructure a manuscript that is already a work in progress. She may suggest ways to organize and format the entire book. Sometimes a developmental editor may show the writer how to add value to their work through the use of indexes, photos, charts or figures. She often suggests and guides the author through major revisions and substantial rewriting. In a fiction work, developmental editors consider the overall structure of the work as well as its tone, plot, and characterization.
A developmental editor does not necessarily copyedit. If you feel you need the help of a developmental editor, it is best to engage one as close to the beginning of your project as possible.
If the work contains any quotations or any photographs, illustrations, charts, tables, diagrams, or graphs from published works that may still be under copyright, the permissions editor will point these out to the author. The author will be expected to obtain permission to reprint the quotations and all the other copyrighted material. IWS offers manuscript analysis on copyright issues as well as clearance services and presentation/workshops and seminars for creative professionals on the use of copyrighted works.
