The Art & Science of Copy Editing

Editing a peer’s work can be hard. Where do you start? What changes are fine, and what changes should you avoid?

Luckily, Ruralite’s team offers decades of copy-editing experience. Managing Editor Curtis Condon follows 4 steps each time he edits a story. He explains each step in a new video, Copy-Editing Tips.

1. Before you edit a word, read the story all the way through.
2. Make 3 sweeps through the story: first for structure, next for accuracy, and finally for grammar and spelling.
3. Save the best for last. You only have a certain amount of time to catch the reader’s attention. You have to do that with a strong, engaging lead.
4. Preserve the writer’s voice. Although it is tempting to edit the tone of a piece to match your own, try to do as little as possible to the story. Always let the voice of the writer shine through.