Blacksails Publishing

Editing and Proofreading

Understanding Our Editorial Services

Selecting the right type of editing is crucial for your manuscript's success. Our editorial services address every stage of the writing process, from the foundational narrative to the final polish.

Developmental Editing (Big Picture)

Developmental editing is the most intensive form of editing, focusing on the fundamental structure and content of your manuscript. This process occurs early in the revision stage, often before copyediting begins.

Focus: Core narrative elements, structure, pacing, plot holes, character arcs, and overall theme.
Goal: To ensure the story or argument is compelling, well-organized, and achieves its intended effect on the reader.
Result: You receive a detailed editorial letter and manuscript annotations outlining major areas for revision and providing concrete suggestions for improvement.

Line Editing (Style and Flow)

Line editing (also called substantive editing) addresses the craft of your writing at the sentence and paragraph level. This is where the prose is refined to be engaging, clear, and powerful.

Focus: Tone, voice consistency, word choice, rhythm, flow, and sentence structure. It removes awkward phrasing and repetition.
Goal: To enhance the aesthetic and emotional impact of your writing, ensuring the prose is polished and the voice is consistent.
Result: A sentence-by-sentence review that dramatically improves the readability and artistry of the manuscript.

Copyediting (Clarity and Consistency)

Copyediting is the detailed technical check that comes after the major structural and stylistic issues have been resolved. It ensures correctness and consistency across the entire text.

Focus: Grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, capitalization, and factual accuracy within the text. It also ensures consistency in style (e.g., following the Chicago Manual of Style).
Goal: To eliminate errors, clarify meaning, and ensure technical standards are met for publication.
Result: A clean manuscript that is grammatically sound and internally consistent.

Proofreading (Final Polish)

Proofreading is the absolute final stage of editing, performed on the complete, typeset layout (the proof). It is the last opportunity to catch minor, visible errors before printing or digital release.

Focus: Typographical errors, minor formatting inconsistencies (e.g., indents, margins, page numbers), and missed grammatical slips.
Goal: To verify that the manuscript is flawless and ready for production.
Result: Confirmation that the final page proofs are clean and free of obvious mechanical errors.

Manuscript Appraisal (Assessment)

A Manuscript Appraisal is an evaluation rather than a hands-on edit. It provides a professional overview of the manuscript's strengths and weaknesses.

Focus: High-level overview of the entire work—similar to developmental editing but without the line-by-line revision notes.
Goal: To give the author clear direction on where to focus their revisions before committing to a full, costly edit.
Result: A detailed written report summarizing the overall assessment of the narrative, characters, and market potential.

EDITING | PROOFREADING | BOOK LAYOUT | COVER DESIGN