I will proofread and copy edit your manuscript line by line

I will proofread and copy edit your manuscript line by line, fixing grammar, punctuation, consistency, and flow so your prose reads clean and professional.

Your words have done the hard work of getting onto the page. My job is to make sure nothing on that page gets in the reader's way: not a stray comma, not a wandering tense, not a sentence that buckles halfway through. I read your manuscript line by line, the way an attentive reader would, and I edit at the sentence level so your voice stays intact while the mechanics disappear into the background.

What you get

• A line-by-line proofread of your full manuscript covering spelling, typos, punctuation, capitalization, and homophones (their/there, its/it's, affect/effect, and the rest).
• Copy editing for grammar and syntax: subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, pronoun clarity, dangling and misplaced modifiers, parallel structure, and run-on or fragmented sentences.
• Sentence-level tightening that trims redundancy, wordiness, and filler so each line carries its weight without rewriting your meaning or flattening your voice.
• Consistency checks across spelling conventions (US, UK, Canadian, or Australian English, your choice), hyphenation, number formatting, capitalization of terms, and recurring names or invented terms.
• Tracked changes in your Word document so you see every edit and accept or reject each one yourself. Nothing is changed silently.
• Margin comments flagging anything I can't fix without your input: an ambiguous sentence, a possible factual slip, a continuity wobble, or a word choice I'd query but won't override.
• A clean copy of the file with all changes accepted, delivered alongside the tracked version so you have both a review draft and a ready-to-use draft.
• A short summary note at the end pointing out any patterns I noticed (a recurring comma habit, a tense you slip into, a phrase you lean on) so you can watch for them in future writing.

Plans

Feature	Basic	Standard	Premium
Word count covered	Short piece	Mid-length manuscript	Full-length manuscript
Proofreading (typos, spelling, punctuation)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Copy editing (grammar, syntax, tense, agreement)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sentence tightening for flow and concision	—	Yes	Yes
Consistency pass (spelling convention, hyphenation, names)	Basic	Full	Full
Tracked changes + clean copy	Yes	Yes	Yes
Margin comments and queries	Light	Detailed	Detailed
Style sheet of decisions and recurring terms	—	—	Yes
Summary note of patterns	—	Yes	Yes
Second read after your revisions	—	—	One round
Turnaround	Standard	Standard	Priority

How it works

1. You send your manuscript as a Word document (.doc or .docx) or Google Doc, along with a note on your preferred English spelling convention and anything I should know (target audience, genre, terms to leave alone, a style guide you follow).
2. I review the scope and confirm the word count fits the plan, then ask any clarifying questions before I start so there are no surprises.
3. I read and edit line by line using tracked changes, fixing mechanics and tightening prose while leaving queries in the margins wherever a change depends on your intent.
4. I do a consistency pass across the whole document to catch anything that drifts between the first chapter and the last: spelling choices, hyphenation, capitalization, and recurring names or terms.
5. I deliver both files, the tracked version and the clean accepted version, plus a summary note and (on Premium) a style sheet of the decisions I made.
6. You review and respond, accepting or rejecting changes and answering my queries. On Premium I do a second read after your revisions to catch anything the edits introduced.

Why choose this

I edit the way a careful human reader works, not the way a checker tool works. Automated grammar tools miss tone, flag correct sentences as errors, and never tell you that a metaphor collapsed two paragraphs ago. A line-by-line human edit catches the real problems: the sentence that technically parses but trips the reader, the name spelled two ways, the tense that quietly shifts mid-scene, the comma that changes who did what to whom.

Every change is tracked and reversible, so you stay in full control of your manuscript. I never rewrite your voice into mine, never impose a style you didn't ask for, and never bury edits you can't see. Where I'm unsure, I ask rather than assume. You finish with a cleaner manuscript and a clearer sense of your own writing habits.

Who it's for / use cases

• Authors and novelists preparing a manuscript for agents, publishers, or self-publishing who need a polished, error-free draft.
• Nonfiction and memoir writers who want their argument and storytelling to land without mechanical distractions.
• Academics and students tightening a thesis, dissertation, journal article, or essay before submission.
• Business and marketing writers finishing reports, whitepapers, ebooks, case studies, or web copy that represents a brand.
• Bloggers and content creators who write fast and want a second set of eyes before publishing.
• Non-native English writers who have strong ideas and want their English to read as fluent and natural as their thinking.

FAQ

Q: What's the difference between proofreading and copy editing? Proofreading catches surface errors: typos, spelling, punctuation, and formatting slips. Copy editing goes a level deeper into grammar, syntax, consistency, and sentence flow. This service does both in one line-by-line pass, so you get clean mechanics and tighter prose together.

Q: Will you change my voice or rewrite my work? No. I correct and tighten; I don't rewrite. Your phrasing, tone, and style stay yours. Where a sentence genuinely needs reshaping, I either suggest a light fix in tracked changes or leave a margin query so you decide.

Q: What file formats do you accept? A Word document (.docx or .doc) is ideal because tracked changes work best there. Google Docs are fine too; I'll use suggesting mode. If you have only a PDF, let me know and we'll sort out the best format before starting.

Q: Do you handle US, UK, or other English conventions? Yes. Tell me which you want (US, UK, Canadian, or Australian) and I'll apply it consistently throughout, including spelling, punctuation style, and date and number formatting.

Q: Will you fix factual errors or do research? This is a language edit, not a fact-check. That said, if I spot something that looks factually off or internally inconsistent, I'll flag it in a margin comment so you can verify it. I won't silently change facts.

Q: How do I see the changes you made? I deliver the file with tracked changes (or suggestions in Google Docs), so you see every single edit and can accept or reject each one. You also get a clean copy with all changes accepted, ready to use.

Q: What if my manuscript is longer than the plan covers? Just send me the word count first. I'll confirm the right fit before we start so the scope and turnaround are clear from the outset, with no mid-project surprises.

Q: Do you offer a second pass after I make revisions? A second read after your revisions is included on the Premium plan. It catches any new typos or inconsistencies your own edits may have introduced, so the final draft is genuinely finished.