The following is a general outline of what happens to your document(s) after being submitted to Paper Bridges for editing. Note that the difference between a simple proofread and a more involved edit/rewrite is in the details. A substantial edit/rewrite would include steps one through four. A simple proofread would require only step four.
Step One
Discussion – We discuss the type of editing you want and come to an agreement on the needs of the document and your needs as well. We will discuss the style of writing you would like as well as your target audience. The answer to these and other questions determines the general course of the project.
Step Two
Initial Edit – Depending on your needs and the needs of the document, the initial edit may include the following:
- Spelling check (American? British?)
- Grammar check
- Punctuation check
- Word usage
- Tense agreement
- Sentence structure
- Paragraph structure
- Logical sentence and paragraph flow (Will readers understand the logical connections between paragraphs? Do any sentences need to be added to clarify the logical relationship between ideas?)
- Consistency of terminology and facts (The input of the author may be necessary here and depending on the scope of the research needed this may take extra time. If needed, this is calculated for and included in our initial free estimate.)
- Organizational consistency and logic (Writing in a way that naturally leads into the next in a way that is interesting, entertaining, and consistent with the reader’s expectations. Finally, come up with an ending that feels finished and gives the reader something to think about.
- Miscellaneous items concerning professional manuscripts
- Revision of the above to present a polished, ready to publish, professional document.
Once the initial edit is finished we will send you the manuscript with all changes to be compared against the original manuscript. There will most always be questions and comments notated throughout the document. Your option at that time will be to check the entire document and you make notes about our changes, questions, and comments. The more detailed the notes are, the easier it will be for the editors in the third step.
Specifics are needed at this point and changes to be made must be pointed out and highlighted by you. If there are general concerns at this stage about the overall direction then we must be made aware of them. Of course, if you have no questions and are happy with the document, then the process is finished.
Step Three
Second Edit – In the second edit we will incorporate your answers to the questions posed in the Initial Edit as well as any further changes you feel are necessary.
At this stage, we may have some questions about your questions and comments about your comments. This is the critical stage where detailed communication between the editor and the author may be necessary with opinions and ideas being exchanged freely.
So now you see how important our preliminary discussion in Step One was. We want what you want, and need to understand what that is to begin with. Therefore, discussing what your intentions are, what it is you wish to convey to the audience, and what style you wish to use to convey your ideas, the better the final result will be.
Step Four
Final Proof Read – We always give the document one last proofread because of the changes that may have been necessary in the previous steps. A final proofread includes the following:
- Spelling check (American? British?)
- Grammar check
- Word usage
- Tense agreement
- Sentence structure
- Paragraph structure
- Logical sentence and paragraph flow
- Punctuation check
The Paper Bridges Editing Staff would love to help you with your editing/writing needs and we hope the above information will convince you of the expertise and professionalism of our staff.
I hope we can be of service to you in the future.
Allen Stark,
Executive Editor