1.1 The Four Levels of Edit: Your Editorial Roadmap
Professional editors don't try to fix everything at once. Instead, they work through four distinct levels, each with its own focus and techniques.
| Level | Focus | Time | Skills Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developmental Edit | Structure, argument, organization | 40-50% | Strategic thinking |
| Line Edit | Clarity, flow, voice | 30-35% | Language sensitivity |
| Copy Edit | Grammar, consistency | 15-20% | Grammar knowledge |
| Proofread | Final errors, typos | 5-10% | Pattern recognition |
Common Mistake: Many people jump straight to proofreading—fixing typos and grammar errors—without addressing larger issues first. This leads to polished sentences that don't serve the document's purpose.
1.2 Understanding Your Role: Editor vs. Writer
✓ Preserve When:
- • Author's voice is distinctive
- • Meaning is clear
- • Choice serves rhetorical purpose
- • Text is creative/artistic
- • Working with field expert
⚠ Intervene When:
- • Meaning is unclear
- • Tone is inappropriate
- • Grammar impedes understanding
- • Doesn't achieve purpose
- • Factual accuracy at stake
The Six-Pass Professional System
This system is used by professional editors worldwide. Each pass has a specific focus and set of techniques.
Pass 1: Purpose & Structure
20% of timeFocus: Does this document achieve its purpose? Is it well-organized?
Check: Clear intro/conclusion, logical order, appropriate length, consistent tone
Pass 2: Paragraph & Flow
15% of timeFocus: Does each paragraph serve a purpose? Do ideas flow logically?
Check: One idea per paragraph, strong topic sentences, logical transitions
Pass 3: Line Editing
25% of timeFocus: Is every sentence clear, concise, and purposeful?
Check: Sentence variety, active voice, precise words, eliminate wordiness
Pass 4-6: Consistency, Grammar & Proofread
40% of timeFinal passes focus on style consistency, grammar mechanics, and catching remaining surface errors
The Concision Toolkit: 15 Proven Techniques
1. Eliminate Throat-Clearing
"It should be noted that"
→ [delete]
2. Convert Nominalizations
"conduct an analysis"
→ "analyze"
3. Eliminate Redundancy
"basic fundamentals"
→ "fundamentals"
4. Replace Weak Verb + Adverb
"walked quickly"
→ "strode" or "hurried"
5. Tighten Wordy Phrases
"in order to"
→ "to"
6. Use Active Voice
"was completed by the team"
→ "the team completed"
Before & After Example
High cognitive load (38 words):
"The methodology that was employed by the research team in order to analyze the qualitative data that had been collected through the semi-structured interviews involved the utilization of thematic analysis techniques."
Reduced cognitive load (12 words):
"The research team used thematic analysis to analyze interview data."
Result: 68% word reduction, improved clarity.
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