Nonfiction Line/Copyediting

Being the expert, you know exactly what you’re trying to say, what principle or emotion you’re trying to show, what lesson you’re trying to teach. Being the expert, though, also means you sometimes can’t see the forest for the trees.

In other words, you’re too close to the material.

Wouldn’t it be nice to step away for a while?

Bringing me on as your line/copyeditor gives you the chance to take a break from trying to perfect your manuscript’s language while also feeling confident that I won’t change your authorial voice. My priority is your target reader.

  • Who’s your primary audience for this particular book? How should that ideal audience impact word choices and sentence lengths?
  • How difficult is the text to your ideal reader? How much are readers supposed to already know about this particular subject or genre?
  • Which storytelling principles are appropriate to use for your nonfiction text, especially in terms of consistency and logical progression?
  • How long is your manuscript? Will your ideal reader have the patience and focus to read every word you’ve chosen for delivering your message?

I specialize in the following social sciences and humanities fields (other subjects are accepted on a case-by-case basis):

Social Sciences

  • Sociology
  • Psychology
  • Political Science

Humanities

  • US Racial History
  • Language and Linguistics
  • Philosophy and Religion

There are several components to line and copyediting, especially for those fields that study human society and relationships. With this service, your manuscript receives the following:

Mechanical Editing

  • Spelling
  • Capitalization
  • Punctuation
  • Hyphenation
  • Number Treatment
  • Abbreviations
  • Formatting of Lists, Captions, and Titles

Language Editing

  • Correcting all errors and extraneous terms or phrases relating to grammar, syntax, and usage
  • Pointing out any patches that seem wordy or convoluted, and supplying suggested revisions, or rewriting material to eliminate wordiness
  • Asking for or supplying definitions of terms likely to be new to readers

Content Editing

  • Querying any facts that seem incorrect using standard online or printed reference sources
  • Querying faulty organization and consistency or gaps in logic
  • Querying intentions behind potentially problematic words, phrases, or messaging
Reach Out for Your Free Line/Copyedit Consultation!
Shannon did an excellent job copyediting my author client’s manuscript. Shannon wrote clear, helpful queries, offered good suggestions to improve the clarity and readability of the text, and produced a meticulous, thorough style sheet. It was a pleasure to work with Shannon. I would recommend Sage Editing to any author who wants high-quality, professional editing for their book.
Beth WrightWright for Writers, LLC
Shannon Scott at Sage Editing was a lifesaver. She handled my book with care, caught things I never would have seen, and kept everything on track—even with a tight deadline. Her communication was clear, timely, and supportive throughout. I couldn’t have asked for a better editor.
Julie Ann Eason MindFlare AI

NOTE:

I do not provide editorial services for the following genres or with the following content. If your manuscript falls in one of these categories, or contains any of the listed content, I truly thank you for considering Sage Editing, but I will not be able to assist you in your editorial needs.

Genres

  • High or Contemporary Fantasy
  • Speculative Fiction
  • Literary Fiction
  • Cookbooks
  • Medicine
  • Horror
  • Poetry

Content

  • Excessive On-page Physical Torture or Violence
  • Stereotypes Of or Against Marginalized Groups
  • Dubious/Nonconsensual Consent
  • On-page Sexual Violence/Assault
  • Hauntings or Graphic Body Horror
  • Excessive On-page Drug Use

Reflecting On Your Story One Word At A Time!

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