The 4 Cs of Copyediting: Clarity, Coherence, Consistency, Correctness

By the time a manuscript arrives at copyediting, the heavy lifting is finished. The ideas are in place, the voice is established, the structure has been set. Copyediting comes closer, reading line by line, attending to the fine details. It doesn’t change the architecture of the house—it makes sure the doors close properly, the windows line up, and the paint runs smooth.