Pioneer Papers connects you with professional substantive editors to build and deliver flawless service. In substantive editing services (also referred to as developmental editing and comprehensive editing), the editor considers a document’s conception and intended use, content, organization, design, and style. The aim is to create a document that is useful for readers. Simply making it correct and consistent isn’t enough to grab people’s attention.
Substantive editing is entirely analysis-based, whether at the document level or at the paragraph, sentence, or word level. Selections need judgement, not simply the application of rules, and therefore should be negotiable with the author. It might involve restructuring or revising half or all of a document. It can also include revising
- Sentence complexity and use of active or passive verbs.
- Conciseness
- The clear, logical development of concepts
- Use of technical terms that are appropriate for the supposed audience
Substantive editing is helpful for authors, writers who need to work more collaboratively, or for who are too near to a project to examine if it is communicating what they intend for it to communicate.
A substantive editor will come alongside the author and work with them from the top to the down to make sure that the document they create is powerful, consistent, clear, effective, and interesting throughout.