What is line editing?

Line editing focuses on sentence- and paragraph-level refinement to improve the flow, rhythm, clarity, and tone of your writing. It is ideal for authors who already have a solid draft—memoirs, personal essays, or nonfiction—who want their story to feel cohesive, engaging, and expressive. Unlike copyediting, which primarily corrects mechanical errors, line editing enhances how your story reads and feels for your audience.

As a Khmer American writer and editor, I am attuned to nuance, rhythm, and meaning in ways that go beyond conventional grammar rules. I approach line editing as more than sentence-level refinement. My goal is to amplify your voice and ensure both your writing and intentions are clear. During the process, I refine word choice, smooth transitions, adjust sentence structure, and strengthen pacing so every paragraph communicates your ideas effectively. After line editing, it flows naturally, holds the reader’s attention, and conveys your voice and emotion with impact, making the narrative compelling and enjoyable to read. With my guidance, your story becomes alive, expressive, and unmistakably yours.

What is copyediting?

Copyediting is a detailed review that improves grammar, punctuation, spelling, word usage, and consistency. It is ideal for manuscripts, memoirs, personal essays, or nonfiction pieces that are already structurally complete. At this stage, your work just needs a professional review to ensure it reads clearly, consistently, and stays true to your voice, style, and structure. Copyediting helps your writing feel clean and confident while keeping the focus on your story.

I focus on refining the technical aspects of your manuscript while keeping your voice intact. I carefully review grammar, punctuation, spelling, word choice, and consistency so your writing reads smoothly and professionally (and adheres to a house style guide if provided). At the same time, I prioritize meaning over rigid rules and may embrace unorthodox choices when they enhance style or clarity. My experience with deeply personal and culturally rich stories ensures that your narrative remains authentic even as I polish the mechanics. The result is a manuscript that is confident, free of distractions, and ready for readers or publication.

Why are these services bundled?

If line editing is shaping the melody of your story, making it flow and sing, copyediting is tuning each note to keep them clear, precise, and free of errors. Bundling them ensures your story not only reads beautifully but also has a professional finish.

If you purchase individual services and later decide to add more for the same manuscript (for example, developmental editing followed by line and copyediting), I will adjust the total cost so you pay no more than the bundled rate. You will receive a new invoice with a clear breakdown of the updated cost. You can find my editorial rates here.