Line editing is a type of editing that focuses on the individual lines of text in a piece of writing. It is often done as a more in-depth version of proofreading, with the goal of ensuring each line is clear, concise, and reads smoothly.
Line editing generally involves checking for:
• Grammar and punctuation: Is each sentence correctly structured and are all punctuation marks used correctly?
• Syntax: Does each sentence flow well and fit together in the context of the entire document?
• Vocabulary: Are there any words that need to be replaced or rearranged in order to make the meaning of each sentence clearer?
• Redundancy and repetition: Are there any repeated words or phrases that could be reworded or removed to make the text more concise?
• Clarity: Are the most important points clear and easy to understand?
• Consistency: Is the document written in the same point of view, tense, and style throughout, and is it keeping with the document’s overall goals?
In short, line editing is an important part of the editing process that can make a big difference in the quality of your writing, from more casual blog posts to business documents and more.
If you’d like to learn more about line editing and how it can help improve your writing, these resources may be helpful:
• The Ultimate Guide to Line Editing by Reedsy
• Line Editing for Fiction Writers by From the Write Angle
• What Is Line Editing? by Scribendi
• An Introduction to Line Editing by ProWritingAid