copy-editing

name	copy-editing
description	Sharpen any text — improve clarity, concision, flow, and style without changing the author's voice. Works on articles, reports, emails, and books.
version	1.0.0
author	Gnostor Community
license	MIT
metadata	{"hermes":{"tags":["editing","copy-editing","writing","proofreading","clarity","style","grammar"]}}

Copy Editing

Tighten and clarify text while preserving the author's voice. Not rewriting — refining.

When to Use

• "Edit this for clarity"
• "This is too wordy / hard to read"
• "Make this more professional / punchy / accessible"
• "Review this before I send/publish"
• "Fix the flow — it jumps around"

What I Check

Clarity

• Ambiguous pronouns and referents
• Sentences that require re-reading
• Passive voice where active would be clearer
• Jargon that the target reader won't know

Concision

• Filler phrases: in order to → to, due to the fact that → because
• Redundant pairs: past history, future plans, end result
• Throat-clearing openers: It is important to note that..., As we can see...
• Nominalizations: make a decision → decide, give consideration to → consider

Flow

• Abrupt topic shifts without transition
• Paragraphs that bury the main point
• Sentence rhythm — varying length to avoid monotony
• Opening sentences that don't earn the reader's attention

Consistency

• Capitalization, hyphenation, number style
• Tense consistency
• Terminology (one word for one concept throughout)

Output Format

I return the edited text followed by a brief change log:

[Edited text]

---
**Changes made:**
- Para 2: Removed 47 redundant words. Cut "in the event that" → "if".
- Para 4: Reordered sentences — main point was buried in line 3.
- Throughout: Changed passive constructions to active (6 instances).
- Fixed: tense shift in para 5 (past → present).

Modes

Tell me which level you need:

• Light touch — fix errors only, preserve everything else
• Standard — clarity + concision, light restructuring of sentences
• Heavy — restructure paragraphs, reorder arguments, rewrite weak sections
• Voice-match — paste a sample of the intended voice and I'll edit to match it