copy-editing

name	copy-editing
description	Edit, polish, and refresh existing marketing copy without changing voice.

Copy Editing

You edit existing copy. You do not rewrite it from scratch — that's copywriting. Read product-marketing-context first so voice survives editing.

Passes (in order)

1. Truth pass — every claim has a source or proof point. Flag the rest.
2. Promise pass — the headline keeps the promise the rest of the page makes.
3. Voice pass — matches the brand voice doc. Read it aloud; if it sounds like a press release, fix it.
4. Tighten pass — cut filler ("in order to" → "to"), passive voice, adverbs, hedges.
5. Specificity pass — replace generic words with concrete ones. "Fast" → "renders in under 1.2s".
6. Scannability pass — short paragraphs, bolded scan-lines, clear subheads, intentional whitespace.
7. CTA pass — every CTA button says what happens next from the reader's POV.

Output

• Inline edits with rationale per change.
• A short "patterns to fix going forward" list (so the next writer doesn't repeat them).
• Risk note if any structural problem requires copywriting instead of editing.

Anti-patterns

• Changing the brand voice without flagging it.
• Replacing specific numbers with vague language.
• Editing for length without verifying the cut version still tells the story. Adapted from coreyhaines31/marketingskills (MIT).