FIVE Cs OF COPY EDITING

The Five Cs of Copy Editing are

• clarity
• correct
• concise
• comprehensive
• consistent
Editors have to strive their best to ensure that these Cs are followed while editing a manuscript.
Authors rely on editors to look for these things and seek their help to see where they can
improve.
Clarity: Clichéd, idiomatic, vague and poetic verbiage in books can make a story stale or
difficult to read. If readers need to stop and re-read passage to understand the meaning, or they
need a dictionary to look up unusual words, it would kill the urge of the readers to read the
book and ultimately would lead to them keeping down the book. When the sentences are written
in a way that can be easily understood and where the meanings are made clear to the readers,
it would be easy for the reader to derive pleasure and enjoyment out of reading. So, Clarity
matters a lot when it comes to communicating ideas to people whether it be in written or oral
form. Writers should also be clear about what they are writing about and know the who, what,
why, when and how of their story and who their audience are. Books that are unclear about
these elements feel unfocused and may have difficulties in finding the right audience.
Correct: When it comes to writing, authors are often encouraged to write what they know. But
most people think their lives are uneventful and on the boring side. So, they are faced with
picking a genre most people don't have first-hand knowledge of such as historical, dystopian,
fantasy, paranormal, horror, and so forth, or they give their character an occupation or a setting
that isn't something the author has experience in such as a doctor, billionaire, or archaeologist.
This gives the author a lot of creative freedom, and when done right, readers respond. When
an author doesn't do his or her research, those readers who do know more about these elements,
settings, or occupations will recognize the author's failure to present a credible story. With all
the information that is available to authors, there is no excuse for not doing a little research. A
great place to start is the Internet. Although, writers should keep in mind that the internet should
not be considered an expert source, but just as a launching pad. Authors may check out their
local and university libraries, and for more in-depth research, authors may contact who can
offer insights into certain areas and guide the author.
Concise: When we write a matter, it has to be brief and up to the point. However, at times
some people write in a flowery wordy language that is over descriptive and makes the reader
wonder the reason for using such purple prose. This tends to happen when an author is trying
to sound like a writer. The result often feels as if the narrative is trying too hard or is doesn't fit
the style, setting and tone of the story. It should say or show what the author intends without
the unnecessary embellishments. In addition to this, authors should avoid mundane content,
those elements that don't move the story forward. The author may find the back story of their
characters fascinating but if it isn't relevant to the story being told, it should be left out. Cut the
adverbs and excessive adjective use and overuse of favorite phrases and words. Over time,
authors learn how to trim down their writing and to avoid their writing hang ups. An author
can find those problem areas by asking an editor for a manuscript assessment, using a critique
group for feedback, he or she shouldn't be afraid to ask upfront what the concerns are and how
to improve.
Comprehensive: Many first-time authors struggle with word choice, sentence and paragraph
structure, and pulling the story together in a way that is satisfying in the end. This will come
with practice and guidance from a good editor and other writers. Authors should make good
use of their words with the right word choice. Practice and then show the reader the story as it
unfolds instead of telling. Dialogue should sound genuine and relate to the reader that what is
not being said is just as important as what is. Writers learn the correct language to use for their
genre by reading, reading, and reading books in the genre they want to write.
Consistent: The writer should keep consistency in spelling, plot and other related aspects. The
writer should tie up the loose ends and should not leave subplots unresolved, especially when
the book is not part of a series. Those "but what about..." questions at the end of a story are
frustrating. If an author introduces a subplot into a story, it should be resolved, otherwise it
should not be introduced.