Good on paper

Everything these days isn't electronic. Our copy editors can quite happily scribble away on paper all day, setting formats, overruling spell checkers and generally being vital. There's the odd coffee ring, but they more than make up for it.

manuscript

Breathing copy

What you'll end up with is good copy. The skilled copy editor will sometimes need to interpret wafting, misty phrases and re-write them accordingly, or cut down 200 words when the point can be adequately made in 50. It's a job that requires nerves and a deep appreciation of the tone and the meaning of the work.

Put a virgin paragraph next to a lovingly teased one and taste the difference. You'll never go back to DIY.