Ethics, people.

In the last few weeks, I've received more than my usual number of emails asking if I'll work on a manuscript from developmental editing to copyediting to proofreading. No editor should do that, folks. It should be three separate editors.

Here's why: Even an editor will start to see things that aren't there. Even an editor who is highly trained and skilled will substitute "the" for "teh" or mentally add in a missing comma in a manuscript they've read four times.

This is why I have a list of colleagues to whom I refer clients who need proofreading done on books I've line edited, or who want me to do the final polish and need someone to do the developmental editing. Any editor who tells you they can do an equally great job of line editing and copyediting the same manuscript should be regarded with suspicion at best.