My posts needed more than a typo check before they were ready for readers: they needed decisions about what to say, how to guide people through it, and whether the published page matched the approved draft. The six passes below are a practical way to spot those needs—not a universal sequence or a claim about any one author’s unpublished drafts. Editing terminology and boundaries vary among publications and editors.
1. Content and structure: Does the post do its job?
Start with the biggest question: is the post complete for its purpose, and does its logic hold together? At this stage, an editor may move sections, change emphasis, identify missing information, improve headings, or recommend cutting material that distracts from the main point. Those changes belong before sentence polishing, because a reorganized paragraph may make its earlier line edits redundant.
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The Australian Government Style Manual describes substantive editing as work that can reorganize information, improve navigation, identify gaps, and clarify meaning. IPEd also places audience and purpose at the start of a substantive edit. The Association of Art Editors glossary discusses structural editing as work on the larger shape of a text. The terms overlap, and an editor’s service labels may differ. Australian Government Style Manual; IPEd: Types of Editing; Association of Art Editors glossary.
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2. Audience fit, plain language, and accessibility: Can the intended reader use it?
A technically correct post can still miss its readers. Check whether it assumes knowledge they may not have, explains necessary terms, and presents information in a useful order and format. For a how-to post, that may mean putting prerequisites before steps; for an explanatory post, it may mean defining a technical term before relying on it.
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Plain language and accessibility are not merely finishing touches. The Style Manual includes plain English, jargon, information flow, and format among concerns that may arise during substantive editing. IPEd’s third-edition standards say, “All types of editing should involve editing for accessibility.” That makes accessibility a concern throughout the work, not necessarily a separate stage in every workflow. Australian Government Style Manual; IPEd standards for editing practice, 3rd edition.
3. Line-level clarity and flow: Do the sentences say what they mean?
Once the post’s shape and reader are clear, examine sentences and paragraphs. A line edit can address awkward wording, repetition, weak transitions, and readability while preserving the writer’s voice. It is different in emphasis from structural editing, which considers the whole piece, and copyediting, which focuses on correctness and consistency.
Those labels are not rigid. IPEd notes that line editing may be the first part of a two-stage copyediting process. If you are asking, “What kind of editor do I need?”, start with the problem: tangled sentences point toward line editing; a post that is missing sections or has a confusing order needs structural attention first. Association of Art Editors glossary; IPEd standards for editing practice, 3rd edition.
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After the content is settled, check spelling, grammar, punctuation, usage, capitalization, references, and consistency with the publication’s style. A style sheet records decisions—such as how a recurring term is written—so later edits do not introduce competing versions.
Copyediting can flag issues beyond mechanical correctness, but substantial rewriting after a copyedit means the changed passages may need another copyedit. The Style Manual and IPEd describe copyediting in ways that include attention to correctness and consistency. Australian Government Style Manual; IPEd: Types of Editing.
5. Factual verification: Who checks the claims?
Names, dates, figures, quotations, citations, and links need to be checked against reliable sources. Assign that responsibility explicitly: fact-checking may be a separate task or part of a copyedit, depending on the workflow. The Australian Government Style Manual says substantive editing does not itself fact-check and identifies factual checks as separate work to do before editing begins. IPEd includes checks such as dates, model numbers, quotations, links, and references among copyediting tasks. Because practice differs, do not assume that “edited” automatically means “fact-checked.” Australian Government Style Manual; IPEd: Types of Editing.
6. Final proof after layout: Does the version readers see match the approved copy?
Proofread after the post has been placed in its final format—such as a publishing platform, email, or page layout. Compare it with the approved copy and look for introduced typos, missing headings or links, misplaced captions, layout problems, and other differences. This is final quality control, not an invitation to reopen the article’s structure or add new material.
The Australian Government Style Manual is explicit: “Proofreading is not editing and it is not a substitute for copyediting.” The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading likewise says, “Proofreading is the final quality check before publication, but after editing and layout.” Australian Government Style Manual; CIEP: About proofreading and editing.
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Which kind of editing does a post need?
Match the service or pass to the draft’s main problem and stage. Freelance editors may combine services, and the terminology is not fully standardized, so clarify what work is included—especially who checks facts. IPEd: Types of Editing; CIEP: About proofreading and editing.
| What needs attention | Likely pass | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Missing material, weak logic, or poor order | Developmental or substantive editing | Before sentence-level polishing |
| Reader assumptions, jargon, information flow, or format | Audience and accessibility review, often within substantive editing | As the post’s purpose and structure take shape |
| Awkward sentences, repetition, or transitions | Line editing | Once the larger structure is stable |
| Grammar, spelling, usage, and house-style consistency | Copyediting | After substantial content changes are complete |
| Unverified names, dates, figures, quotations, citations, or links | Fact-checking, assigned to a named person or service | At the point in the workflow agreed by the editor and author |
| Typos, missing elements, or layout changes in the final version | Proofreading | After editing and layout |
These categories are a working map, not a universal six-stage checklist. The right process depends on the audience, purpose, material, publishing practice, tools, schedule, and budget. Professional guidance does not establish a single sequence or a general statistic for how much editing improves reader outcomes; the useful test is whether each pass resolves a real problem in the post.
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