Business Editing

What is business editing?

Business editing is improving the clarity, structure and tone of professional documents, such as reports, proposals, presentations and policies, so the people reading them understand the point quickly and act on it. It goes beyond proofreading. A business edit cuts wordiness, puts the most important information first, makes multi-author documents consistent and adjusts the tone for the audience, while keeping your content and meaning intact.

Who is business editing for?

• Teams sending proposals, tenders or reports to clients or funders
• Managers preparing board papers or internal strategy documents
• Companies whose documents are written by several people in different styles
• Professionals writing in English as a second language for international audiences
• Anyone who knows a document is too long but can't see what to cut

Why does business writing need editing?

Busy readers skim. If the recommendation is on page eight, or the key figure is buried in a long paragraph, many readers never reach it. Documents written by committee also tend to repeat themselves and change voice between sections. An editor reads with fresh eyes and asks the question the reader will ask: what's the point, and what do you want me to do?

What I focus on in a business edit

Structure

The main point or recommendation first, then the supporting detail. Headings that tell readers what each section says, not just what it's about.

Clarity and length

Long sentences broken up, jargon replaced where plain words work, and repetition removed. Most business documents can lose a fifth to a third of their length without losing anything important.

Consistency

Terminology, capitalisation, number style, headings and formatting kept the same throughout, especially in documents with several authors.

Tone

Confident without being pushy, formal enough for the audience without sounding stiff.

Example (illustrative). Before: "It is recommended that consideration be given to the possibility of implementing a revised procurement process at the earliest opportunity." After: "We recommend introducing the revised procurement process this quarter."

Business editing levels

Level	What it covers
Proofread	Errors and consistency only
Copyedit	Clarity, grammar, consistency, light tightening
Substantive edit	Structure, length, argument flow and tone

I'll recommend a level after reading a sample, so you don't pay for more than the document needs.

What do you receive?

Your document with tracked changes, comments where a decision is yours, and, for substantive edits, a short note explaining structural changes so your team can apply the same approach next time.

How quickly can you edit a document?

Short documents, such as a proposal or a two-page report, can often be turned around quickly. Longer reports and multi-author documents need more time, especially for a substantive edit. Tell me your deadline when you request a quote and I'll confirm whether it's realistic, rather than rushing a document that matters.

Common business writing problems I fix

• Executive summaries that don't summarise
• Recommendations buried at the end
• Paragraphs that open with background instead of the point
• Passive, wordy sentences that hide who does what
• Inconsistent terms that make readers wonder if they mean different things

How much does business editing cost?

Business editing starts from $70. The final price depends on length, the level of editing needed and your deadline. You get a fixed quote after I've seen a sample.

Not sure which level you need? Read proofreading vs copyediting vs line editing. For a final check only, see proofreading, and for long-form thought leadership, white paper writing.