# Copy Editing Checklist

Use this checklist alongside the Seven Sweeps Framework (see SKILL.md) as a final QA pass before delivering edited copy.

## Pick the Edit Mode

Decide what you were handed before running any sweep. The mode sets how much you're allowed to change.

| Mode | Signs | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| **A. Blank or slop** | Generic company-speak, AI mush, no point of view | Run all seven sweeps. You may rebuild sentences from the underlying facts; never invent stats, customers, or results |
| **B. Real voice** | A clear angle or opinion, recognizable word choices, rough execution | Run all seven sweeps as restoration. Keep their argument, vocabulary, and emphasis. Fix the buried lead, vague lines, AI tells, and structure |
| **C. Point edit** | "Fix this headline," "is this sentence OK?", "tighten paragraph two" | Skip the sweeps. Use point-edit mode below |

**Point-edit mode**
- [ ] Change only the line, word, or section named, plus the minimum around it needed for the edit to read cleanly (a pronoun, a transition)
- [ ] Check the edit against the AI Tells list and the surrounding voice, so the new line doesn't stand out
- [ ] Return only the changed text with a one-line reason per change, and offer one alternative if the choice is close
- [ ] Mention a serious problem elsewhere in one line at the end (a false claim, a broken CTA) without fixing it unasked
- [ ] Don't rewrite neighboring lines, add sections, or run a full sweep report

**Reading taste (B and C).** What the author gave you is evidence of their choices. Their vocabulary is a voice decision ("stuff" and "ship" stay), where they spent words is a priority decision, and what they left out is a scope decision. Match those; don't swap in your own.

**Leave-it-alone test (all modes).** For each change, ask whether it's measurably better or just different. Revert anything you can't give a reason for.

*Modes adapted from Profound's `improved-copywriting` and Wispr Flow's `copy-editing` skills ([skills-marketing-library](https://github.com/retieedra-profound/skills-marketing-library), MIT).*

## Before You Start

- [ ] Pick the edit mode (above); for a point edit, stop here and use point-edit mode
- [ ] Understand the goal of this copy
- [ ] Know the target audience
- [ ] Identify the desired action
- [ ] Read through once without editing

## Clarity (Sweep 1)

- [ ] Every sentence is immediately understandable
- [ ] No jargon without explanation
- [ ] Pronouns have clear references
- [ ] No sentences trying to do too much

## Voice & Tone (Sweep 2)

- [ ] Consistent formality level throughout
- [ ] Brand personality maintained
- [ ] No jarring shifts in mood
- [ ] Reads well aloud

## So What (Sweep 3)

- [ ] Every feature connects to a benefit
- [ ] Claims answer "why should I care?"
- [ ] Benefits connect to real desires
- [ ] No impressive-but-empty statements

## Prove It (Sweep 4)

- [ ] Claims are substantiated
- [ ] Social proof is specific and attributed
- [ ] Numbers and stats have sources
- [ ] No unearned superlatives

## Specificity (Sweep 5)

- [ ] Vague words replaced with concrete ones
- [ ] Numbers and timeframes included
- [ ] Generic statements made specific
- [ ] Filler content removed

## Heightened Emotion (Sweep 6)

- [ ] Copy evokes feeling, not just information
- [ ] Pain points feel real
- [ ] Aspirations feel achievable
- [ ] Emotion serves the message authentically

## Zero Risk (Sweep 7)

- [ ] Objections addressed near CTA
- [ ] Trust signals present
- [ ] Next steps are crystal clear
- [ ] Risk reversals stated (guarantee, trial, etc.)

## AI Tells

- [ ] No "it's not X, it's Y" or "not because X, because Y" reveals
- [ ] No "no X, no Y, no Z" negation lists
- [ ] No sentences that trail restating comma clauses after the main claim (a clause adding a new fact is fine)
- [ ] No self-answered questions or colon reveals (FAQ questions and a reader's own question are fine)
- [ ] No stock openers or phrases ("In today's...", "Whether you're...", "Say goodbye to...")
- [ ] No em dashes in headlines, subheads, CTAs, ads, social posts, or subject lines; 1–2 per page max in long copy
- [ ] At most one fragment and one list of three per section (CTA microcopy and real three-feature lists don't count)
- [ ] Every vague adjective replaced with the fact it stood for

## Final Checks

- [ ] No typos or grammatical errors
- [ ] Consistent formatting
- [ ] Links work (if applicable)
- [ ] Core message preserved through all edits