Involves moving large chunks of text around and possibly cutting some sections as well. It addresses the structure of a book — how everything hangs together. Expect drastic changes to your original writing with this level of editing. Editors serve more as consultants and counselors who will take the freedom to rewrite major portions of your document if needed. New content is added if the editor feels arguments made in your original writing lack substance or need further support. Lengthy paragraphs may be split into multiple smaller paragraphs that retain clear focus on a singular message. Substantive editing is time-consuming and can be expensive. Billing for this level of service is often on a per-hour basis.
