Copy editing involves changes made to a manuscript by the copy editor prior to submitting it for printing or publication. What are the five Cs of text editing? Before I explain them, let me tell you that each C represents the job and skills required of any good text editor. The final edited copy must have the characteristics represented by the Cs. The five C’s are,

• Clear copy
• Correct,
• Concise,
• Understandable
• Consist

Before submitting a manuscript for review, the copy editor should check for many defects, which may include features such as,

• Score check
• Spelling checks
• Correcting grammar mistakes
• Eliminate semantic errors
• Check all the terminologies used
• Check that the “internal” style of the editors is maintained.
• Incorporate headers / footers, etc.
• Make sure there will be no legal problems after publication.
• Summarize or shorten the text (abbreviated)

A good copywriter must also be a good text editor and have a good command of the language and must also be quite aware of a wide range of topics with a strong background in grammar. You must also have a good eye for errors and inconsistencies in manuscripts. You also need to be able to work under pressure and finish the job on time. The growing online publications require more than journalistic and language skills. As editors may have to publish articles directly on the internet, they must also be good with computers, different word processing programs, and must also have the required pagination and technical knowledge / skills.