Copy edit sample

What you'll see on this page is a "Before" and "After" sample of one page from a manuscript that I had the honor of editing.

"Before" - Text from original document

The bank was busy. I thought about leaving and going back later. I didn't think it was a good idea. It was prolonging the agony, so I stayed watching everyone oblivious of one another. I thought about how easy it would be for a bank robber to come in an inflict the element of surprise. A guard standing inside near the door I entered perked up when he saw me. He seemed to be interested in my business. We made eye contact.
He didn’t trust me. I carried an empty briefcase that I was going to use to empty the contents of the box. I smiled as I thought about how he must be thinking if I’m going to rob the place. I looked around at the all white environment understanding why I was the focus of his attention. At that point, I wished I had a white accomplice. He could’ve taken the guard by surprise.

    I wondered if other blacks came to the bank. I began noticing stares from the tellers. Personnel at desks were looking. I was in regular clothes. My business suit wasn’t going to bail me out this time. I was humiliated, frustrated, and upset. It wasn’t a new feeling for me, though so I managed to keep it under my skin.
The guard continued his stare.   He moved
closer to me. Just in case he had to get

a good shot. I was being very careful at

this point. When I stared back at the

guard to

"After" the copy edit

The bank was busy. I ~~thought about leaving and going~~ wanted to leave and come back later but procrastinating about this wasn't~~. I didn't think it was~~ a good idea. It just prolonged ~~was prolonging~~ the agony. ~~, so I stayed watching everyone oblivious of one another. I thought about how easy it would be for a bank robber to come in an inflict the element of surprise.~~ A guard ~~standing inside near the door I entered~~ perked up when he saw me. He seemed to be interested in my business. We made eye contact. I assumed he He didn’t trust me. I carried an empty briefcase ~~that I was going to use to empty~~ for holding the contents of the box. I smiled as I thought about how he must be ~~thinking~~ if I was ’m going to rob the place. I looked around at the all-white environment, ~~understanding~~ and understood why I was the focus of his attention. At that point, I wished I had a white accomplice. He could’ve taken the guard by surprise.

I wondered if other blacks came to ~~the~~ this bank. I ~~began noticing~~ noticed stares from the tellers. Personnel at desks were looking. I wore ~~was in~~ regular clothes. My business suit wasn’t going to bail me out this time. I was humiliated, frustrated, and upset. It wasn’t a new feeling for me, ~~though~~ so I managed to keep it under my skin.
      The guard continued his stare. He
moved closer to me, probably just ~~. Just~~

in case he had to get a good shot. I was

being very careful at this point. When I

stared back at the guard to