30 Line Editing Templates

Line-edit checklist: meaning → emphasis → sentence shape → paragraph flow → diction → repetition → tone/voice → read aloud.

Before/after note: Original [sentence] | issue [clarity/rhythm/tone] | revision [sentence] | reason [what improved].

Voice guardrail: Preserve [signature traits]; reduce [unhelpful pattern]; never normalize [intentional feature] automatically.

Paragraph test: opening function [x] | development [y] | key emphasis [z] | transition [next].

Line-edit pass: Meaning → [clear?]; emphasis → [right words stressed?]; rhythm → [variety/pace]; voice → [consistent?]; redundancy → [cut?].

Misconception correction audit for Line Editing: shortcut or assumption → [ ]; why it fails here → [ ]; corrective move → [ ]; principle that must remain true → [ ]; goal-based next skill → [ ].

Failure-mode and reader-intent audit for Line Editing: visible symptom → [ ]; likely underlying problem → [ ]; reader need → [ ]; competing technique considered → [ ]; correction → [ ]; evidence/genre/format constraint → [ ]; final verification → [ ].

Boundary-and-tool-choice audit for Line Editing: reader objection → [ ]; actual writing job → [ ]; evidence/genre/format boundary → [ ]; tempting alternative → [ ]; why it is the wrong tool here → [ ]; correct adjustment → [ ]; final verification → [ ].

Evidence/support and mastery ladder for Line Editing: minimum acceptable → [ ]; strong → [ ]; expert → [ ]; audience/genre constraint → [ ]; evidence or story support → [ ]; boundary that would require a different technique → [ ].

Certainty and expert-exception audit for Line Editing: statement or choice → [ ]; evidence/canon/authority supporting it → [ ]; confidence level → [ ]; uncertainty that must be named → [ ]; expert exception → [ ]; nearest alternative technique → [ ]; why the final choice fits better → [ ].

Purpose-and-verification decision audit for Line Editing: real writing job → [ ]; plausible choice A → [ ]; plausible choice B → [ ]; downstream consequence of each → [ ]; facts/evidence/canon to verify → [ ]; reader or genre boundary → [ ]; final purpose-fit reason → [ ].

Publication-readiness audit for Line Editing: claim/advice/example → [ ]; strongest available source tier → [ ]; important disagreement or uncertainty → [ ]; what would change the conclusion → [ ]; publish now / qualify / revise / hold → [ ]; final verifier or source of truth → [ ].

Provenance and classification audit for Line Editing: draft statement/example → [ ]; classify as fact / interpretation / recommendation / convention / original example → [ ]; source or internal provenance → [ ]; source date / version / checked date → [ ]; attribution needed → [ ]; recency risk → [ ]; final publishable wording → [ ].

Source-record and update audit for Line Editing: statement / example → [ ]; external fact, project fact, interpretation, recommendation, convention, or original example → [ ]; controlling first-party / primary source → [ ]; secondary source if used → [ ]; source record / locator → [ ]; date or version checked → [ ]; update trigger → [ ]; publish / qualify / revise / hold → [ ].

Source-ledger and revision-history audit for Line Editing: claim / recommendation / example → [ ]; source or project record ID → [ ]; source status active / superseded / corrected / retracted / retired → [ ]; claim-level last verified date/version → [ ]; event that triggered recheck → [ ]; correction / withdrawal action → [ ]; reader-facing disclosure needed? → [ ]; what changed and why → [ ]; prior wording/version retained at → [ ].

Claim/source status audit: Item [claim/source/example] | Status [active / review due / stale / corrected / retracted / superseded] | Controlling source/version [x] | Last verified [date/version] | Stale trigger [x] | Correction severity [0–3] | Reader disclosure [none / note / correction / withdrawal] | Changelog entry [what changed + why].

Dependency and propagation audit: Claim / example / recommendation [x] | Controlling source / project record [x] | Dependency strength [direct / shared / advisory / independent] | Review trigger / reason code [x] | Needs-review scope [local / direct dependents / cluster] | Replacement source requirements [x] | Carry-forward decision [x] | Propagation targets [x] | Reader disclosure / changelog action [x].

Persistent editorial registry audit: Topic slug → [ ]; claim UID/key → [ ]; source UID/key → [ ]; dependency UID + strength → [ ]; source status/version → [ ]; open review UID/reason/priority → [ ]; replacement source if any → [ ]; reviewer + resolution → [ ].

Line-edit pass: intended meaning [x] → emphasis [x] → syntax/rhythm [x] → diction [x] → paragraph flow [x] → voice/tone [x] → meaning recheck [x].

Before/after rationale: original [x] | pattern [clarity/rhythm/tone/repetition] | revision [x] | effect improved [x] | meaning preserved? [yes/no].

Voice guardrail: preserve [signature traits] | reduce [unhelpful pattern] | never normalize [intentional feature] automatically | examples [x].

Paragraph flow map: paragraph job [x] | strongest sentence [x] | information order [x] | transition in [x] | transition out [x] | cut/move [x].

Rhythm audit: long sentence purpose [x] | short sentence purpose [x] | repeated cadence [x] | deliberate variation [x] | read-aloud result [x].

Diction decision: current word [x] | intended meaning/register [x] | alternatives [x] | technical/character reason to keep [x].

Repetition decision: repeated element [x] | intentional function [x] | accidental redundancy [x] | keep/cut/vary [x].

Ambiguity query: sentence [x] | reading A [x] | reading B [x] | context insufficient because [x] | author confirmation needed [x].

POV/tone check: viewpoint [x] | allowed knowledge [x] | diction fit [x] | tonal drift [x] | edit [x].

Line-vs-copy boundary: expression/style problem [line] | rule/consistency problem [copy] | both? [x] | agreed service scope [x].

Meaning-preservation check: facts unchanged? [x] | chronology unchanged? [x] | characterization unchanged? [x] | legal/technical force unchanged? [x].

Handoff note: recurring spellings/terms [x] | punctuation/style choices [x] | names/timeline flags [x] | copyeditor should verify [x].