Choose one working version
Start by identifying the version you want edited. Give the file a meaningful name with a date or version number. Keep a separate backup. Avoid sending multiple files with names such as ‘final’, ‘final new’, and ‘final latest’ without identifying which one is authoritative.
If several people contributed, resolve conflicting edits where you can. Leave genuine uncertainties as comments. An editor needs to know which passages are settled and which still need a decision from the author or project owner.
Describe the reader
Write a short explanation of who will read the document and what they should understand or do afterward. A specialist report and an introductory article can discuss the same subject while requiring very different explanations.
Mention the expected reading context. Will someone read the document from beginning to end, consult a section, or skim it before a decision? This affects headings, signposting, repetition, and the amount of background information a reader needs.
Collect the rules that already exist
Provide the required style guide, organizational terminology, preferred spelling conventions, and any publisher instructions. If no style guide is required, say so. A short list of existing preferences can be more useful than asking for consistency without defining it.
Identify names, figures, quotations, and references that require verification. Do not assume that a language edit includes research or permission clearance. Those tasks need an explicit agreement about sources, responsibility, and time.
Make the handover practical
Agree on the file format and how changes will be returned. Check that you can view tracked changes and comments in the software you use. For a laid-out document, establish how page numbers and correction locations will be recorded.
Tell the editor about the real deadline, including any time needed for your own review. A publication date is not the same as the date you need the edited file. Leave room to answer queries, make decisions, and check the final version.
Keep the initial inquiry brief. Describe the project before sending confidential or sensitive material, and agree on an appropriate sharing method. A useful first message can be a paragraph long: what the document is, who it is for, how long it is, what help it needs, and when you need it.
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