Copy Editor
A copy editor reads someone else’s writing and makes it sharper — cutting dead words, replacing weak verbs, catching flaws the writer couldn’t see because they were too close to their own work.
You don’t become a good writer without becoming a better editor. As the great advertiser Eugene Schwartz put it:
“Copy is not written. It is assembled.”
You don’t produce perfect sentences in your first draft — you build them, test them, throw away what doesn’t work, and replace it with something that does. This game trains your eye for what doesn’t work.
How it works
Read the paragraph carefully.
Tap the phrase that could be stronger.
Diagnose why it's weak — pick the craft category.
See how a real writer handles it better.
The craft categories
These are the problems you’ll learn to catch. Don’t worry about memorizing them — you’ll pick them up as you play.
Precise verbs
Lazy verbs hiding behind adverbs. "Really shows" — the adverb is there because the verb is too weak to stand alone.
Passive voice
The actor disappears. "The letter was worn by Hester" hides who's doing what. "Hester wore the letter" puts her in charge.
Restraint
More words than you need. Unnecessary adverbs ("basically," "ultimately"), but also bloated phrases — "the utilization of symbolism" when you mean "the symbolism." If you can say it shorter, say it shorter.
Filler
Warming up instead of writing. "It is important to note that," "In conclusion," "It could be argued" — just say the thing.
Avoiding cliché
Phrases so overused they've lost their meaning. "At the end of the day," "still relevant today" — your reader stops paying attention.
Concrete details
Vague words where real details should be. "Things," "aspects," "society" — words that could mean anything, so they mean nothing.
Wrong word
The wrong word. "Utilize" when you mean "use." "Plethora" when you mean "many." Reaching for a big word that doesn't fit makes you sound less confident, not more.
Clarity
The sentence doesn't actually mean anything. "The thematic elements interact with the protagonist's arc" — what does that even say? If you can't explain it simply, the thinking isn't clear yet.
Sentence rhythm
Every sentence sounds the same. Same length, same structure, five times in a row. Your reader's brain tunes out.
Choose your level