As a copy editor and reader, I’ve seen how small editing issues can have massive impacts on reader experience. A gripping plot and swoon-worthy characters can’t save a manuscript if copy editing problems keep pulling readers out of the story.

Here are five of the most engagement-killing issues I encounter—and how fixing them can transform your reader’s experience from frustrated to completely absorbed.

1. Repetitive Words and Phrases

Have you ever read a book and thought to yourself, I’ve read that word before—a few paragraphs ago? Nothing breaks the spell of a beautifully crafted fantasy world or steamy romance scene quite like repetitive language. When the same words or phrases appear too frequently, readers start noticing the writing instead of losing themselves in the story.

Common culprits in romance and fantasy

• Overusing character names instead of pronouns
• Repeating the same descriptive words (“his emerald eyes” appearing three times in two pages)
• Falling back on the same sentence structures
• Favorite words that authors don’t realize they’re overusing (one of mine is just)

The fix: The Find function is your friend. If you know what your overused words are, do a search for the word or words and see how many you have. Go through the manuscript and see if there are any that can be removed. Sometimes the word can simply be taken out. Other times, there’s a stronger phrase that can be used instead.

Additionally, a good copy editor will track word frequency and suggest varied alternatives that maintain your voice while keeping the prose fresh. The goal isn’t to eliminate every repeated word—it’s to ensure repetition serves a purpose rather than becoming a distraction.

2. Point of View Slips

POV consistency is crucial in romance and fantasy, where readers need to feel intimately connected to characters. When the narrative suddenly jumps into another character’s head without clear transitions, it can jolt readers out of their immersion.

Readers lose trust in the narrative voice and struggle to maintain emotional connection with characters. In romance especially, POV slips during crucial emotional beats can completely undermine the buildup you’ve worked so hard to create.

What POV slips look like

• In a scene from Sam’s POV, suddenly knowing what Jake is thinking without dialogue or action to show it
• Shifting from third person limited to omniscient mid-scene
• “Head-hopping” during intimate moments, which can kill romantic tension

The fix: Sometimes it’s hard to see this in your own work because you’re so close to the story. However, if you do a close reading (often best done after a break from the story), you might be able to find these slips on your own. Consider whose POV you’re in and ask yourself how they can know what the other person is thinking. Sometimes they can, by facial expressions or other body language.

This is also something a copy editor will flag during an edit. Typically, they will flag these slips, explain why they’re pulling readers out of the story, and suggest ways to fix them while maintaining your intended POV.

3. Weak Transitions

Fantasy and romance often involve multiple locations, time jumps, and scene changes. When transitions between these elements are unclear or abrupt, readers get confused about where and when they are—pulling them out of your carefully constructed world. Strong transitions act as invisible bridges, guiding readers smoothly from one scene to the next.

Problematic transitions include

• Jumping from one scene to another without clear time or location markers
• Unclear flashbacks that leave readers wondering when events happened
• Scene breaks that don’t properly separate different storylines or timeframes

The fix: A good way to check if your transitions are working is to read just the last and first line of each scene. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I understand how the characters got from there to here?
• Does the first line orient the reader to the time, place, and/or POV?
• Is it clear whose head we’re in, where we are, and how much time has passed?

Not all of this needs to happen in the first line, but it should happen quickly—ideally within the first paragraph. A copy editor can help ensure every transition serves the story’s flow while maintaining clarity about time, place, and perspective.

4. Inconsistencies in Formatting, Story Details, and Tense

Consistency errors come in many forms, but they all have the same effect: they remind readers they’re reading a book instead of living an experience. Each type of inconsistency can degrade the reader’s trust and immersion in the story.

Types of inconsistencies

• Formatting: Mixed use of italics for thoughts or inconsistent dialogue punctuation
• Story: Character details that change (eye color, age, backstory elements)
• Tense: Mixing past and present tense without clear reasons and confusing the story’s timeframe

The fix: One of the best things to have at your side when you are doing a self-edit is a Style Sheet. This is where you will record things like what decisions you’ve made for the book. Do you intend to use Canadian spelling? The Oxford comma? How do you intend to write out numbers and time? You can also use it to record character details. For example, I have a character who has very formal speech patterns. In my Style Sheet for that book, I recorded that she never uses contractions. This way, when I’m doing revisions or when my copy editor reviews the manuscript, I have all the rules right there for me to remember.

5. Unclear Pronoun References

When readers have to stop and figure out who he, she, or it refers to, you’ve lost them. This is especially problematic in romance and fantasy, where multiple characters often share scenes and magical elements can complicate references.

Common pronoun problems

• Multiple male or female characters in a scene making he or she ambiguous
• Pronouns that could refer to different characters or objects
• References to groups, objects, or concepts that aren’t clearly established

The fix: A good way to check for ambiguous pronouns, and for many other issues with the manuscript, is to read it out loud. Hearing yourself read the book will help you find the places where you stumble or have to pause to remember who he or she refers to. If you have to think about it, clarify it.

A copy editor will also flag ambiguous pronouns throughout your manuscript and suggest specific fixes—often catching references you’ve glossed over because you know who you meant.

The Bottom Line

Each of these issues might seem small in isolation, but together they create a reading experience that can feel choppy, confusing, or amateurish. Professional copy editing doesn’t just fix errors—it ensures your story flows so smoothly that readers forget they’re reading at all.

When your prose is polished and consistent, readers can focus entirely on falling in love with your characters and getting lost in your world. That’s the kind of engagement that turns casual readers into devoted fans who eagerly await your next release.

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Ready to give your manuscript the professional polish it deserves? Let’s talk about how copy editing can transform your story’s impact. Contact me today to discuss your project.