If you have ever wondered… What exactly does an editor do? Why should I hire one? How can they actually help me and my book? This post will help to answer these questions.
By the end, you should have a good understanding of what editing services are right for you and your book.
Every editor has their own process and system for performing edits. And there are so many different types of editing services, as well as confusion about what each type is called and what it includes.
(You’d think that a group of people devoted to linguistics could decide on the official language and stop arguing the semantics, but I digress.)
This is why the editing world can sometimes be a confusing place.
But you want to make sure before you hire someone that you know exactly what you are getting, and more importantly why you are getting it!
Getting your book professionally edited is a significant investment, and you’ll want to know exactly what you’re paying for to get the most out of it.
Ultimately, a professional editor is there to support you, to work with you in bringing your vision to life in the most engaging way possible, and to help you achieve your goals.
I group the types of editing services into three main categories: developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading.
All books should undergo these three steps of professional editing. One that focuses on content. One that focuses on language. And one that focuses on an error free finish for printing.
Let’s look at each of these in more detail.
Developmental Editing:
You are ready for this stage when…
- you have completed self-editing to the best of your ability
- you’ve done everything you can to make it the best version possible (no need to pay an editor to point out and fix things you’re already aware of)
What to expect:
Developmental editing (also sometimes referred to as substantive or content editing) is the first step of getting your book professionally edited.
This is a big-picture approach that focuses primarily on the content of your book and the building blocks of narrative technique.
A developmental editor will help you craft the most compelling story possible for your audience.
They will flag areas that are unclear or need more work. Their feedback, course correction, encouragement, and navigation can help show you where and how you can improve things.
The fundamental principle that guides a developmental editor is what makes a book good.
At this stage, the editor will be looking to make sure that your message is clear, the story structure is engaging, and your book as a whole is solid and cohesive.
The intended audience is especially important to keep in mind at this stage because the editor will be working to make sure the tone, style, and format is crafted perfectly for their expectations, while still maintaining your voice.
Genre and marketability are also a consideration at this stage, making sure to guide you on the best principles and practices.
This stage is the most collaborative, meaning that the author and editor work closely together in organizing the ideal experience for your readers.
It is crucial to get an outside perspective from a professional who is experienced in finding the gaps.
Ultimately, your readers determine the quality and success of a story, and you want to maintain your credibility as an author.
A developmental editor will help bridge the connection between you and your audience.
They approach your story from a reader’s perspective and make sure that what you intended for the story is exactly how it is experienced by others.
What this stage focuses on:
- content, narrative techniques, story structure
- genre, theme,
- character developments
- pacing, scenes,
- plot arc, conflict, tension, resolution
- setting and world-building
- point of view, style, and voice
- hook, transitions, flow
What you receive:
A developmental editor will typically provide an editorial letter, an in-depth written assessment on all the important narrative aspects of your manuscript.
This will explain their insights on: issues they found, suggested solutions, a breakdown of the book’s content, and things you should consider in a chapter-by-chapter format.
Sometimes, a developmental editor will also provide in-line comments within the margins of your manuscript to provide extra feedback and direction at certain points.
What to do next:
After you receive this feedback, it’s time to implement it! (Be sure you ask your editor any questions you may have after reviewing their feedback.)
This can be a significant process because developmental edits can affect every part of the story.
You may need to do significant rewriting or restructuring, which may mean a few more drafts.
Try not to get too overwhelmed and just take it one issue, one chapter, or one editing suggestion at a time.
Ultimately, your story will be more compelling and your readers will enjoy it so much more once you’re finish.
You may need several rounds of this type of editing, you may not.
Your editor will be able to give you direction and guidance if you are unsure whether your book is ready for the next stage in the process.
If you have implemented, finalized, and are satisfied with the results from this stage of editing, then you are ready to move onto step number two.
Copy Editing:
You are ready for this stage when…
- After getting a developmental edit and implementing the necessary changes
- If your novel content is solid and you are not changing anything – content and and structure should be finalized because you do not want to be cutting, adding, or rearranging scenes that then will need to be copy edited again.
- You have done as much editing as you can to make your story the best you can possibly make it
What to expect:
Copy editing, also sometimes called line editing, is mainly focused on the language and sentence-level issues.
It is so much more than just grammar, spelling, and punctuation (although that is a large part of what they do).
Copyediting also helps with things like sentence flow, word usage, and the effectiveness of your writing.
The goal of copy editing is to make sure your intentions are clearly communicated to your readers.
An editor will make sure that all the details of your story, tone, and style are presented consistently.
Book editors typically follow The Chicago Manual and Meriam Websters Colligiete Dictionary of Style as their guides. Using specific references ensures that the manuscript is consistent with the industry’s standards.
However, copy editors are not always just sticklers for the rules. It is their job to discern when and how these rules can be broken to maintain the authenticity of your story while not confusing readers.
A professional editor will be able to properly weigh style choices against specific rules to determine if the wording can be left as is or it needs more clarification for the readers.
A good editor will always strive to maintain the author’s voice by keeping the golden rule in mind, do no harm, meaning that changes are only suggested with reason and logic to back them up.
Ultimately, whether you decide to implement the changes they suggest is completely up to you. The writer always gets the final say on what happens with the manuscript.
Copy editors use what they call a “style sheet” in order to keep track of all their editing notes and make sure things are done the same way throughout the story – from character descriptions to the timeline of events.
Overall, a copy editor will help you improve your writing by removing anything distracting, so that your readers get the experience you want for them – no more awkwardness or confusion, just your vision shining through on the page.
And yes, they will also be correcting the grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
What this stage focuses on:
- grammar, spelling, and punctuation
- effective sentence structure and style
- transitions and flow
- word choice and usage
- verb tense and point of view
- consistent representation of story content
- imagery, description, and exposition
- showing vs telling
- readability
What you receive:
You will receive your manuscript document with suggested in-line comments, corrections, notes, and suggestions. Sometimes, an editor may also share with you their meticulous style sheet that includes all their editing notes they made during the process.
What to do next:
After you receive the editor’s feedback, you’ll have the chance to review and implement it. The editor simply provides suggestions and you have the freedom to incorporate their suggestions (or not) as you see fit.
You have the final say on everything.
Take time to go over everything and accept or reject the changes, typically using Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature.
As always, consult with your editor if you have any questions or want further explanations for any of the changes they suggest.
Once you are satisfied with it, you are ready to format and typeset your book to get it ready for publishing.
Proofreading:
You are ready for this stage when…
- You’ve completed any additional writing or editing needed for your book (acknowledgments, cover pages, etc.)
- Your book is typeset and formatted
What to expect:
Proofreading is the final step in the editing process.
The goal is to make sure your book is error-free before printing.
Sometimes things get missed by copy editors (we are all human) and sometimes errors can be introduced during the formatting process.
Proofreading looks not only at the writing, but also takes into consideration any formatting issues, as well as additional material like page numbers or glossaries.
They may also look at your book’s front and back cover to make sure those are error-free.
A proofreader is essentially the fine-tooth comb with a sharp eye for all the little details.
This stage is so important because you want to be taken seriously by your readers and your peers – imagine putting an order in for a large number of print copies only to find out later that there are glaring mistakes.
By this stage, you may be too close to the manuscript to be able to see mistakes as your brain can instinctually gloss over what is there for what you intend to be there.
This is the final step to catch any lingering mistakes before you send your hard work out into the world for others to enjoy.
What this stage focuses on:
- spelling, grammar, and punctuation
- format, typos, numbers, spacing, and paragraphing
- front and back matter, font, and headings
What you receive:
You will receive the completed, error-free copy of your book that is ready to publish and print.
What to do next:
Congrats! You have now completed your editing journey. You are ready for the final and most exciting step towards becoming a successful author – publish and print. Go and share your amazing creation with the world!
Optional Editing Step:
Manuscript Evaluation:
You are ready for this stage when…
- This is good for you if you are still in the drafting process and need some expert guidance (whether you are still working on the first draft, just finished it, or are several drafts later).
- If you are stuck and need help finding/fixing issues
- You want professional confirmation on your story concept
- You need help figuring out what is working and what isn’t
What to expect:
This is similar to a developmental edit but not quite as in-depth.
Some authors may even opt for this service rather than a full developmental edit.
Reasons you may choose this option over a full developmental edit:
- if you have sufficiently revised your book and only need an overview assessment and general suggestions for what could be improved
- if budget is a concern – because this is not as in-depth as developmental editing it is typically not as large of a financial investment
- if you are not ready for the level of involvement of developmental editing
- if you are wanting to get your manuscript ready for querying
For a manuscript evaluation (also sometimes called book assessment), the editor will typically look at the same big-picture concepts as a developmental editor, but with not quite as in-depth, or hands-on approach to editing them.
The editor will take notes while analyzing the content of your story.
They will help formulate a revision strategy for you in order to help you execute your intentions in the most effective way possible for your readers’ experience.
The feedback of a manuscript evaluation is more valuable than what you would get from beta readers, critique partners, or writing workshops.
As a professional in the industry, an editor can objectively help you address specific areas and demonstrate exactly how to fix them.
What this stage focuses on:
- plot arc, hook, transitions, and flow
- character development and dialogue
- genre and marketability
- writing style, voice, and point of view
- narrative techniques and storytelling
- theme, setting, and world-building
- conflict, tension, and resolution
What you receive:
Typically, instead of making in-line suggested edits, you will get a detailed, written assessment on any issues and ways to improve your story. This is called an editorial letter.
What to do next:
Like a developmental edit, a manuscript evaluation can lead to many significant changes in your story.
Follow the same steps for implementing these changes until you are satisfied with it.
You may get another evaluation depending on the significance of changes you made, you may finalize your draft and decide to get a full developmental edit next, or you may decide that your story structure is complete and you are ready to move on to the copy editing stage.
Again, don’t hesitate to reach out to your editor with any questions or concerns.
Working with a professional editor can be the most rewarding experience for you and your book.
It can help you achieve your dreams of being a successful author and having raving fans who write you awesome reviews.
Think about where you are in your story writing journey and what you think you would most benefit from.
Most importantly, go forth into the professional editing world with confidence knowing what to expect from each type of service.
One final note, it’s very important (cannot emphasize this enough) that before hiring an editor, you get detailed description of exactly what they do, what they are looking for, what you will receive from them, etc.
This should be clearly laid out in a contract.
You should never feel like you don’t know what to expect or don’t understand what is happening and how it is helping you.
If you have found an editor you think you might want to work with, the next step is to get a free sample edit (also a super important step).
This allows both you and the editor to determine if it is the right fit and what would most benefit you and your manuscript.
If you are thinking about starting on your journey into getting your book professionally edited…
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