Have you finished writing your book? Congratulations! Seriously, you have so much to celebrate. Getting that first draft down can be one of the hardest steps of getting your book out into the world…
But what comes after you’ve written your book? Why, editing of course!
Are you now hunting for an editor to help you shape and polish your book so it can face the world in all its glory? That’s a very exciting, albeit intimidating, prospect—I’ve been there!
Today I’m here to help you discover what kind of editing your book needs so you can know the lingo around the different stages of editing, what to expect, and how to know which level of editing your manuscript needs.
When it comes to book editing, there are a few different stages available, depending on the needs of your book and what kind of shape it’s in.
And I always recommend going through a few rounds of revision, including with an editor, to prepare your manuscript for submission or publication. (No one really ever publishes their first draft… This blog alone had at least four!)
Before I break down the different types of edits, it may be helpful for you to know some ways to prepare yourself and your book prior to hiring an editor and sending your manuscript their way.
First things first… Get your heart involved.
I know it’s scary to have your book reviewed by someone, especially an editor who you may or may not know on a personal level. It’s like revealing some of your deepest darkest secrets on the page, and the last thing you want is someone critiquing or overanalyzing them.
Know that the job of the editor is to improve your book. You want your book to be the best it can be, right? Do you want it to be consistent, to make sense to your ideal reader, and to hit the emotional points you want it to hit for the most impact? Your editor helps you to achieve that. And many editors, myself included, will help you to maintain your voice rather than trying to change it, despite what you may hear about the editing industry.
All this to say: Do your research. Find a credible editor whose vibe you jive with and whose experience and offerings fit what you need. Check out their previous work if it’s available, or request a portfolio (my own portfolio is largely private due to NDAs, for example, so you’d have to reach out to me privately to investigate a majority of them).
Investigate a few editors to get a feel for what’s out there—and yes, doing a price comparison is a natural thing to check as well (check out Editorial Freelancers Association for current editing rates).
There are tons of book editors available for work on the web (I’m in a networking group with a few hundred, at least!). So, it’s essential that you look for an editor with the right skills and preferably experience with the type/genre of book you’ve written. For example, you might search for a YA dystopian or spiritual memoir in front of the search “book editor” when you head to your search engine of choice if that’s the genre of your book.
Some editors specialize in certain types of editing, so that’s why it’s important to know which kind of editing you’re looking for.
I also recommend an editor who you have respectful and constructive chemistry with. You want an editor who will offer feedback to guide you into a better book in an honest way that makes sense to you, not an editor who’ll baby you or be way too harsh in their edits. A good way to check the chemistry is to thoroughly research editors, narrow your list to the ones you like/vibe with/trust best, and have a consult call or interview with them to see if it’s a good match.
Check in with your body to see how it feels in response to the editors you interact with—follow your heart or trust your gut… You’ll know when you’ve found that editor for you if you listen within yourself for the answer.
Once you’ve found an editor, then the real work begins!
Let’s talk about how to prep your manuscript prior to sending it to a book editor.
What should you do before sending your manuscript to an editor?
First, avoid sending your very first draft to an editor. All first drafts are just getting the story onto the page and they are not ready for an editor’s attention yet. Any editor you hire will expect you to have done some sort of review before you send it to them.
Here’s what I recommend to prepare your manuscript before you send it away for an editor’s feedback, suggestions, and edits:
- Let your manuscript sit for two weeks once complete, at a minimum, so you come back to it with fresh eyes.
- Review your manuscript and take notes, chapter by chapter, of what you feel needs fixing, correcting, or adjustment.
- Do your own round of revising and edits based on that pass-through.
- Seek out a beta reader or two (or more!) to read your book, particularly someone who enjoys the genre of book you’ve written, and ask for their feedback and thoughts. Use the feedback offered to inform whether or not you want to incorporate changes they suggest. Having reader feedback can help you to know what’s working and what’s not in your book, as well as how it lands with readers overall—this is why I recommend choosing someone with interest in the genre of your book for the most appropriate feedback.
- Once you’ve made any other remaining changes from beta readers or other critiques, give it another once over to catch anything else…
- And then it’s a great time to send your manuscript off to an editor for professional feedback and to polish up your book with whatever editing services match what your book needs to be its best self.
Pro Tip: A majority of editors will request your manuscript in a specific format for ease of reading and editing.
The standard book submission format is as follows:
- 12 pt size font
- Times New Roman preferred, or something similar
- Double-spaced lines, with no extra line space between paragraphs
- 1-inch margins on all sides
- 0.5-inch indents set
- Title page with the name of the book & author
- Author Surname/Book Name (abbreviated for space, if needed)/Page # in the header
(i.e.: SHORT/BLUE HOUR/10)
- Saved as a .doc or .docx file
See the full article on Reedsy for instructions on how to format your manuscript file properly!
What type of edit does your book need?
Different types of edits serve different purposes when it comes to your book, and each level of book editing has merit.
Ideally, every book would go through each stage of editing to make it the best it can be, but I know that’s not always feasible due to budget or time constraints. Hopefully, armed with this information, you can pinpoint what kind of edit you need to get the most bang for your buck and get your book in shining shape!
Here are the various stages of book editing, in the order in which I’d recommend them:
Developmental Edit
Also known as a structural edit, a developmental edit looks at the overall structure of your book and how it all works together.
The focus in developmental/structural edits is on story structure, characterization, and plot development.
This is the “big picture” edit where your story structure and character development & arcs are analyzed, plot holes and inconsistencies are found, and your overall themes, voice, and tone are clarified. Developmental editing looks at the overarching picture of your manuscript to make sure it all flows together seamlessly while communicating your larger message or story.
Note this is not the edit for correcting mistakes (like a copyedit or proofread) or offering rewriting suggestions (like a line edit).
When you work with TIE, developmental edits come with an editorial report with feedback on the various aspects of your novel.
If you want to make sure your story works well overall, to ensure an overall cohesive flow of content/chapters, and that your messaging is clear and consistent, this is the edit for you to start with.
Line Edit
Line editing is the book publishing term for this type of edit. It’s also known as content editing, and I’ve seen it called plain book editing in the online sphere. (No wonder it gets confusing with all these editing terms!)
Line editing refines your manuscript’s text line by line, sentence by sentence, to ensure a cohesive voice of the book. It looks at paragraph structure, sentence structure, language choices, and tone for a consistent and compelling narrative.
This is where the choice and order of sentences, phrasing, and words are keenly looked at to improve the flow and readability of your story. Line edits include clearing out redundancies or overused phrases, offering rewrites to tighten up your language or improve the flow, removing the unnecessary, and amplifying what’s important.
Think of line editing as creative or stylistic editing that both preserves and elevates your writing. This is the only type of editing that allows for rewriting suggestions. In line editing, quite a bit of copyediting is also taken care of as well (see below for copyedits).
Line editing is The Intuitive Editor’s specialty as I can sense what it is you’re trying to communicate by tapping into the spirit of your book! TIE’s copyediting service also comes with light line editing suggestions should the situation warrant it.
If you want to elevate and enhance the overall writing in your book, to make sure it flows seamlessly and clearly, a line edit may be the type of edit for your book!
Copyedit
The copyedit is one of my favorites because of its detailed work. Copyediting is the technical edit to clarify and correct your writing.
This is the editing stage where more nitty-gritty errors are swept clean from your manuscript and suggestions may be offered to further activate your language. This is where the details are looked at, such as your sentence structure for clarity, and minor consistencies are flagged. Any glaring errors like misspellings, grammar, verb tense, and punctuation will be swept up in this in-depth technical cleaning of your book.
The copyediting stage is usually where a style guide is developed for your book if it hasn’t been done already. A style guide is helpful to keep the details of your story (character traits, plot, setting, etc.), any special spellings or capitalizations, and other considerations consistent throughout the book and in further series.
Because a copyedit falls under the correction stage of the editing process, most copyedits include proofreading edits as well. However, that doesn’t mean you should forego proofreading as your final step! I always recommend proofreading prior to publishing.
When you work with TIE, light line editing may also be suggested with a copyedit, where sentence structure, consistency, readability, and flow of ideas are examined to present the most impactful language possible.
If you want a thorough technical cleanup of your book for clarity and precision in the text (and you aren’t seeking more creative revisions), then a copyedit is the edit for you.
Proofread
This is the final stage of editing!
The proofreading stage is the final polish where you have a sharp set of eyes catch any remaining errors in punctuation, grammar, spelling, or typos—to make your manuscript truly shine, so readers’ eyes don’t snag on small mistakes that may frustrate them, diminish the reading process, or make readers question your credibility.
The proofreading stage is the fine-toothed comb edit to tame the flyaways after everything else has been brushed out, so to speak!
Sometimes minor formatting issues may be flagged. Proofreading is not to be mistaken for formatting, though! That’s another thing entirely, and formatting will typically come before the final proofread, especially in traditional publishing houses. If you’re having your book specially formatted, I recommend proofreading after the formatted version is complete.
I do not advise a proofread being the only type of edit you do on your book. Odds are you need additional editorial support to make the various aspects of your book clear and cohesive first. See the above sections for which edit(s) your book needs!
The Intuitive Editor loves being that final eye to catch those lingering errors, and you can pair a proofread with any other type of edit for a little extra savings!
A proofread is the edit for you if you’ve gone through at least a line edit or copyedit, if not a developmental/ structural edit, you feel good about where your book is, and you want that final eagle-eyed proofread to catch any lingering errors before publication or submission.
Manuscript Review / Manuscript Analysis
Though not specifically editing, a manuscript review/analysis is another way to get professional feedback for your book that might be more budget-friendly.
The manuscript review will vary depending on the editor, even in name or scope. Generally, feedback is provided via a written report that analyzes the story arc, characters, plot holes, what’s going well, and what could use improvement from a bird’s eye level. Some editors will do a breakdown by chapter, or advise on how to structure your book if needed or requested.
Manuscript reviews will also note any tendencies you have as a writer that will need special attention, such as overusing certain phrases or consistently switching between character perspectives or even verb tenses.
Not every editor will offer a manuscript analysis like this, but some do! (Hi!)
Have any other questions about the book editing process? Drop TIE a line here with any Qs! Happy to help.
Ready to have your book edited to its inspired perfection?
The Intuitive Editor would be tickled to help you proof and polish your book into its intended glory and inspired perfection.
Fill out the Book Submission Form here to apply for a book editing spot on The Intuitive Editor’s calendar!
