Editing is often the invisible art that can make or break your book. Over the course of three books, I’ve fine-tuned my approach to editing. Today, I’m here to share my guide with you, along with valuable resources and tips. Let’s get started.
Step 1: Self-Editing
Once your manuscript is complete, the first step is self-editing. This is where you polish your language, fix grammatical errors, and enhance your writing style. It’s about making your prose flow better and ensuring your dialogue packs a punch.
For example, during this phase, I focus on eliminating dialogue tags and adverbs, instead letting the dialogue itself convey emotions. A great resource to master self-editing is “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers” a book that offers actionable tips to improve your writing.
Step 2: Copy Editing
Copy editing is the second step and involves hiring a professional. They’ll review your manuscript for grammar issues, sentence structure, and logical inconsistencies. A copy editor is essential to catch mistakes you might overlook due to tunnel vision.
Hiring an experienced copy editor is crucial to polish your work. It’s an investment that can significantly improve your book’s quality. I personally recommend using websites like Reedsy to find an experienced copy editor for your project.
I can definitely recommend my go-to copy editor Anna Bowles. You can contact her on this link.
Step 3: Proofreading
After self-editing and copyediting, the next step is proofreading. A fresh pair of eyes is essential at this stage. It’s crucial not to let your copy editor or yourself proofread the book, as you might still miss glaring errors because of familiarity.
Proofreading is the final round of editing, focusing on typos, grammar, and any errors that may have slipped through the previous stages. While it’s not as expensive as copy editing, it’s still highly valuable in enhancing the quality of your work.
For this purpose, you don’t need an experienced editor. Someone who’s professional and has good grasp on English is sufficient. I can recommend my proofreader Alexis. You can contact her on this link.
Advanced Editing (Optional)
For more advanced authors or those with extra resources, there are two additional types of editing:
4. Developmental Editing
This type focuses on your story’s mechanics, structure, and overall narrative. It’s ideal for experienced authors aiming to take their storytelling to the next level. However, it’s quite costly and may not be necessary for most upcoming authors.
5. Line Editing
Line editing dives deep into each sentence, ensuring it’s both grammatically sound and stylistically impressive. It’s a more advanced form of copy editing and is beneficial for authors aiming for the highest level of prose. As with developmental editing, it’s often quite expensive and more suitable for seasoned writers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, don’t underestimate the power of editing in making your work shine. Whether you’re aiming for traditional publishing or self-publishing, self-editing, copy editing, and proofreading are essential. They’re the foundation of a professional book.
Developmental and line editing, while valuable, are often considered luxuries, more suitable for authors at an advanced level in their writing careers. Remember, good editing is the invisible art that makes your writing truly stand out.
Keep writing, keep reading, and have a great day!
