Types of Editing

When most people think about editing, they probably think about grammar cops who delight in reprimanding people for their incorrect comma usage. But editing is so much more than that!

Good editors are authors' champions. Editors help you clarify and strengthen your message to ensure your book will capture readers' attention.

Typically, books go through 3 rounds of edits, each round polishing the manuscript further to guarantee an engaging reading experience.

round 1: developmental edit

In the developmental edit (sometimes called a substantive edit), the editor is looking at the big picture. Here are a few questions I ask when I work on developmental edits: Is your book's structure effective? Are there central themes threaded throughout the book? Does each chapter start with a hook? Does each chapter build on the previous chapters? Is the title of the book marketable/does the book title capture the right target audience? Is there unnecessary content? Does more content need to be added anywhere? How is the author drawing in the reader?

This round is where the bulk of the editing happens. As a developmental editor, I read with the target reader in mind. I want them to be captivated from the first page to the last, so what needs to change to assure that happens?

round 2: copy edit

The copy edit comes after the developmental edit and focuses less on structure and themes and more on language and style. A copyeditor will clean up the manuscript, correcting grammatical errors, ensuring stylistic consistency, and rewording awkward sentences. In book publishing, editors use The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) as their style guide. Copy editors generally create a style sheet for each project they work on with specific rules from CMOS they used, as well as a vocabulary list from the manuscript with capitalization and spelling noted to establish consistency.

This round is where comma placement becomes more important. Copyeditors want to provide an error-free, clear, and consistent reading experience.

round 3: proofread

After the copy edit, the manuscript is typeset, which means the interior pages are laid out to look less like a Word doc and more like a book. Once the manuscript is typeset, a proofreader will go over the manuscript, catching any errors the copyeditor missed (editors are human too) and noting any formatting errors that happened when the book was typeset. Proofreaders are looking for lingering typos, awkward page breaks, typographical errors, and anything in the layout that is inconsistent or feels off.

This round is the last round of editing before the book goes to print. It is a final checkpoint to ensure that the reader won't be distracted by errors during their reading experience.

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Each round of editing has a specific purpose and goal, but they all have one thing in common: creating a better reading experience. Editors are your partners in the publishing process; they want to help you create the very best book possible.

If you'd like assistance with your book or if you have any questions about the editing process, please feel free to reach out!