So you’ve written a book! Fantastic! Incredible! Congratulations!!!!

I’m so sorry, you’re not done yet….

Writing a draft and taking your story from blank page to beginning-middle-end and a whole lot in between is a huge accomplishment, but you’ve only brought it up to the Finished Draft stage.

The best books go through several rounds of revisions to go from draft to publishable manuscript. They tweak the story, characters, flow, even which word is used when. It all has to sync together to give readers that breath-taking, heart-racing, can’t put it down experience.

(And then you write another book, and keep them coming back for more…)

Editors Are Not Optional

I’m sorry again, but you can’t do this on your own. Like all creative arts, we can be blinded by our intentions for story, without seeing what the story actually is.

Think of it this way: You remember the game of Telephone: the one where kids sit in a circle and whisper a phrase, each one passing it on until it gets back to the person who started it. In the game of Telephone, we start with a normal sentence “I like broccoli.” But by the time it goes around the circle, it has morphed into “Sandals and sunset Brockovitch.”

This is because, between listening and speaking, there is interpretation.

And we are all interpreting things, all the time.

When you have an idea you want to get across (say a scene you feel is particularly moving) it goes through interpretation: idea to more established idea to scene to written down in a draft.

Then, the reader also interprets: words on the page to visual scene in their head to idea to feelings (and whether they are moved or not).

Editors have the experience and expertise to work with you and help the story read the way you intended, so that your awesome idea turns into an awesome book.

The Different Types of Editors and When you Need Them

There are several stages of editing, and each one helps a manuscript in different ways:

Story Coaching

Sometimes also considered part of Developmental editing, Story Coaching is all about Plot, Character, and Conflict. A good Story Coach can help you with story logic. Does everything make sense, does everything fit together?

The best time for a Story Coach is early on in the writing process, to help with plot. They are experts in story structure and the big picture of pacing.

They can also help you out if you’ve written yourself into a corner.

Developmental Editing

Developmental editing is all about the big picture. A Developmental Editor will look at your finished draft and help you by finding plot holes, scenes that feel off, or generally confusing story.

They also look at the believability of your characters, the consistency of your world, and the general feel of the story. And they help you get it back on track.

In my opinion, a developmental edit is a must for beginning authors! Story structure is not as instinctual as we want to believe, and crafting a great story takes far more than just a good idea.

Line Editing (Copy Editing)

Line Editing is all about the feel. This will be the first time that the manuscript is looked at line by line, and the Line Editor is looking specifically at your word choices.

Line Editors are experts in pacing, tension, and emotions. They know how to take the reader on a journey from interest at the beginning hook, to excitement, to concern if the characters will make it through, to satisfying conclusion.

They work to make the author’s voice and message clear and exciting to read.

Copy Editing

Copy Editing is all about consistency.  We all know the feeling when you are reading a great book and suddenly the main character has dark hair and green eyes, when you were pretty sure at the beginning they had light hair and blue eyes…. it’s unsettling to say the least.  It’s a copy editor’s job to keep track of these things.

They also check the manuscript for consistency in spelling and grammar usage, ensuring the book is a smooth and easy read.

Proofreading

By the time a book hits the Proofreading stage, it is looking very much like a finished story. The Proofreader’s job is to come in and clean up any grammatical or spelling errors. After all, there is nothing worse than a good story interrupted by too many spelling mistakes.

Beta Reading and Reviewing

Finally, many books go through a ‘testing’ phase, where the book is put into the hands of real readers who will provide feedback.      … and, no, your mom doesn’t count… 😉

They are also helpful to pick up any lingering word or spelling errors, and can provide great early reviews to help us market the book when it is published.

Contact us about Story Coaching or Developmental and Line Editing.

Cover Photo by Kaboompics .com from Pexels