You did it! You completed your first draft – or fiftieth – and you're ready for an editor to help you polish it, spot any loose or forgotten plot threads, characters and settings that have changed throughout the course of writing and simply help you with all the things. Or just some of them. But which type of editing do you need?
Manuscript editing
IpED effectively breaks down what to expect from different types of editing.
The works
Substantive editing (sometimes called structural or content editing) PLUS proof reading/ line editing for spelling and grammar.
You may have written a book but you know your spelling and grammatical skills are far from perfect so you want to fix it all up in one go.
Aims to ensure that the structure, content, language, style and presentation of the document are suitable for its intended purpose and readership.
You may have written a book but you know your spelling and grammatical skills are far from perfect so you want to fix it all up in one go.
Aims to ensure that the structure, content, language, style and presentation of the document are suitable for its intended purpose and readership.
Substantive editing
Substantive editing (sometimes called structural or development editing)
Aims to ensure that the structure, content, language, style and presentation of the document are suitable for its intended purpose and readership.
Aims to ensure that the structure, content, language, style and presentation of the document are suitable for its intended purpose and readership.
Copy editing
Copy editing aims to achieve accuracy, clarity and consistency in a document. It does not involve significant rewriting, providing a single authorial voice, or tailoring text to a specific audience—these belong to a substantive edit.
Line editing
Line editing, often called proof reading, involves checking that the document is ready to be published. It includes making sure that all elements of the document are included and in the proper order, all amendments have been inserted, the house or other set style has been followed, and all spelling or punctuation errors have been deleted.
Proof reading
In recent years the term 'proof reading' has begun to be misinterpreted to mean line editing. And indeed, line editing is a part of the proof reading process, it's not all that's involved.
Proof reading is a step that comes after the book, magazine, or other publication has been laid out and is looking the way it should, ready to go to the printer. A proof reader is hired to check the pages for spelling and grammar, that all design elements such as indenting, fonts and font sizing, headers, footers, image placement and captions are correct. Proof readers also check for widows (lone words at the top of the page, the last word of a sentence from the previous page) and orphans (single words at the bottom of a page) are removed and flag readability issues such as too tight or too loose kerning. Proof readers also check that no text has been lost off the page, such as accidentally hidden under images, and check that the table of contents is accurate.
Proof reading is a step that comes after the book, magazine, or other publication has been laid out and is looking the way it should, ready to go to the printer. A proof reader is hired to check the pages for spelling and grammar, that all design elements such as indenting, fonts and font sizing, headers, footers, image placement and captions are correct. Proof readers also check for widows (lone words at the top of the page, the last word of a sentence from the previous page) and orphans (single words at the bottom of a page) are removed and flag readability issues such as too tight or too loose kerning. Proof readers also check that no text has been lost off the page, such as accidentally hidden under images, and check that the table of contents is accurate.
All of these levels of edit are essential in producing a high-quality publication, whether on paper or online. They are performed at different times in the publication process, and are not necessarily performed only once.
There is usually some overlap between the three levels and an editor hired to do a copy edit is quite likely to also perform some of the tasks usually associated with a substantive edit.
There is usually some overlap between the three levels and an editor hired to do a copy edit is quite likely to also perform some of the tasks usually associated with a substantive edit.
What you'll receive with The Works and Substantive Edit packages
Teamed with in-manuscript notations, tracked changes and comments, when you order a structural/substantive edit you will receive a detailed overall report that answers questions about your manuscript, including topics such as:
Is your book too short or too long, and, if so, why?
Have you missed any key ingredients or under-developed any scenes or topics?
Have you overwritten your story?
Are the characters original and fully developed?
Are there any issues with point of view?
Is the backstory engaging and revealing or does it need work or perhaps deletion?
Is there a good balance between interior monologue, description and exposition, action and dialogue?
Is the plot original and compelling?
Is there enough believability, suspense, action, conflict, and tension?
Are there any sections of flat or passive writing?
Are there any repetitive words or phrases?
Opening/Hook:
Does the opening “hook” intrigue readers and make them want to read more?
Does the story seem to start in the right place?
Character:
Is the protagonist someone readers can root for?
Do the protagonist’s motivations seem believable?
Is the protagonist unique, or in a unique situation?
Are the secondary characters interesting and believable?
Conflict:
Is the EXTERNAL conflict AGAINST the primary characters apparent and believable?
Is the plot original or told with a fresh twist?
Setting:
Do you have a clear sense of the story’s physical setting?
Do you know the place (e.g. urban versus rural), time of year, when the story is set etc?
Dialogue:
Is there a good balance between interior monologue, description and exposition, action and dialogue?
Does the dialogue seem natural and in each character’s “voice”?
Is there anything else at all that you, as the author, could do to improve your novel to turn casual readers into avid fans?
Is your book too short or too long, and, if so, why?
Have you missed any key ingredients or under-developed any scenes or topics?
Have you overwritten your story?
Are the characters original and fully developed?
Are there any issues with point of view?
Is the backstory engaging and revealing or does it need work or perhaps deletion?
Is there a good balance between interior monologue, description and exposition, action and dialogue?
Is the plot original and compelling?
Is there enough believability, suspense, action, conflict, and tension?
Are there any sections of flat or passive writing?
Are there any repetitive words or phrases?
Opening/Hook:
Does the opening “hook” intrigue readers and make them want to read more?
Does the story seem to start in the right place?
Character:
Is the protagonist someone readers can root for?
Do the protagonist’s motivations seem believable?
Is the protagonist unique, or in a unique situation?
Are the secondary characters interesting and believable?
Conflict:
Is the EXTERNAL conflict AGAINST the primary characters apparent and believable?
Is the plot original or told with a fresh twist?
Setting:
Do you have a clear sense of the story’s physical setting?
Do you know the place (e.g. urban versus rural), time of year, when the story is set etc?
Dialogue:
Is there a good balance between interior monologue, description and exposition, action and dialogue?
Does the dialogue seem natural and in each character’s “voice”?
Is there anything else at all that you, as the author, could do to improve your novel to turn casual readers into avid fans?
Genres I specialise in
I read most types of manuscripts but my favourite genres (in no particular order) to work on are:
Fiction
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I don't edit erotica, Mills & Boon-style romance, or high fantasy as I am not a fan of, nor expert in, the conventions of these genres, therefore I may not be the best editor for your work. I do encourage you to contact me about your manuscript, just in case.
