What Are the Different Types of Editors?
Hey, indie author! You finished writing your book! Way to go! You’ve made it so far already, but you’re not quite done. After taking a short vacation from your manuscript, you’ll want to do a thorough self-edit. This can include several more drafts of your book. Here are two blog posts to help you with self-editing: one and two!
After that, you’ll want to hire some freelancers to help you make your manuscript the absolute best it can be. This stage can get a little overwhelming though, so let me help you through it.
There are several types of book editors that do different jobs and come at different stages. You’ll want to hire them in the correct order, otherwise someone’s work (and your money) will be for naught. You may not want/need all types of editors, but you should at least consider them all.
Below, various types of editors and their purposes are listed. (Editors can’t agree on the responsibilities of each type, so each person may have slightly different lists. Check with each editor before working with them to ensure they will cover all the aspects you need covered.) There are more types of editors depending on your genre and needs, but these are the main four:
1. Developmental Editing
A developmental editor oversees the broadest aspects of your book. They see the manuscript before all other editors. For a narrative-based book, they focus on these elements:
Are your characters consistent? Are they important to the progression of the story? Do the characters progress or change throughout the story? Do their actions make sense in each situation?
Is/Are the theme(s) consistent?
Does the plot make sense? Are there major plot holes or consistencies?
Is the pace of the book engaging to the reader? Should some parts be condensed or expanded? This may be suggested if the audience is likely to get bored by a slow pace or confused by a pace that is too quick.
Is the story organized in a way that makes sense to the reader? Is the timeline useful and engaging to the reader? Should it be chronological or in a different order?
For a non-narrative book, the developmental editor focuses on these elements:
Is the book focused, on-task, and appropriate for the targeted audience?
Does the book achieve the intended goal?
Does the tone and word usage match the target audience?
Is the book organized well? (Organization is a big one for this genre. If the book is not organized well, the reader can easily get lost or confused.)
Are the chapters or sections organized and structured well?
(Email me if you want help with developmental editing for non-narrative nonfiction books!)
Note: If you’re looking for a cheaper option to developmental editing, get a manuscript evaluation. Here, the editor will read through your manuscript and write up a thorough evaluation in a few pages addressing each of the points listed above. It’s not quite as in-depth as a developmental edit because the notes aren’t specifically pointing to a paragraph or page, but it’s a great service if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option.
2. Line Editing
A line editor looks a little closer at the manuscript than a developmental editor. They come after the developmental edit. Their biggest responsibilities are the following:
Is the point of view and perspective consistent throughout the book? Are they the best choice for your project?
Does the tense stay consistent and serve the intended purpose?
Are the mood and voice appropriate for the audience and consistent throughout the book? (For a narrative book, they can also check that mood and voice are appropriate to the character, situation, and to what the reader might be feeling at that point.)
Is dialogue engaging, important, and followed by powerful tags and action beats when necessary?
Does the use of various sentence lengths create the intended mood?
Are “show” and “tell” techniques used effectively?
Is this the best, most clear way to express this?
Does every word serve a purpose?
(Email me if you want help with line editing for nonfiction books!)
Note: If you’re looking for a cheaper, faster, or DIY version of line editing. Check out line evaluations, another service I offer! This is similar to manuscript evaluations (as I mentioned in the developmental editing section), but it only concerns line editing topics (listed above).
3. Copy Editing
A copy editor takes an even closer look at the manuscript—every word is scrutinized rather than each topic, character, and situation. Copy editors check for:
Incorrect grammar, spelling, punctuation
Proper agreement among all subjects, verbs, and adjectives
Spacing and formatting issues
Reduced bias
Proper word choice
Parallel construction in lists
Passive and active voice used appropriately
Limited repetition and clichés
Avoiding vague or offensive language
(Email me if you want help with copy editing for nonfiction books!)
I understand that sometimes you want to have these things in your writing. Maybe your fictional character is really repetitive, or says offensive things only to be changed for the better in the end. ;) This is your voice as an author, and these are your choices. I hope every client that I work with feels comfortable talking with me to find out how we can break the rules in a way that serves your audience best. It’s okay to break the rules, but you have to know them first. If you’re worried about an editor squashing your unique voice, I get that! And I work so hard to make sure my clients don’t feel that way.
4. Proofreading
When you think you’ve done everything, and you’re ready to publish, that’s when a proofreader looks at your book. Cover design and formatting should already be done at this point. A proofreader must be the last person to handle your book because small but distracting errors can be passed over unless one more trained pair of eyes looks over your book. Proofreaders check for:
Grammar
Spelling
Punctuation
Spacing
Formatting
(Email me if you want help with proofreading for nonfiction books!)
Other editors might give suggestions or ideas on how to improve and change your writing—not proofreaders. Proofreaders will only change things if they are clearly wrong. They do not suggest changes because the content of your book isn’t up for debate anymore; you’ve already decided that it is exactly how you want it. They are only here to double-check that no errors have slipped through the cracks. Don’t misunderstand me—proofreaders are very important to the editing process. This is not a step to skip! Small typos or spacing errors can occur during formatting, and they are very distracting to readers. You don’t want to spend all your time and money publishing a book with many easily correctable, last-minute errors.
Now that you’re educated on the different types of editors, you can choose wisely when selecting the ones that will benefit your book the most and keep your unique author’s voice! Now go get to work on finding the best editors for your project!
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