Quick Guide for Self-Publishing Writers: Are you ready for an editor?

The advantage as well as the challenge for self-publishers is that you are in charge of the entire publication process, including aspects with which you may or may not be familiar. It’s all up to you. Including editorial work.

Which is great, if stressful.

Below, please find an extremely abbreviated guide to the three main types of editing which I introduce all my clients to. I’ve included tips on when each scenario is or is not for you (though, spoiler: as an editor, I’m prone to believing they’re all valuable for everyone).

These topics go much deeper, and in other posts (links below),  you can find more information. For now, you may use this post as a shorthand to find out where you are in the process. (For a detailed description of all services, visit my Services page.)

Types of editing: The three buckets

Editorial help can enter the picture at any point during the writing process, beginning with the initial idea, outline, and brainstorming stage.

Editing lives on a spectrum. For simplicity and ease of understanding, you should be familiar with the following basic categories (my “three buckets”):

• Developmental/Content Editing
• Line and Copyediting
• Proofreading

Developmental/Content Editing

The developmental edit takes place before any other editing, because it cares about the most fundamental question of all: Is this a story worth telling?

Developmental work of any kind is arguably the most critical part of your editing process. If your sentences are pretty but your story doesn’t make sense, your book is not a success.

In this edit, we deal with the big picture. This big picture means the manuscript’s (mms) overall structure and content, and its appropriateness and appeal to your chosen audience. Very few authors have an mms ready to skip this process.

This type of editing is mostly about: structure.
The primary work is: conceptual; writing revision.
The goal: a good, and complete, draft ready for line and copyediting.

What you need

For developmental editing, you need a draft with a beginning, middle, and end, and a notion of your audience. This means you have an idea of the overall story shape, at least for now. Plenty can change, but it reads as a full story.

For nonfiction, you’ll want to have a clear topic, your goal or takeaway, and the main points you want to address. For fiction and memoir, you’ll want to get a grasp on your overall plot structure, and the main character’s main challenge.

You are not ready if: you are considering a variety of themes or big-picture topics, and are undecided which you want to pursue. You’re also not ready if you don’t yet have a main character or plot conflict, or are not sure what audience you want to address. If this is you, you may wish to look into book coaching, peer writing groups, and/or networking organizations in the area(s) of your interest first.

The most important aspect of being ready for developmental editing is to be open to discussing what you hope to achieve with your work, and a willingness to make changes.

Line and Copyediting

Line and copyediting is where form meets function. The big picture is set, and you want to make sure the content does the job you want it to do.

This type of editing is mostly about: elegant sentences, consistency, and clarity.
The primary work is: editing at the paragraph and chapter level; fact-checking; transitions.
The goal: a tight, convincing manuscript ready for proofread.

What you need

For line and copyediting, you’ll need an mms that has completed at least one full draft and ideally developmental edit, and which you are not planning to change in any dramatic way. Line and copyediting is like working with Jell-O: you can make art out of it, but it needs to have set first.

You are ready for this step if you are happy with the overall flow of the mms, and want to make sure the paragraphs, sentences, and style choices play nice together.

You are not ready if: you are still playing with narrative structure. If you think it likely you will write entire new sections of the mms, move big pieces around, change character names, choose a different audience or reorient your topic focus, you are not ready for a line and copyedit. If this is you, you may wish to spend more time with your draft, or, if you want outside feedback, consider peer writing groups, a developmental/content edit, or manuscript evaluation.

Proofreading

Proofreading focuses on presentation and accuracy. It does not care about the literary merits of any content. Proofreading wants to know, “Is this correct?”

This type of editing is mostly about: accuracy.
The primary work is: verification of content; elimination of errors or glitches.
The goal: a clean and accurate mms ready to publish.

What you need

The proofread requires an mms whose content is complete and set in stone. You are done with editing and revision.

You are not ready if: you are still changing content in any way. If you are still considering the best way to phrase certain paragraphs or sentences, what do to with big pieces of the mms, are unhappy with transitions, or debating stylistic choices such as headings, layout of any images, or names of chapters, you are not ready for the proofread. You may wish to consider a line and copyedit or developmental edit first.

The bottom line

Every single manuscript you publish deserves a second set of eyes. You’ve worked hard to create the book. Don’t torpedo your efforts at the last hurdle by skipping an editorial review. When in doubt about what you need, ask a professional. Your book will thank you!

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Not sure what kind of work you need? Fill out the editing form and let’s connect.

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