The Editing Process What to Expect and How to Find the Right Editor
What is Editing Process?
Editing is the process of enhancing and polishing a manuscript in preparation for publication. Formative editing, copyediting, and editing are all included in the numerous rounds of editing. The book’s overall success is contingent on the success of each stage of editing, which has its own distinct focus.
Developmental Editing
Formative altering is a kind of book altering that spotlights thoughts, and the substance of your story. Depending on where you look, you might also find it listed as “substantive editing” or a “substantive editor.”
A developmental editor will pay attention to:
● The genre of your book: What kind of narrative are you working on? What components do perusers anticipate from that sort of story? Are those components present in novel and interesting ways?
● The structure of your book: Is there a starting point, a middle, and an end? Is the narrative complete, beginning with a triggering incident and progressing to a climax and conclusion?If you’re writing a nonfiction book, have you conveyed your message clearly and logically organized the ideas from the beginning to the end?
● The characters you write about: How many or how few characters do you have? What goals do they have? To achieve those objectives, do they make interesting decisions? Do those decisions show a solid portrayal and push the plot ahead?
● The topic of your book: What exactly is the book about? What inspired you to write it, and why is it important to you? What do you hope people who read it will get out of it? How can you increase the impact and potency of that theme throughout the narrative?
● The viewpoint of your book: In your book, what point of view are you taking? Is it a viable decision for your story? Is it consistent throughout the book?
● What your readers want: Will your readers be happy with your book? Will it stand out on the shelves as a novel that brings something new and exciting to the genre it covers?
Your book’s words will remain unchanged when you use a developmental editor. They won’t rewrite paragraphs or sentences.
Instead, they will provide you with comprehensive feedback on your entire book that will help you rewrite your next draft.
Copyediting
Before proofreading, copy editing takes place after a substantive edit. The goal of duplicate altering is to clean the duplicate so that it’s reasonable while holding the creator’s voice and significance. A copy editor is in charge of this final polishing step because the copy is defined as “matter to be printed.” They go through a piece of writing to find and fix:
● Grammar
● Spelling
● Tone and style deviations
● Wordiness
● Clunky transitions
● Confusing syntax
● Problematic or misused words
● Uneven flow
The copy should be coherent, readable, and consistent with the tone and style guidelines of the publication after it has been edited.
Proofreading
Before the work is published and after the copy editor has finished it, it is proofread. This step gets its name from the conventional typesetting process. A “galley proof,” or test copy of a manuscript or book, would be created before printing multiple copies. Before sending these proofs to print, proofreaders would look for and correct any errors.
A proofreader is a specialized editor who reviews the copy’s mechanical components. They are the last people to look over problems that involve:
● Grammar
● Spelling
● Punctuation
● Capitalization
● Formatting
● On-page layout
Proofreaders are in charge of fixing on-page elements in addition to correcting mechanical, fine-line errors that may have slipped through the editing process. Headers and subheads that aren’t consistent, page numbers and breaks, where to put visual assets like a table or chart, and other formatting issues are all possible examples.
Copy editing versus proofreading
Both copy editing and proofreading fall under the category of mechanical editing, so there is some overlap between the two processes. While they share some steps, such as correcting misspellings and improper grammar, there are some significant differences.
Duplicate altering plans to guarantee that assertions sensibly stream starting with one sentence and then onto the next while keeping the substance available to its planned readership. Additionally, copy editors are the guardians of a publication’s tone and style guidelines. They enforce coherence within a single work as well as across all publications’ works.
In contrast, to copy editing, proofreading focuses on fixing mechanical inconsistencies that were missed during editing. The fluidity and coherence of the ideas and statements are less of a concern for proofreaders. rather, they are concerned with how the words on the page appear.
Understanding the distinction between copy editing and proofreading can assist you in fine-tuning your editing process, whether you are self-editing your work, submitting your draft for review to editors, or reviewing an author’s draft.
Finding the Right Editor
Although finding the right editor for your book can be difficult, it is essential to the project’s success. While a poor fit can result in frustration and disappointment, a good editor can assist you in shaping your book and realizing your vision. Here are some suggestions to assist you in selecting the ideal book editor:
Examine possible editors
Start by looking up editors online, looking at their rates, reviews, and experience. You can also get recommendations from other writers or professionals in the field. Look for editors with a track record of success and experience in your genre.
Look at some examples of their work
: Ask potential editors for examples of their work once you have a list. You will get a sense of their editing approach and style from this. Find an editor whose style complements your book’s vision
Make inquiries
: Be sure to ask a lot of questions about the experience, process, and communication style of potential editors when conducting interviews. This will help you figure out if you feel at ease working with them and if they have the knowledge and experience you need to succeed.
Establish objectives
Make sure you and the editor have a clear understanding of the project’s scope, timeline, and costs before hiring them. Make sure to talk about any particular concerns or issues you have, like how much input you want from the editor or which parts of the book you want to focus on.
Take into account communication and personality
Because the process of working with an editor involves collaboration, it is essential to select an editor with whom you are at ease. When making your decision, take into account aspects like your personality, work ethic, and style of communication.
Verify sources
Last but not least, don’t be afraid to ask other authors who have collaborated with the editor for references. You’ll be able to get a sense of how they worked with other authors and whether or not they were able to help them achieve their goals from this.
Keep in mind that finding the right editor takes time and effort, but the result will be well worth it. A competent editor can assist you in elevating your book to new heights and making it the best it can be.
