All About Editing
There have been a lot of questions regarding the kinds of editing. When an author visits the website of an editor or an editing service, he/she comes across a variety of terms, which to most are jargon. Most of the times they get confused as to what editing they really require. Yes, hiring all kinds of editors can guarantee us a well-polished all-round product in our hands (provided a good editor is hired of course). However, there are always some people who are specifically good at certain things. Plotters, for example, are quite good at maintaining consistencies in the stories and structure. But this does not mean they do not need story edits. Some of them do need. However, the point is that for some authors, a specific kind of editing is not required.There have been a lot of questions regarding the kinds of editing. When an author visits the website of an editor or an editing service, he/she comes across a variety of terms, which to most are jargon. Most of the times they get confused as to what editing they really require. Yes, hiring all kinds of editors can guarantee us a well-polished all-round product in our hands (provided a good editor is hired of course). However, there are always some people who are specifically good at certain things. Plotters, for example, are quite good at maintaining consistencies in the stories and structure. But this does not mean they do not need story edits. Some of them do need. However, the point is that for some authors, a specific kind of editing is not required.
As authors, we must know the kinds of editing that are generally offered. I will now list the editing services most commonly provided, along with a brief description of each so that you do not get confused about the terminologies.
1. Line Editing
Line editing addresses the writing style and the use of language at the sentence and paragraph level. This editing does not usually do an in-depth grammar check; rather, it focuses on the way language has been used by the author to communicate with the reader. It checks whether the language is fluid, whether the manuscript maintains a consistent tone and atmosphere, whether cliches have been used, and most importantly, word usage.
A line editor will look for overly used words/sentences, shifts in tone and setting, dialogues and paragraphs that need tightening, scenes where the action is confusing, paragraphs that might not read well due to bad language use, etc.
2. Copy Editing
Even though copy and line editing operate at the same level, copy editing is more technical in nature. It is used to correct grammar and spelling, doing an in-depth grammar check, maintaining consistency in style, pointing out ambiguous statements, making sure of consistencies in plot, setting, and character traits.
Copy Editing always comes after a line edit. Editors should remember not to do it at the same time as a line edit or even before that.
3. Substantive Editing
Substantive Editing is done at the scene level. It is also known as a structural edit. This is almost entirely analysis based. It deals with the overall structure of the manuscript. Show vs tell, sentence complexity, active versus passive verbs, conciseness of paragraphs, clear development of ideas, coherence of the subplots, etc. This kind of editing may involve rewriting or restructuring the whole manuscript.
4. Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing occurs at the chapter level. Usually, editors work with the authors from the stage of project inception. It is more like a mentorship combined with a substantive edit. It concerns itself with the overall structure and content of a manuscript. A developmental editor gives us feedback to improve our manuscript through various drafts and makes sure we are focused on a larger picture.
5. Proofreading
A proofreading occurs just before the manuscript goes into production. It is usually the last minute check of your manuscript. It takes care of spelling and typographical errors, formatting and typesetting errors, etc.
Whether you need editing or proofreading is upto us as authors. But we need both. Many editors do not do proofreading for a manuscript they have edited. They prefer we hire a proofreader to be an extra pair of eyes before sending it to a publisher or self-publishing it. Both are important in their own aspects and if we as authors want to have a polished manuscript out there, we need to have our manuscript go through the eyes of both editors and proofreaders. And in addition to our "famed" marketing skills, we should also remember that quality content always sells.
So what are you waiting for? Have a final draft in your hands? Do you think you cannot objectively look at your manuscript anymore? Do you want a second pair of eyes to comb through your manuscript? Go ahead and hire an editor. I guarantee that a good editor can do wonders.
