Creating a book manuscript involves many steps, from the initial concept to the final proofreading before publication. To a new author, these steps can seem bewildering – especially when we’re talking about editing.

If you go online to learn about editing, you can become quite confused! You’ll find many types of editing including developmental editing, structural editing, copy editing, line editing, mechanical editing, content editing, evaluation editing, and of course proofreading.

I’m not going to describe them all here; there are dozens of websites where you can find that information. I’m just going to tell you the two types of editing that I do.

Yes, just two. Here they are.

Developmental Editing

Developmental editing is the process of reading a text or manuscript and reviewing it, much like a book reviewer would, only in far more detail. The editor doesn’t make any corrections in the text, but provides a written report and/or makes notes in the margin using Word Track Edits.

The editor responds to the “big picture” items including (in a novel) plot, character, pace, suspense, historical accuracy, or (in a self-help book) the problem being solved, the author’s solution, and examples of success. Developmental editing encompasses those elements that would stay the same if, for example, the book were translated into another language. When that happens, the ideas remain the same but the syntax changes.

Because developmental editing may include deleting sections of text or moving them around, it’s best done before any other editing or proofreading. There’s no point in polishing sentences that may be removed!

Comprehensive Editing

This is what I do for my clients. It’s editing with the goal of producing a manuscript that’s ready to publish. No excuses, no extra charges, no additional steps. Why would an author pay for multiple editors?

I’m always baffled when, for example, a valued client will contact me and say, “I’ve had two other editors work on this manuscript, and I need you to take another pass at it.”

My reply – which I never actually say out loud – would be, “What on earth did you pay those other editors to do? What was the goal – to get more money out of you?”

Why would any editor take responsibility for a manuscript, work on it, and then hand it back, saying, “I did the line editing, but now you need copy editing.” What does that even mean?

It means that the editor saw mistakes and chose not to correct them. Isn’t that crazy?

Can you imagine taking your car to your neighborhood mechanic for new brakes, and the next day the mechanic says, “Here’s your car. But you can’t actually drive it yet. We did 50 percent of the job. Now you need to hire another mechanic to do the things we didn’t do.” I don’t think you’d be very happy!

The Goal Is to Publish the Book!

My job is to get your manuscript ready to publish. To achieve that goal, I’ll do whatever’s necessary. This might include editing, fact checking, ghostwriting, asking you a million questions about what you meant in a particular sentence, pointing out weak spots, and getting rid of redundant “filler” words and sentences. Every job is different because every manuscript is unique and every author has his or her own personal style and approach.

Does comprehensive editing cost more? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But it’s one-stop shopping. You won’t have to pay multiple editors, which makes budgeting much easier.

To learn more about how I can help you write your book, please send me an email, and we’ll talk!