Types of Book Editing
If you’re new to writing fiction or you’re just now researching how to get published, you may have seen a ton of editing terms popping up. Editing is just…editing, right?
It turns out that books are complex beasts, and they need several passes by different editors to ensure the book reaches its maximum potential. Better books typically equate to better reviews, which tend to lead to more sales. That’s what we all want, right?
Each type of editing addresses very specific challenges, and they’re usually more effective at varying stages of the process. While many editors provide all forms of editing, many will specialize in a specific one.
Here are the most common types of book editing.
Developmental Editing
Developmental editing, aka substantive editing, is a “big picture” edit. It’s most effective in a novel’s infancy, because it’s designed to help an author figure out the structural aspects of their novel.
As readers, the most enjoyable books often seem effortless, but so much goes into planning out a novel from beginning to end. A plot is not just a continuous sequence of events. Plots need to progress in a way that is both realistic and engaging. And by “realistic,” we don’t mean that it reflects reality, but rather, the reality of the universe where the story is taking place.
In other words, the plot of a fantasy story should follow the rules that the author has laid out. If you’re writing a fantasy and your main character cannot do magic but suddenly uses magic in the story’s climax to defeat the villain, that may not be the most realistic. Where did her magic suddenly come from? That’s not to say that the climax can’t pull out the character’s magic, but an author should foreshadow this. A reader should be able to point to evidence throughout the novel that she really did have magic buried deep down, or else suspect that there was more to her than meets the eye. In order to plant those seeds, you need to be methodical in how you plot the story’s events.
This is something a developmental editor would catch.
Other issues that often arise during developmental editing:
A character lacks motivation or goals
A character isn’t challenged enough; their journey is too easy
A character isn’t perceived the way the author intended (ie, the author wants me to like this person, but I really don’t)
The plot does not tie into the character’s personal journey nearly enough (these should be intertwined!)
The main conflict isn’t clear
The resolution of the conflict is illogical or lacks sufficient build up
This is just a short list; there are many other high-level aspects your editor can assist with. Working with a professional developmental editor can sometimes be scary because the recommended changes and revisions are often substantial, which could mean a lot of rewriting. But if you choose the right person, you can trust that the feedback is meant to help you make your novel the best it can be. It’s not a personal attack on you as a writer.
Developmental edits are typically delivered via an editorial letter. This is a lengthy letter that discusses your manuscript in detail and highlights the biggest opportunities for improvement. Some editors may also include marked up copies of the draft with additional commentary.
Copy Editing or Line Editing
Copy editing and line editing are often used interchangeably, but some editors may define these terms slightly differently. Typically, copy or line editing comes after developmental editing but before proofreading. It’s a mid-tier edit that can really catch some important stuff.
After working with a developmental editor, your story’s structure and plot should be pretty solid. With all those large-scale issues resolved, a copy editor can really focus in on the details. For example, let’s say you write in chapter two of your novel that your character is sitting on the porch on a hot summer day, talking to her sister who has deep brown eyes. Later, in chapter ten, it’s snowing and the character’s sister’s eyes are apparently blue now. The snowing itself may not be an issue, but if you’ve established a timeline whereby only weeks have passed between chapters two and twelve, that could be a problem.
This is something a copy editor would catch.
Other issues that are often revealed in a copy edit:
Inconsistent spelling of character names or fictional place names
Inconsistent worldbuilding details
Incorrect facts for non-fictional places or people
Confusing scenes or exchanges of dialogue
Dialogue that sounds inauthentic or stilted
Awkward sentence structure or incorrect word choice
Again, this is just a short list. I should also point out that developmental editors may highlight some of these things too, but it’s typically on a grander scale. For example, if a writer struggles in general with writing dialogue, a developmental editor may discuss the issue as a whole and provide suggestions for how to write better dialogue. Presumably, because the draft is a bit cleaner for a copy editor, most dialogue should be up to snuff. This gives a copy editor more time to highlight specific lines of dialogue that could use some improving.
You might be wondering how a copy editor keeps track of all these finer details. They use what’s called a “style sheet,” or a detailed account of character and place names and descriptions, setting details, timeline, and many, many more things. If a copy editor doesn’t use a style sheet, you might want to consider using someone else. No copy editor can do a thorough enough job without some manner of organizing this info.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final stage of editing that’s designed to catch minor errors, such as typos, misspellings, incorrect word order, and other tiny fixes. If you’ve ever read a novel and noticed an author used “there” instead of “their,” that was probably missed by a proofreader.
At the proofreading stage, an editor is unlikely to make suggestions that will change the structure or meaning of a particular sentence. Instead, they’re looking for glaring mistakes that might distract a reader or make the author appear less credible.
The simplicity of this type of edit may have you thinking that proofreaders aren’t important or highly skilled, but proofreaders are extremely valuable. They are your last line of defense before the public reads your work, and they have to read slowly and carefully. Our brains are apt to fill in missing words or flip things around that don’t make sense, which is how small errors often get missed. A good proofreader has a keen eye that is able to catch what our brains naturally adjust for.
Do I Really Need to Hire All These Editors?
For Self Publishing
If your goal is to self publish, independent editors are always a good idea. Without agents or trad pub editors to provide insight, you are stuck in a bubble without feedback. Even if you’re an expert at marketing and you sell multiple copies, you may end up with bad reviews if you don’t take the time to polish your manuscript to its full potential.
If you have a small budget or finances are tight, you could look into beta readers. These are basically test readers who read books for free and offer their feedback. The thing you have to keep in mind with beta readers is that it can be difficult to find a good or reliable one. They’re usually not compensated, which means they’re doing you a favor. There’s less incentive to stick to a deadline or provide you the in-depth analysis that you may really need. But it’s always an option if you just need another set of eyes and you’re not picky about the time it takes them to finish.
Another way to manage your editing budget is to consider your strengths and focus on what you think you need the most. If you’re great at story structure and plotting, then maybe a developmental editor isn’t necessary for you. If you have a skilled hand when it comes to prose and you’re obsessive with details, you may be able to conduct a copy edit yourself and invest in a developmental edit instead.
Focus on what you think you need the most, and if you’re not sure, ask for opinions from friends, writing peers, or beta readers.
For Traditional Publishing
If your goal is traditional publishing, you may think that editing comes later, after you’ve sold your manuscript. But an unedited novel can often stand in your way of booking an agent or catching a publisher’s interest. If you’ve been querying for a while with little to show for it, it might not be a bad idea to get some outside opinions. You could consider a beta reader first, and if the beta reader offers discouraging feedback, that’s your cue to start shopping for a professional editor.
Ultimately, editing is an important part of any novel’s publication process. If you want to be a successful author, consider inviting one or more trusted editors to stand by your side.
