The Different Types of Editing - Lisa Fellinger

The term “editing” refers to a lot of different processes in writing, so it can understandably be confusing when writers hear that they need to hire an “editor.” Does that mean they need someone to help them improve their overall story, or do they need someone to tell them where the commas are supposed to go? In the same vein, it can be confusing for editors when a writer says they need an “editor.” Without knowing what type of editing they’re looking for, editors have to spend time trying to decipher what is needed. Having a solid understanding of the different types of editing (and at what point in the process you’re most likely to need each type) can help you communicate your needs to professional editors and also help you research and vet an editor you may want to work with.

Developmental editing (sometimes referred to as content editing or structural editing) is the first type of editing you’re likely to need. Developmental editing looks at your story overall and the big-picture elements, such as characterization and character arcs, plot and consistency, pacing, setting development, etc. During a developmental edit, your editor will look for ways to make your overall story stronger. These suggestions may include some big changes, for example, cutting your first three chapters and starting at a stronger point in the story or moving around scenes. They may suggest cutting large parts of your narrative and adding in additional scenes. All of these suggestions are done with the intention of helping you tell the best version of your story possible so readers connect with your story.

Since developmental editing often suggests some major revisions, it makes sense to start with this type of editing. After all, there’s no sense in perfecting prose and grammar in a scene that may ultimately be cut or changed drastically. Developmental editing is typically best sought after at least one round of revision on your own and maybe some feedback from alpha readers (early readers who can help you identify where your story is and isn’t working). By doing what you can on your own to make the story stronger ahead of time, you’ll gain the most value from a developmental edit as your editor will be able to focus instead on aspects of your manuscript that you either weren’t able to see or didn’t know how to address on your own.

After you receive a developmental edit and make your revisions, the next level of editing is line editing. Line editing looks at your story at the paragraph/sentence level. The focus of this level of editing is on the specific language being used. A line editor will consider things like whether your narrative flows smoothly, checking word choice for clarity and readability, making sure your tone is consistent throughout, and tightening up the narrative to avoid repetition and unnecessary words.

Since a line edit looks at the specific wording in your manuscript, this level of editing is best completed when your overall story structure is set. While some minor reorganization might be suggested, such as moving around paragraphs, this isn’t the time to make big structural changes to your manuscript.

Copyediting is similar to line editing in that it looks at your story on a paragraph/sentence level, but instead of focusing on whether your language is clear and concise, a copy edit is more focused on checking that your grammar is “correct” and consistent, words are used appropriately, and there are no factual errors within your story.

Copyediting is best completed when you’re nearing the point of publication for your story. You’re certain the overall structure of your story is set and you’re happy with the word choices, chapter structure, and overall voice of your story. A copy edit will assure that the mechanics of your story work so readers aren’t distracted by a manuscript with grammatical errors or inconsistent style.

Proofreading is the final type of editing before you publish your manuscript. Proofreading is the final check to ensure no egregious errors have slipped through in the manuscript and that everything looks as it should. Proofreading is like a double check to ensure there’s nothing major outstanding after a copy edit, and it’s often recommended that you have a copy edit and proofread completed by two different professionals since a fresh pair of eyes for your proofread can catch errors that your copyeditor won’t simply because they’re too familiar with your manuscript (the same reason you, the author, will often overlook egregious errors despite your best efforts).

While utilizing all levels of editing is recommended to ensure a quality published book, it can be expensive to pay for all of these, especially if you’re a newer writer with no established writing income yet. When deciding what your manuscript will benefit from most, be honest with yourself about your own strengths and weaknesses as a writer. Maybe you’ve gotten feedback from beta readers that’s helped strengthen your manuscript immensely and you feel really good about the structure of your story. In that case, your money may be best invested in a line edit. Or, maybe you’ve received conflicting feedback from beta readers and aren’t sure how best to improve your character arc. In this case, a developmental edit would be a valuable investment in your manuscript.

In deciding how to distribute your editing budget, it may also be helpful to consider why readers abandon books they’ve started. Surprisingly, it doesn’t seem to be a few typos or misplaced commas that cause readers to stop reading. Most readers will overlook some poor grammatical choices if the story is engaging. A Goodreads survey found that a shocking 46.4% of readers surveyed stopped reading books because the story was slow or boring. Readers are most likely to abandon a book if nothing is happening or piquing their curiosity. So, while it’s always good to ensure your manuscript is as free from typos and grammatical errors as possible, you absolutely want to ensure that your story is engaging and interesting to the reader first and foremost.

One final word of advice about editing – make sure to vet any editor you may want to work with before engaging their services. Ask them the questions you need to in order to feel confident they’ll do a quality job with your manuscript. Ask for references. Do your homework. Investing in editing for your manuscript is a big step, and you want to ensure you’re working with someone who will do a good job for you and who you feel understands the story you want to tell. I promise that any professional editor will be happy to answer your questions for you!