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Transcription (may contain errors): We offer a variety of editing options to help you refine and polish your manuscript while working within your budget and timeline. Many authors choose to start with a developmental edit. This service is designed for authors with a rough first draft or maybe even an outline and a pile of notes that needs some direction on how to take their manuscript to the next level. We also offer line and copyediting. Line editing is where your editor will provide feedback on overall structure and comprehension, flow, tone, and organization, as well as spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Copyediting is typically the last step before formatting. This is one final review to make sure the spelling, grammar, and punctuation are all totally polished before you move into the design stage. After the book has been professionally formatted, most authors like to have a proofreader go through one last time to catch any pesky typos to make sure the books as close to perfect as possible.

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Ready to learn more? Contact us with any questions!

Transcription (may contain errors): There are several types of editing services. We offer a variety of options to help you refine and polish your manuscript while working within your budget and timeline. All successful books go through multiple rounds of editing. In fact, traditionally published books typically go through six to eight rounds of editing. Most authors start with developmental editing. This service will show you what’s working, what could be better, and how to take your manuscript to the next level. Then moving into line editing to review overall structure, comprehension, flow, tone, and organization. The last round of editing before formatting is typically copyediting. Copyediting will review your manuscript one final time for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. Here at Elite Authors, we offer bundled editing options to meet your goals and set you up for success.

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So you’re writing your first (or fifth, or fiftieth) book. Whether you’re a first-time author or an established pro, you’ll need an editor if you plan to publish your work. Good book editing services can help ensure your manuscript is cohesive, error-free, and ready to make an impact on your readers.

Here’s the confusing part: there’s more than one kind of book editor. Considering content, style, grammar, and formatting all in one go is too much for a single round of edits—and probably too much for one editor. Therefore, you’ll need to figure out not only when to hire an editor but also which pro is best suited to the current stage of your book’s journey.

Types of book editing services

One easy way to understand book editing is as a spectrum of services. These can range from high-level substantive editing, developmental editing, or a manuscript critique to the final, detailed proofread. The type of editor you need depends on the current stage of your book. An author who has just completed an early draft likely isn’t ready for a copy editor’s fine-tooth comb. And if you’re already happy with your book’s structure, you may want to skip the developmental edit and move straight into line editing.

So what makes each type of editing unique? Let’s cover each one in detail.

Developmental editing

Developmental editing is also known as structural or substantive editing. Brace yourself: this is often where your book gets messy!

During a developmental edit, your editor takes a high-level look at your manuscript to evaluate whether elements like your plot, themes, character development, or central argument effectively achieve your goals. Writing a mystery or thriller? Your editor may point out inconsistencies or plot holes that derail your intent. Working on a nonfiction manuscript? Your editor can help make sure your chapters build on each other to support your thesis.

Developmental editing can be a tough process, but it’s essential to writing your best book. Just like metalwork, your manuscript needs to experience some heat in order to become something beautiful. Depending on what kind of book you’re writing, that could mean cutting unnecessary characters, adding new subplots, or changing up your chapter order so your argument flows better.

Line editing

Line editing sits on the spectrum between developmental editing and copy editing. At this stage, the focus shifts from your manuscript as a whole to each individual sentence. As their title suggests, line editors go line by line to evaluate tone, word choice, syntax, and sentence structure.

Line editors are a stylish bunch. Well, at least when it comes to making sure your writing style is consistent. The way you style your sentences can change depending on your mood, energy level, and even the last book you read. Your line editor will be the first to notice if you’ve used too-formal diction or slipped into a stream of consciousness that feels out of place.

A line editor is a little like a piece of sandpaper—though hopefully not as rough! This expert’s job is to make sure every sentence reads smoothly. As a side note, line editors are often great at critiquing character dialogue to help you make sure cowboys don’t talk like English noblemen and kids don’t sound like forty-year-old professors. Since a lot goes into line editing, it can be one of the most time-consuming editorial services.

Copy editing

If you’re ready for a copy edit, congratulations are in order. You have made it through some of the toughest stages in the editing process. At this point, your book should have a solid foundation and consistent style. Now it’s time to home in on the finer points of your manuscript: grammar and conventions.

Expect your copy editor to return your draft with a boatload of suggested edits: Add a comma here. Use a different word there. Let’s fix this dangling modifier. While the process can be tedious, catching these errors before publishing your book is key to keeping readers happy!

Copy editors refer to specific style manuals to find grammatical discrepancies in your manuscript. They also consider many small parts:

• Fact-checking
• Punctuation
• Spelling
• Grammar
• Readability
• Layout
• Clarity
• Consistency

After you work with a copy editor, your manuscript should be well groomed and ready for a date with an agent or publisher.

Proofreading

As a subset of copy editing, proofreading deserves a brief mention. Proofreading is the final comb-through of your manuscript to prepare it for publishing. Why do you need a proofreader? There are at least three excellent reasons:

1. Your copy editor may miss a few errors. So it’s great to get a proofreader’s sharp eyes on your book.
2. As you accept and reject copy edits, you may accidentally introduce other errors. A proofreader can catch little mistakes like extra spaces or missing punctuation.
3. A proofreader can check your book’s formatting for correctness. Trust this detail-oriented expert to help prep your book for publication.

Above all, a proofreader is your last line of defense before your book meets the world. This pro can help make sure small errors don’t hurt its credibility after publishing.

Understanding the different types of editing

Now that you’re familiar with each type of editing, you need to decide when and if your book needs all of the above services. If you haven’t noticed, there’s a clear order of operations to the book editing process. For instance, it doesn’t make sense for a copy editor to polish your draft when what your book really needs is to get messy in the hands of a developmental editor! Here’s how to know what type of editing your book is ready for:

If you are just starting your writing project

At this stage, you need a big-picture thinker. More specifically, you need a developmental editor. While some authors think structural editing is only for completed manuscripts, you can bring in structural or developmental editors at any early stage of the writing process. That’s because these pros often function as strategists and mentors. They can help you gain clarity and focus, whether you have notes, an outline, or a full draft.

After all, good ideas take some time to shape up. And turning your vision into a completed book often calls for a carefully planned approach. Developmental editors can offer guidance on how to organize your chapters or map out your plot—even before you’ve started writing.

If you have a completed manuscript

Just typed the last word of your first draft? Congratulations! At this point, wise writers let their work sit for a while before rereading for glaring errors. But editing on your own will only get you so far. It’s easy for writers to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” by editing overzealously and cutting vital parts of their work. On the other hand, you may not be bold enough to “kill your darlings,” as the saying goes. That means you may have written some stunning passages that don’t serve your book as a whole. Those are the hardest to slice and dice.

Again, a developmental editor can help you make these tough calls. This expert can offer the unbiased second opinion you won’t get from the people closest to you. And editors with experience in your genre can approach your book with knowledge of the publishing market you hope to enter. They could help tighten your manuscript to stay within the standard page count for your genre or ensure your plot has the right number of twists and turns for your target audience. Most importantly, you’ll get an honest assessment of your work along with the tools and encouragement you need to make major revisions.

Of course, a completed manuscript means something different to everyone. Maybe you’ve revised and polished your book over multiple drafts or already finished a few rounds of structural editing. In that case, the next step may be a line edit to fine-tune your language at the sentence level. You might even be ready to hire a copy editor.

If you are interested in a collaborative approach to your work

Maybe you have a wealth of stories to tell but struggle to get words on the page. Perhaps you wish to write for an English-speaking audience, but English is not your first language. Or maybe you simply don’t have the time to commit to writing but still want to share your amazing stories or subject-matter expertise with the world.

If you identify with any of those scenarios, think about working with a ghostwriter. A ghostwriter is an experienced writer who specializes in helping other people put their thoughts, ideas, and knowledge into words. These pros work collaboratively with you to understand not just your topic, but your voice and personality. They’ll interview you to learn your story and your goals behind telling it.

In other words, ghostwriting is not a matter of turning over your great idea to somebody else. It’s a partnership with an expert who can help bring your story to life. You will retain all rights to the work, and nobody has to know you hired a ghostwriter unless you want them to. So if you have a great idea for a book, don’t let a lack of time or writing chops keep you from sharing it.

How to choose the right type of editing for your book

Again, the type of editing you need depends on your stage of the writing process and the shape your manuscript is in. But other considerations apply. Here’s what to think about (and avoid) when choosing editing services that fit your needs.

What you should consider when deciding what type of editing is right for you

When evaluating editing services, keep these key considerations in mind:

• Your budget

Developmental editing and line editing tend to be the most expensive editorial services. They’re also key to creating a cohesive, well-organized book full of snappy sentences. That said, if your budget can’t accommodate multiple stages of editing, look for an editorial services company that can bundle two or more services at a discount.

• Your “why”

Your goals behind writing your book can help you determine what editing services you need. For instance, if you’ve recorded your memories and family stories for future generations but don’t intend to market your book to a wider audience, you probably don’t need a developmental editor or line editor to whip your manuscript into shape. But a copy editor can give your book the polish it deserves.

• What’s included

Editing services can range from the basic to the comprehensive. Besides that, some editors charge a lower rate but provide less for the money. And a freelance editor working alone may offer fewer bells and whistles than a book editing service that employs many editors. When vetting editors, ask about the amount and type of feedback you will receive. Learn whether the provider offers discounts for combining multiple services. And find out what options you have if you aren’t completely satisfied with the finished editing job.

What you should avoid when deciding what type of editing is right for you

Here’s what to steer clear from as you chart your course:

• Cutting corners

The worst mistake an author can make after investing countless hours in a manuscript is to forgo a critical editing stage. Yes, editing services can be expensive, especially if you need multiple types of editing. But deciding not to hire a thoughtful developmental editor or sharp-eyed copy editor can be a big mistake. Ask a professional editor to evaluate your manuscript and provide honest feedback on where you stand. If your manuscript truly needs work, cutting corners will prevent your book from achieving its full potential.

• Expecting your editor to make all the decisions

Working with an editor is a partnership. Regardless of the editing stage, your editor never has the last word. You do. That means putting in the work to implement your editor’s feedback—or dismiss certain suggestions if you disagree. If there’s an edit you don’t understand, make the effort to follow up with your editor and obtain clarity. You’ll get the most out of your editing service when you take an active role in the process.

• Relying on friends and family for editing help

Your friends and family can provide helpful feedback. They can support and encourage you. But unless they are professional editors, they can’t edit your book. You need an objective outsider (who also happens to be a publishing insider) to give you an honest appraisal of your work. The best freelance editors understand how to give constructive criticism without hurting your feelings. But in the end, their goal is to make sure your book is awesome. If it isn’t there yet, they’ll let you know.

What if you have yet to share your work with anyone?

It never hurts to ask friends for feedback. But unless you count book editors and publishing pros among your closest pals, their opinions may not be much help. Instead, hire a developmental editor. It doesn’t matter how early you are in the writing and editing process. If you are serious about finishing and publishing your book, it’s the best investment you can make.

If you’re not ready to hire an editor, consider joining a writing group. This can be a wonderful way to workshop your materials, meet new writer friends, and get actionable feedback. But again, unless your writing group members have professional expertise, you should take their advice with a grain of salt.

Cost of each type of book editing

When evaluating editing fees, look for transparency. Knowing what services your money buys ultimately matters more than the bottom line. Why? Because bargain editorial services may not offer the quality your book deserves. Being willing to pay a little more opens the door to a more comprehensive experience and the chance to work with skilled, caring editors who want your book to succeed as much as you do.

Editing services may charge per hour, word, or page. Below is a price breakdown of typical rates for different types of editing services:

To see an example of pricing, check out our pricing structure.

By the hour or by the project?

Although some editors charge by the hour, others charge by the project. There are pros and cons to both.

Paying by the hour provides an incentive for your editor to give your work the time and attention it needs. Your editor may be less likely to cut corners. But with this fee structure, it’s easier for unscrupulous editors to pad their hours. Additionally, your total cost will depend on your editor’s pace. A slower editor won’t necessarily do better work than a faster one, but you’ll pay more for the service.

Paying per project or per word means you’ll know up front how much the editing job costs—no surprises! Your editing service should have factored in how much work your manuscript will require, ensuring your editor is incentivized not to cut corners.

Factors contributing to editing costs

When you first calculate how much editing costs, you may be in for a shock. However, before swearing off editors, think about everything that goes into the process. Good editors read through your work multiple times at a slow pace, take detailed notes, and provide you with structured feedback. In fact, editing can be almost as time consuming as writing.

These and other factors go into determining editing costs:

1. The length of your manuscript
2. Your genre (specialized academic texts can cost more to edit)
3. The type of editing you need
4. The editor’s experience and expertise
5. The number of read-throughs performed
6. Your deadline (expedited editing typically costs more)
7. The amount of feedback provided

Most authors agree editing services are worth the investment. That’s especially true if you plan to self-publish or pitch to agents and publishers.

Where do you go from here?

Maybe your book still lives in your imagination, but you can’t wait to get started. Or maybe you have a well-developed manuscript that’s inches away from the finish line. Regardless, your project deserves attention from experienced editors. Your readers deserve a well-edited book. And you, the author, deserve support on your writing journey.

If you are looking for an editor, we’d love to meet you. Elite Authors provides comprehensive editing services to help you at any stage of the writing journey. No one else makes it easier to craft, edit, proofread, format, package, market, print, and publish your book. Connect with us!

The post Different Types of Book Editing: Understanding Your Options appeared first on Elite Authors.

As an up-and-coming author, you’ve worked extremely hard on your manuscript. You’ve put in time and effort and have gone through several rounds of revisions. Now, with a completed draft finally in hand, it’s time to start looking to get your work published! But not so fast. Before sending your draft out to publishers, it might be a good idea to get a fresh perspective on your work. This is where professional book editors come in. So, what does a book editor do?

What is a book editor?

A book editor is a professional who can help you prepare your manuscript for its next stage in the publication process. Professional editors offer crucial feedback on how to improve your manuscript. They may work with you on things ranging from large-scale organization and plot to smaller-scale grammatical and mechanical issues.

Most importantly, a professional editor has expertise in identifying the kinds of issues that keep your manuscript from getting published or sold. And they can show you how you can fix them.

How can book editors help authors?

In general, book editors work with authors to make their work as professional as possible. In most cases, editors focus on a variety of different areas when editing a manuscript.

Often, editors have specific knowledge of the target audience or industry that an author is writing for. They can help in more effectively meeting the demands of that audience by proposing specific types of revisions. Throughout the editing process, your editor can help you edit your manuscript according to both general and genre- or industry-specific standards.

How do book editors improve an author’s work?

In providing objective feedback on your manuscript, editors can help you better prepare it for publication.

If your grammar, for example, needs some polishing, they can identify any errors in spelling and syntax that you may have missed. They can also provide broader feedback on your book’s plot, development, and organization.

What are the most important elements of the author-editor relationship?

On the one hand, the relationship between an author and an editor may seem to be somewhat adversarial. After all, the editor is suggesting you make changes to the book that you’ve worked so hard on! But rather than being professional sparring partners, authors and editors should work together with a spirit of mutual respect.

The key to a successful author-editor relationship is remembering that both of you have the same ultimate goal in mind. And that’s the publication and success of your book. If you remember that your editor is also invested in your work, you’ll be more appreciative and accepting of feedback.

Types of book editors

There are three primary types of editors that you may work with. These are developmental editors, copy editors, and proofreaders. Of course, they may overlap in their specific duties and in the feedback that they offer. However, they do tend to focus on different areas of your writing.

Therefore, when seeking out an editor, it’s important that you get a good idea of what kinds of revisions you want to make and what kind of feedback you need. Regardless of the specific type, a quality editor can offer helpful and meaningful feedback on key issues with your writing while maintaining a respectful, cooperative, and tactful tone.

What is developmental editing?

A developmental editor looks at a manuscript in terms of large-scale issues. These can involve things like plot, characterization, pacing, focus, organization, and other global concerns. Developmental editors therefore usually go over a work as a whole, focusing on how it may be effective or ineffective in the context of its target audience.

What is line editing?

Related to copyediting is line editing. Line editing, like copyediting, involves going through your manuscript on a line-by-line and sentence-by-sentence level. However, line editors tend to focus on stylistic as well as mechanical issues.

A good line editor offers helpful feedback on things like word choice, flow, and direction. Line editors usually recommend changes that require more in-depth revisions of your manuscript not just simple spelling and grammar corrections.

What is copyediting?

Copy editors tend to focus on specific issues in individual lines and sentences, rather than global concerns. These can include areas like sentence structure, grammar, style and tense consistency, logic, flow, and so on.

In this sense, copy editors are less concerned with the overall effect of a manuscript. Instead, they concentrate on how “professional” a manuscript looks on a line-by-line and sentence-by-sentence level. A manuscript that’s sound in terms of global issues still isn’t very readable if it’s full of awkward sentences, grammatical errors, and inconsistent style!

What is proofreading?

Finally, proofreaders serve as the last quality control checkers before publishing. A proofreader meticulously combs through a manuscript to find and flag leftover grammatical, spelling, punctuation, style, and formatting errors for the editor or sometimes a designer or typesetter to fix.

What else should an editor be familiar with?

As a writer, you may be familiar with different style guides detailing essential dos and don’ts for professional writing. For example, publishers may use the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, the Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, the American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual, the Chicago Manual of Style, and so on. The sheer number of different styles and formats, each with their own specifics and each preferred by different publishers and different fields, may be a bit overwhelming for a new author!

Here, professional editors can help you navigate the somewhat complex world of writing styles. When hiring an editor, look to see if they have particular experience with the relevant style guide. If you need to write according to a specific style, a professional editor can help you ensure that everything is on point and correct for your publisher.

Depending on which genre or area you are writing in, where you want to publish, and your target audience, you might be dealing with specific requirements in style and formatting.

For example, if you are writing fiction, the editor that you hire should understand things like plot development and characterization, so that they can help you with larger developmental points in your writing.

With academic writing and general nonfiction, the requirements for formatting and style are often fairly strict. Nonfiction editors should deal more with the organization of your information and the clarity of your main points.

If you are writing in a particularly esoteric field, you may also want to seek out an editor who has unique knowledge and experience with that field.

Why hire a book editor?

Book editors can serve as an essential resource for both new and established authors. Good editors are usually familiar with the industry that you are looking to publish in and therefore know what works for your intended audience.

How can hiring an editor help authors get a new perspective on their work?

As a writer, it may be a bit difficult for you to see your own work objectively. After all, you have intimate knowledge of what exactly went into its development and writing. Your audience, however, doesn’t have that advantage.

As independent readers and as professionals, editors can help you identify possible issues or areas for revision that you may not have noticed on your own.

How can a book editor help traditionally and self-published authors?

When looking to publish your work, a central issue that you may face is that of self-publishing versus traditional publishing.

When seeking traditional publishers, it’s important to remember that the main thing a traditional publisher is looking for is new manuscripts that sell within their target audience. Additionally, an editor can serve as a helpful medium to move the manuscript toward what the publisher wants while maintaining the author’s core work and vision.

Editors may also know what appeals to different publishers and can help make it more likely a publisher will accept your work. In other words, an editor can help you make your work more sellable.

Even if—or especially if—you choose to go the self-publishing route, a good editor is a useful tool for your manuscript. While you may not need to impress a specific publisher when you self-publish, you still need to connect with your readers in order for your work to be successful. Your editor can help ensure your work is professional and therefore more marketable.

How to find a book editor

When first setting out to find a book editor, there are two main things that you should consider. First, what genre are you working in? In other words, who is your intended audience? Second, what level of editing does your manuscript need, and what areas need the most revisions? Once you answer these questions, you should have a better idea what kind of editor or editors you need.

How should you find a book editor online?

As with all online searches, it’s a good idea to make sure that your search is as specific as possible. Simply searching for “professional editors” will probably leave you wading through thousands of irrelevant search results.

Instead, try to include things in your search like your genre, your audience, particular publishers, what services you need, and so on. This will help ensure that your search returns include specific editors who will be the best fit for your manuscript.

How can you use your social and professional network to find a book editor?

If you have any trusted writer friends, you can also ask them to refer editors that they use. This way, you know that an editor has a good track record with published writers. Even if these authors don’t work in your genre or industry, you can still network with them to build connections that may lead to meeting more helpful editors. And of course, you can make use of social media platforms—especially LinkedIn—to make connections and find resources.

How can you find a book editor by attending publishing and literary events?

Finally, literary events, such as book fairs and writers’ workshops, can also be great resources for getting in touch with editors. Many professional editors, alongside publishers and agents, set up booths at literary events like these, hoping to build their client base and find promising new authors.

Most of these events require an entrance fee, so you should take that, as well as any related travel costs, into consideration.

What does a book editor cost?

The specific cost of a book editor varies according to several different factors. In general, editing lengthier manuscripts usually costs more. The specific type of editing that you need may also affect the price.

If your manuscript requires extensive revisions or English is not your native language, it can also affect the final cost. And if an editor can offer an expert opinion on a very specific genre, publisher, or audience, they may charge you more for this valuable feedback.

Editors may charge by the word, by the page, or by the entire manuscript, depending upon what specific service they are offering.

What do a book editor’s services typically cost?

Costs vary between developmental editors, copy editors, and proofreaders. In general, a good developmental editor will usually (though not always) be the most expensive of the three. Developmental editors, on average, will charge somewhere between $0.07 and $0.12 per word or between $7.50 and $20 per page.

Copy editors and line editors will normally be a little cheaper, charging between $0.04 and $0.09 per word or between $5 and $15 per page. Finally, proofreaders tend to be the cheapest, with usual rates around $0.01 and $0.02 per word and between $1.50 and $3.50 per page. For more global issues, such as book formatting, costs may start at around $329 for an entire manuscript.

Quality professional editors should not leave you in the dark about what kind of fees they charge. So you should get a clear idea up front about what you can expect to pay. If an editor needs to change the pricing as issues arise, they should let you know as soon as possible and get your agreement.

How to hire a book editor

When approaching editors you are looking to hire, you should of course discuss with them pertinent details mentioned earlier (your book’s length, your target audience, whether you are going the traditional or self-publishing route, and so on).

You should also have a good idea of your budget and how much money you want to spend. The editor should, in turn, give you a comprehensive understanding of their fees and how they charge. Some editors may provide a sample edit to help you get a better idea of their abilities and competence for editing.

Why is it important to set expectations when hiring a book editor?

Ideally, an author-editor relationship should be one of mutual respect and effort. Your editor should respect you as a professional, even if you are just starting out as a writer. You, in turn, should recognize that your editor is not there to be the “bad guy” but is rather invested in getting your book published and sold to the largest audience possible.

Editors, of course, usually have multiple clients taking up their time, so it’s a good idea to set expectations for how much time an editor has to commit to your book specifically.

What should you look for when hiring a book editor?

Good editors should have a solid track record of referrals and recommendations from past clients. When approaching a potential editor, you might ask yourself questions like the following:

• How professional does this person come across?
• How knowledgeable do they seem in the particular genre, industry, or audience I am looking to publish in?
• Are they clear and up front about their rates?
• Are they prompt in responding to inquiries, and how timely can they be in getting my manuscript back to me?

Answering these kinds of questions helps ensure that the editor you hire is a good fit.

Where can you hire a book editor?

Many companies offer professional editing services for hire. For example, Elite Authors offers multiple levels of book editing, from developmental editing to proofreading—and you can bundle the services. Purchasing a complete editing package may be more beneficial and cost-efficient, depending upon what kinds of services you need. If you feel your manuscript needs editing on several different levels, purchasing a complete package may end up costing you less money than purchasing several different services independently.

Ultimately, professional editing serves as an essential resource whether you are a new or established author to help you with your ultimate goal: publishing and selling a successful book.

If you are an author with an unpublished manuscript, it’s time to start looking for a professional editor today. Your future bestseller will thank you!

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