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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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We get it—proofreading is the last thing you want to do after the long process of writing your book. Now that you have a manuscript and you’ve done your editing (including developmental editing, line editing, and copyediting), it feels like it’s time to be done. And by using a professional book proofreading service, you can relax and trust a reliable proofreader to take your manuscript to its polished final form.

Working with a professional proofreading service is the best way to guarantee that your manuscript reaches its maximum potential. Professional proofreaders are highly trained experts who can spot the last remaining errors and get your writing ready for successful publication. Quality writing deserves quality editing, down to the very last step.

Understanding the necessity of proofreading

After you have completed your editing, it’s time to hire a professional proofreader. A reliable proofreading service will spot any mistakes that you and your book editor might have missed.

It’s important to know the difference between editing and proofreading. Editing usually happens in steps, or “rounds,” giving you multiple chances to make changes. On the other hand, proofreading is the final step. After a proofreader checks your manuscript for any errors, you are ready to publish.

Proofreading services focus on spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Most professional proofreaders will follow a style guide that lists writing rules (for example, Elite Authors uses the Chicago Manual of Style). By following these guides, proofreading services can ensure that your writing is consistent and acceptable to publishers, critics, and readers.

How proofreading services benefit the sales of your book

The more editing your manuscript receives, the better it will be. And the better a book is, the better it sells! A professional book proofreading service will make sure that your writing is clean and polished. And readers will see that polished writing and get excited to buy your book.

Print sales have risen in the past year, among both self-published and traditionally published authors. And as more first-time and veteran authors try to get their books in readers’ hands, the market continues to grow more competitive. Book editing and proofreading services give your work a competitive edge in a market looking for perfection.

How poor grammar and spelling influence reader enjoyment of your book

We all get distracted by the errors we find in writing. But because you and your book editor know your plot and characters so well, it’s easy for both of you to overlook tiny grammar and spelling mistakes that will hinder your readers. Unfortunately, readers rely on precise language to be able to get in your head and see your ideas.

Proofreading services have the advantage of seeing your manuscript in the form in which readers will see it. A proofreader’s job is to read just the words, not the story, to make sure your ideas shine.

How proofreading services benefit the critiques of your book

Book critics have very high standards for writers. If they don’t think that you did a good job editing and proofreading, chances are they won’t take you very seriously. A polished manuscript will show that you are a professional who has worked hard on this book—which, of course, you are!

Spotting those mistakes

The secret to being a top-quality professional proofreader is simple: having an eagle eye for writing mistakes. In a proofreading job, the professional that you’re working with stays laser focused on grammar, spelling, and punctuation to make sure that your writing is impeccable. As a result, proofreaders can spot mistakes that others might miss.

Why it’s difficult to examine both the meaning of your writing and the individual words

You’re a writer because you have big, brilliant ideas that you can’t wait to put on the page. When you read your own writing, you’re focused on characters, conflicts, and happy (or sad) endings—not grammar. But a professional proofreader is able to put all of that aside to look only at the words and sentences.

Scientists have performed lots of research to see what goes on in your brain while you write. Writing’s brain benefits are numerous, including improvements to memory, creativity, and logic.

But inventing stories and proofreading them remain very separate brain functions. Rely on your expert editor to have a brain tuned to proofread so that you can keep your mind occupied with the fun stuff.

How proofreaders catch mistakes that editors might miss

An expert editor knows how to look at everything in the writing at once. While a proofreader is able to zoom in on language-level mistakes, editors focus on all kinds of big-picture ideas in your book. For example, developmental editing services don’t even look at grammar or punctuation because they are so focused on your plot and ideas.

Expert proofreaders have training and experience that helps them block out the story itself so that they can stay concentrated on just the grammar and formatting. Your book will be better if your editor stays focused on the story and your proofreader is just the cleanup crew.

Of course, proofreaders can do this because they have different training than other editors might. It’s always a good idea to ask an editing service if their employees specialize in grammar, copyediting, or any other kind of review that you’re looking for.

Why self-published authors should use proofreading services

Nobody, not even a self-published author, writes a book alone. Working with other human beings, like line editors, copyeditors, and proofreaders, is the best way to make sure your writing is as good as it can be. Self-published books deserve professional attention and expert review.

It’s tempting to use cheap, easy spell checker and grammar checker software to find mistakes. But robots can’t match the quality of professional proofreaders and expert editors. Good proofreaders and editors will be able to ask you questions, check for a natural flow in your writing, and most importantly, understand the ideas you want to get across.

Imagine this: you’ve written the sentence “Since Jean got married, Harold’s been a grump.” A human proofreader will need to look at the context to know whether the word since means that Harold’s been a grump because Jean got married or simply that he started being a grump around that time.

An expert editor might suggest a rephrasing that could clear that up or advise you against using the word since as a synonym for because in formal writing. A grammar checker, on the other hand, might just tell you that the sentence is correct.

Selecting a proofreader for your book

There are a massive number of proofreaders and editing services advertising their services online. From your book editor to your copyeditor to your proofreader, you deserve to work with professionals who will treat you and your manuscript with respect and individual attention.

What skills proofreaders need

Proofreaders are language experts. They know everything there is to know about grammar, spelling, and punctuation. In contrast, editors can be experts in other areas of writing like character development, plot structure, pacing, and dialogue.

Developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading all focus on different aspects of the writing process and require different skills. Some book editing services offer a publishing bundle, which guides you through each step of the process. Many authors find it helpful to work with editors and proofreaders from the same editing service in order to stick to consistent expectations.

What types of training and qualifications proofreaders need

There are very few formal qualifications for proofreaders and editors. Instead, most editing services require editors and proofreaders to submit things like proofreading tests, résumés, and reviews from past clients to ensure that they are hiring experts. That’s why hiring from an editing service is more reliable than finding a freelance editor—the service does the screening for you.

When hiring a proofreader, check for qualifications, reviews, and service descriptions that show that the service you have found will match your needs. Any reputable proofreading or editing service should have this information clearly listed for you to look at before you give them any money.

How to know what kind of editing you need

First, make sure you start with a good understanding of the different types of book editing that are available. Editing services follow a predictable sequence from beginning to end.

Generally, you want big-picture edits (like developmental editing and line editing) when you’re in the early stages of writing. You want more specific edits (like copyediting and proofreading) when you’re almost done.

Being able to tell an editor or proofreader exactly what you’re looking for will help you choose someone who is a good match. Then, make sure you check that the credentials and experience of the editing or proofreading service fit your own needs.

Asking the right questions

It’s good to get as much information as possible about a proofreading job before investing your time and money. Here’s a quick rundown of some frequently asked questions about book proofreading services.

How long will it take for a professional proofreading service to proof my book?

The time it takes for a professional proofreader to complete a thorough, professional edit will depend on several factors, especially the length and condition of your manuscript. Most of the time, proofreading and copyediting won’t be done overnight. An expert proofreader looks carefully and deliberately at every single word in your manuscript. Perfection takes time.

When hiring a proofreading service, be sure to ask up front about their time estimate specific to the job. Also tell them about any deadlines you are facing. Most professional book proofreading services will be able to work with a reasonable timeline.

How much does it cost to have a book proofread?

Proofreading services and editors might charge by the word or by the hour. While early structural edits will be more expensive, from $0.07–$0.12 per word, copyediting and proofreading will be cheaper, from $0.01–$0.03 per word. Check out our pricing structure for more details.

If that feels pricey, that might be a good thing. Highly qualified and experienced editors and proofreaders will give your book the time and attention it needs, and their rates will reflect the quality of their work. At the end of the day, it’s worth it to pay a little more so that you don’t get back a manuscript riddled with spelling mistakes.

Why should books get multiple rounds of editing and proofing?

Did you know that most professionally published books undergo six to eight rounds of editing? That’s because each round, and each editor, will scan your manuscript for something new.

Think of editing like building a house. Round 1, the developmental edit, will check that the foundation is secure and that the beams and framework are sturdy before you keep building.

In Round 2, you can start putting up plaster and installing water pipes—going from a skeleton to a livable construct. That’s the job of the line editor: to check that your manuscript functions well paragraph by paragraph and line by line—complete with consistent and effective tone, imagery, and personality.

After that, it’s time to start choosing carpets and paint colors. That’s Round 3, copyediting, which makes your writing clean and comfortable with an eye to sentence structure, style, and consistency.

Finally, Round 4 is for proofreading: cleaning up the dust and adjusting the decorations to make sure the new house looks perfect when people come to visit.

Skipping any of these steps may hurt the structure, function, or aesthetic of your home or writing. Multiple rounds of editing, including the work of a professional proofreading service, will help to keep your writing strong and stable.

Once you make it through, you get to have even more fun. You can find literary agents to help you sell your house—er, book—and maybe even invite some friends over for the launch party!

Quality proofreading for quality writing

You have worked too hard on your manuscript to go easy now! A professional book proofreading service will make sure that your writing is polished, professional, and ready for print. You deserve an expert proofreading job that will elevate your writing and help sell your marvelous manuscript.

Visit Elite Authors’ website and tell us about your book to get started on the final step of your writing. We can’t wait to help you make your writing the best it can be.

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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!

The post What Does a Book Editor Do? appeared first on Elite Authors.

Copyediting is an often-overlooked service, and people frequently confuse it with proofreading. But they’re both extremely important steps before you publish your manuscript. Basically, copyediting happens during the draft stage, before you format your book. Proofreading happens after your book has been formatted—it’s the last step before the book goes to print.

You worked very hard on your manuscript. Now it’s time to let a professional editing service make sure it’s pristine before you start formatting and printing.

Rely on our copyediting services for authors.

Congratulations on your finished masterpiece! You’ve poured your heart and soul into your work. Although you’re excited about sending it off to be published, there is a crucial next step: copyediting!

You understand that copyediting is important for basic spelling and grammatical errors. But do you know how vital copyediting is—or even what copyediting is? It’s a failsafe to make sure that everything is ready to be published. Without copyediting, you risk embarrassing typos, misspelled words, and grammatical errors.

Copyediting can be a scary process. Your work is going under a microscope and is vulnerable to criticism. But when you hire the right professional editing service, you’re hiring a partner that will offer suggestions to make your work the best it can possibly be. A professional copy editor is the cornerstone of your book’s success.

How much copyediting experience does Elite Authors offer to authors?

Elite Authors comprises a team of experienced professionals. They work on manuscripts every day to make sure each one is thoroughly edited and ready to publish. They’re passionate about words, language, and storytelling. That means they pour their hearts and souls into your work!

Elite Authors can assist you through the entire prepublishing process. Did you know there are multiple stages of editing before you even get to the copyedit? Here are a couple of the additional editing phases:

• Developmental editing is a big-picture review of your manuscript. A developmental edit will examine the structure and style of your work. For works of fiction, developmental editors will make sure that the plot flows well and doesn’t contain holes. For nonfiction books, developmental editing will address the organization of the information in your book.
• Line editing is pretty self-explanatory. During the line edit, the editor goes through your book line by line looking for grammatical or spelling errors. This phase of editing might include suggestions on how to improve or upgrade your use of words. Since this phase of editing might lead to changes to your manuscript, you’ll need a copy editor to go over your work after the line edit.

The Elite Authors team knows how hard you worked on your manuscript. Remember the sense of pride and fulfillment that you felt when you finished your book? The Elite Authors staff puts that same investment into every piece of writing that they copyedit.

Why should you choose Elite Authors for your copyediting service?

Elite Authors are thought leaders in the field of copyediting. They understand the ins and outs of the publishing industry and will read your manuscript with a keen eye focused on making you successful.

All authors—new and established—need a strong copy editor on their team. You put a lot of yourself into writing your book. Let the experts take you the rest of the way.

Why does your manuscript need copyediting?

A manuscript takes a long time to create. You’ve probably read it a hundred times and are now blind to any grammatical and spelling errors. Or maybe there’s a plot hole that you’ve overlooked since you’ve spent so much time buried in your book. You need a fresh set of eyes: a professional editing service.

Most published works have to go through an average of six to eight rounds of editing. This sounds daunting, but each of these rounds is a crucial component of your success. If you’re self-publishing and don’t hire a professional copy editor, you are risking sending fixable mistakes to all of your potential readers. If you’re working with a traditional publisher, they might not read past the first few errors. Your manuscript deserves the very best. Hire a professional copy editor to take great care of your work.

How to find your perfect match

Your manuscript is just that: yours. In order to keep it yours, you have to find the right copy editor to fit your needs and exceed your expectations. In researching your options, you should look for a flexible editing service whose editors understand that your book is unique and can’t just fit into a boilerplate package.

What does a copy editor correct?

A copy editor will correct everything that you and the larger-scale editors might miss. Your copy editor will focus in on each word to make sure it’s spelled and used correctly. The last thing you want to do is to send off your masterpiece with typos!

It’s extremely important to pick an editing service that has a strong history and track record—and that understands that your work is your pride and joy. In addition, you’ll want to choose an editing service whose editors pride themselves on keeping up with the ever-changing trends in the writing and publishing industries.

Why should you work with an experienced copy editor?

Your manuscript is the fruit of your labor. Writing a book isn’t easy, but you did it! Now you need professional assistance to make sure it’s ready for publishing. Sure, you can ask your friends and family to proofread it for spelling errors. But you also need an experienced editor to view it through the professional lens of copyediting.

A professional copy editor will be able to identify and help you correct any issues that will raise a red flag to your publisher. After all of the time and resources that you poured into your manuscript, you deserve to have an expert put it through the copyediting process.

What are the risks of publishing without using a copy editor service?

Whether you’re self-publishing or working with a traditional publisher, there are major risks if you don’t hire a professional copyediting service. And although spellcheck software will remove some of the margin of error, it won’t catch everything. Here are a few of the dangerous mistakes that you might not catch without personal and professional assistance:

• Spelling. Are all of your words spelled correctly? What about commonly misused words like “your” and “you’re”?
• Word choice errors. Spellcheck software also won’t flag a word that is accurately spelled but incorrectly used. Do you mean “pour” or “pore”? “Definitely” or “defiantly”?
• Grammatical errors. “Your” and “you’re” also fit into this category. But keep in mind that spellcheck will not catch most errors with apostrophes, commas, semicolons, and other punctuation.

These are embarrassing, but they happen to everyone! All manuscripts—regardless of their length—will almost certainly have an error here or there. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable to easily fixed mistakes. Hire a professional editor to guide you to success.

Why should you choose Elite Authors for your copyediting?

In order to give your manuscript the best chance of success, your work needs to be clean, understandable, and free of errors. The best way to achieve this is to partner with a professional copy editor who will closely study your book.

And since every author is unique, Elite Authors offers multiple packages and custom services to ensure that you get the best service available. They understand that writing isn’t a “one size fits all” profession, and they are set up to provide custom options for each author.

How can Elite Authors protect your reputation as an author?

Everyone has experienced typos. They’re bad enough in text messages and emails. But they’re even worse in professional and published manuscripts! Elite Authors understands that your credibility is on the line and that even small mistakes will have a negative impact on your work.

Typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors are embarrassing and sometimes difficult to overcome. In the case of published literary works, they can be detrimental.

Consumers and readers might not take you seriously as an author if they see mistakes that you missed. And traditional publishing companies might toss your manuscript out if they see too many errors.

Elite Authors understands that your reputation and credibility are at risk. Their team of specialized copy editors is available to protect you from these mistakes and set you up for success.

How do Elite Authors’ copy editors work with authors?

Elite Authors understands that copyediting needs to be a cooperative process. Multiple revisions and proactive communication are part of this process.

Elite Authors will use Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature so that you can review each and every suggestion they make and comment they write. They will be a full-fledged partner to help your book succeed.

What manuscript editing services does Elite Authors offer?

Elite Authors knows that helping you succeed has multiple phases. That’s why they offer several manuscript editing services:

• Developmental editing
• Line editing
• Copyediting
• Proofreading

Each of these phases is as important as the next. You need a trusted partner to help you on your way. And you deserve to be successful! Elite Authors will work to make sure that you achieve the highest level of success at the best price available. Copyediting is an investment in your book. Don’t leave this to chance—hire the esteemed professionals!

Common copyediting questions

Most authors want to focus on the substance of their manuscript. You have a story to tell or information to share. You have enough on your plate developing the characters and organizing the plot.

For many writers, copyediting is the last thing on their list—if it’s even on their radar at all! But that doesn’t mean that copyediting is unimportant. In fact, it’s a vital part of fully finishing a book.

What is copyediting?

Copyediting is the crucial step between finishing your manuscript and having it published. Without copyediting, you are opening yourself up to simple errors like spelling and grammatical mistakes. You’re also vulnerable to larger gaffs like using the wrong word.

A professional copy editor will capture all of these errors. And the best editing service will offer you multiple phases of editing. You’ll need help with big-picture edits like developmental editing all the way down to the nitty-gritty aspects of line editing.

What is the difference between copyediting and proofreading?

Copyediting happens in the draft stage, before you have fully formatted your book. Since the formatting process generally involves typesetting instead of simply copying from a word processing document and pasting into a book template, mistakes can happen when you format.

The proofreader is the final set of eyes on your formatted book before you send it to publish and print. Your proofreader is your last line of defense against simple mistakes.

So hire a professional editing service! Their expertise will help pave the way for your book’s success.

Why does a manuscript need multiple rounds of editing?

Your manuscript wasn’t written in a day. It took a lot of time to perfect, and you had to read it and reorganize aspects of the plot multiple times. Your work is complex and deserves a complex team to ensure that it’s ready for your readers.

Every book needs a few experts to put their lens to different aspects of the work. A developmental editor will make sure that the plot flows smoothly and the characters make sense or the information is organized in a cohesive, impactful way.

And a line editor will put each sentence under a microscope. Your copy editor will check for grammatical and spelling errors.

Once your manuscript has been formatted into your book, a proofreader will review it for any remaining errors or errors introduced in formatting. Each team member will offer suggestions or recommendations if they see anything that can be improved.

Although it can be difficult to accept constructive criticism, this is an absolutely vital part of the writing process. Your editing team is here to help you ring up book sales once you’ve published your work. Let them provide suggestions to improve your manuscript.

Get ready to publish everywhere.

You’ve finished your book and are ready to prepare it for publishing. Whether you’re an established author or a newcomer to the writing field, this is quite an accomplishment! Now it’s time to get ready to publish your work everywhere.

How does copyediting prepare your manuscript for online publication?

Copyediting will ensure that your manuscript is ready to publish. If you’re planning to publish your work as an e-book, your copy editor can even help you prepare your work accordingly. The best copyediting services even have tips and tricks to publish with huge companies like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, so you know you’re in good hands!

How do the publishing requirements of online media houses differ?

Each online media house has different publishing requirements. If you’re publishing an e-book, you’ll need to reformat your manuscript to comply with each house’s template. Additionally, the various print-on-demand companies will have differing requirements for page counts and formatting.

Your professional editing team can help you with all sorts of formatting, so just be sure to inform them of your publishing goals.

Why is copyediting recommended for traditional publishing as well as self-publishing?

The editing process is an anxious one for many authors. You’re putting your raw work into a professional’s hands so that they can put it under a microscope and identify problems that you need to fix.

Sometimes the relationship between an editor and an author can be strained because of this anxiety. But it’s important to remember that your copy editor is a teammate who is trying to help you.

If you’re sending your manuscript to a traditional publisher, you’ll need the aid of a professional copy editor to ensure that there are no errors.

Traditional publishers receive a lot of book proposals, and the slightest mistake might make them toss your work in the trash. And if you’re self-publishing, you could unknowingly release an error-riddled manuscript into the world. Hiring a professional copy editor saves you from these disasters.

Hire a copy editor to ensure your success.

You gave your best effort to your manuscript. Now it’s time to partner with a professional copy editor so that they can give their best effort to making it ready to publish.

When you rely on an expert copyediting and proofreading service, you are setting yourself up for success. And when you partner with Elite Authors, you are hiring the cream of the crop. Let Elite Authors start copyediting your masterpiece today!

The post Copyediting Services appeared first on Elite Authors.