One of the things I’ve discovered that writers struggle most with when looking at hiring an editor is trying to figure out what sort of help their manuscript needs. Terms like “substantive edit” and “developmental edit” and “proofreading” and “copyediting” can be confusing if you don’t know what they mean. This can be especially challenging when trying to determine how much a writer needs to budget for an edit, because let’s face it—manuscript edits aren’t cheap.
While hiring a qualified editor to work with you on your manuscript is a valuable investment into your writing and future publishing career, it’s not one you want to make without knowing what you’re paying for. Knowing what the most basic forms of editing are (and what level of detail you can expect from them) will go a long way into reducing your stress levels and preventing potential confusion when entering into a conversation with a freelance or independent editor.
Knowing the terms
There are a lot of great articles out there that dive deep into each type of edit, but for simplicity’s sake, I’ll be focusing on the types of editing work I offer.
A critique should never be confused with an edit. Critiques look at how the overall story flows—marking sections that may be confusing, unclear, or that could pull the reader out of the story. A good critique also highlights scenes or ideas that hit home or elicit a laugh.
While someone doing a critique might mark a missing word, an obvious typo, or comment on a formatting issue, he or she does not make substantial changes to the manuscript. Instead, you’re given an overall idea of what’s working and what may need attention as you consider your revisions.
A developmental edit is done after a manuscript has been completed and gone through at least one round of self-editing or revision. It’s helpful for writers who have taken the manuscript as far as they can or for writers who are looking for in-depth help editing and revising their story. In addition to editing for grammar, format, and style, a developmental edit looks at the manuscript as a whole. A good developmental editor evaluates the overall structure of a story, pinpointing weakness in the plot, looking for breaks in POV or voice, and offers detailed suggestions for potential changes/revisions.
Depending on the author’s level of comfort, developmental editors may also help rewrite sections of text so that they are more cohesive and/or clear to the reader while maintaining the author’s unique vision and voice.
A copyedit is usually completed once it’s been determined that there are no additional developmental edits or major revisions needed. Copyedits ensure that the entire manuscript follows the set style needed for publication, including spelling, punctuation, illustrations, and citations. A good copyeditor will also alert the author to any problems that may have arisen or been missed during the developmental edit/revision stage.
A copyedit should not be confused with a final proofread, which is done after the manuscript has been finalized and formatted and before it is submitted for print or electronic publication. The goal of the proofreader is to catch any final typos, missing words, or formatting errors that slipped through the previous edits and corrections.
When to talk to an editor
Unless you’re looking for someone to coach you through the writing process, it’s usually best to approach an independent or freelance editor after you have a complete manuscript. Many editors will offer to do a sample edit to give you an idea of their editing style and to give them a better idea of what level of edit will best serve your manuscript.
When approaching a freelance editor, be sure to take a close look at the types of services they offer and the types publications they work with. For example, a freelance proofreader may not be able to give you the level of help you need with a developmental edit. And an editor who works primarily with academic papers most likely isn’t going to be the right fit for your middle grade book.
Finally, don’t hesitate to ask questions or share any potential concerns when opening a conversation with a freelance editor. The better our understanding of your vision, passion, and needs, the better equipped we’ll be to help you present the best vision of your writing to the world!
Wondering if you and your writing are ready for an edit? Check out my Editing Questionnaire. Based on your answers, I can help you determine whether a critique, developmental edit, or copyedit will best suit your current needs.