Editing, Step by Step
You’ve decided to have your manuscript edited. Now what?
First, I have a question for you: who in your mind is the reader of your book? Everything I do is based on your intended reader, and everything you’ve written must be clear to this reader.
Sample Chapter
Before I start any serious editing, I want to know that you’re happy with my editing style. So I’ll ask you to send a sample chapter or two that I can work on. Not only does this let you see the kinds of changes I’ll suggest, but it gives me an idea of the time required for the entire manuscript. I’ll return the chapter to you, marked up or edited onscreen, and you can see that the finished product meets with your approval.
Paper or Computer?
Assuming you’re satisfied with my work, we move on to the next decision: on-paper or on-screen editing.
Traditional editing is done directly on the paper copy of the manuscript, using consistent editing marks that are recognized throughout the publishing industry. This allows the writer to see and approve every suggestion (the marks are usually made in red, not to harken back to your school days, but merely to make them easier to see). The drawback: someone must then input every change into the master copy, increasing the possibility of missing some changes or inputting new errors (not to mention the extra time required).
On-screen editing is done on the computer, using your word processing program. This results in instant “clean copy,” although if you want to review the edited changes, you’ll need to compare the Before and After documents, either on paper or by using the software’s Compare Documents feature (which involves wading through some confusing notations).
I can edit with either method, and the time involved with each is about the same in the end. If you’re still unsure, we can discuss it further and even try samples of both types of editing.
Looking at the Structure
Then it’s time for me to look at the entire manuscript. I’ll want to see your table of contents (in the case of non-fiction) to see if the structure is logical and consistent. If I see that major structural changes would improve the overall presentation, this is the time for discussion.
If you’ve written a novel, I’ll want to “free read” the manuscript from start to finish, without editing. This lets me see if the story line is plausible, if the characters are consistent, and if any parts of the manuscript leave me scratching my head in wonder.
Reading Every Word
After we’ve discussed and implemented any structural changes, it’s time for me to begin editing. I start from the beginning, reading every sentence and paragraph, looking at grammar, syntax, and consistency, as well as spelling and punctuation. My basic rule: if I have to stop and reread a sentence because I’m not sure about something, that sentence needs to be reworked. You want your writing to pull your reader in; stumbling blocks can turn people away.
Style Guide
As I work through the manuscript, I create a style guide: a list showing the spelling, capitalization, or hyphenation of certain words and phrases, as these should appear consistently throughout your manuscript.
Query Sheet
I also keep a query sheet on which I note any matters that I need to discuss with you. As questions arise, I note them on this form or as a comment in the online document.
How Long Does It Take?
I expect to complete a certain number of pages per hour, and this varies according to the complexity of the writing. I used the earlier sample edit to arrive at an estimate for your manuscript, and unless we encounter a few surprises along the way, it’s usually fairly accurate.
Your Edited Manuscript
When finished, I return the manuscript, clean and ready for that intended reader!