Most editors will give varying answers to the question,‘What are the levels of editing?’, but there are industry-accepted stages ofediting that I’ll outline here. (Note: as the processes in publishing vary, notevery manuscript will go through every stage – it depends on the book, genre,publishing house.)
Step 1: Beta read or manuscript evaluation
This type of editing is a reader’s response to themanuscript. These evaluations include feedback authors might get from a writingcritique group and cover big picture items, such as major plot holes orcharacter flaws. I get into what is and isn’t working in the story. For betareads, I write a two to three page report. A manuscript evaluation is morein-depth and runs to nine or ten pages with more detailed feedback.
What stage is this in the publishing process? In my experience, this steptends to be sought by new fiction writers looking for general feedback, and itusually happens before the manuscript has been accepted for publishing.
Step 2: Developmental or structural editing
This level of editing is more hands on and there are majordifferences between fiction and non-fiction. Often non-fiction books arecommissioned, so a structural edit brings content into form; the edit shapes abook that doesn’t quite exist yet and is often done by a commissioning editor.
With fiction, this ismy most requested service. Often the author has a finished manuscript but isstruggling to it get accepted by agents or publishers. Like evaluation stage, Ilook for what is and isn’t working, but this level differences in that I givefocused and detailed suggestions regarding dramatic structure, offerrecommendations about world building or advise on character development. Often thestory doesn’t meet readers’ or genre expectations. When I do this type ofediting, it typically results in a twenty-plus page report plus heavycommenting in the text.
What stage is this in the publishing process? For fiction this can happenbefore or after acceptance for publication. With commissioned non-fictiontitles it happens as it’s being written or after the first draft.
Step 3: Line editing and copy-editing
Here I’ll present a slightly unpopular opinion: I believeline editing and copy-editing are two separate jobs.
In a copy-editing, the goal is to make a manuscript adhereto a style, to correct punctuation and grammar, to ensure accuracy and clarity,to query facts or unclear statements, make sure the tone is appropriate for theaudience and check that references and citations are in order. It’s very muchthe nitty-gritty aspects of writing.
During a line edit, I work more with the language and toneand flow; it’s more about how the text sounds and feels. I ask myself, is itnice to read? I have copy-edited manuscripts that could have benefited from aline edit. However, the author wanted it that way, and in the end, it’s theauthors choice. Every editor repeats our (unspoken) motto: ‘It’s not my book’.
What stage is this in the publishing process? When a book is going througha line or copy-edit, it has already been developmentally edited, has beenaccepted for publishing, or the author is ready to self-publish.
Step 4: Proofreading
Once the book has been typeset and made into proofs, aproofreader looks for any typographic errors made during the typesettingprocess or for errors that the copy editor, managing editor or author missedalong the way. They’re looking for anything that might be called a mistake inthe final print. Proofreaders are the final pair of eyes on the text before itgoes to press; it’s a vital job with a high level of responsibility.
What stage is this in the publishing process? This is the last and finalediting stage!
These are the different stages of editing, which are useful toknow as every house may call it something different. It’s always good to ask ifyou’re not sure. A word of caution for anyone working with self-publishingauthors: they don’t always know the stages a manuscript goes through in-house,so if you hear them ask for ‘just a proofread’, they may not be aware ofexactly what they need.
Kelly Urgan is a freelance editor and writer based in London.She is the founder ofEditegritywhich provides a variety of editing services, specialising in history, fiction, and memoir. Recently she’s been writing for herblogMy Bookshelves Are Fullabout the books she’s reading and her attempt to make progress on her TBR pile.
