As a publishing consultant, I help many indy authors prepare their books for national and worldwide release. A common mistake among new authors is to rush past “manuscript preparation.” As an author, you’ve spent two, three, four or more years writing your book. You feel done with it and are ready to hit the publish button. By doing this, you are missing several vital steps in the life of a manuscript: the editing and proofreading phase. These are the steps taken by traditional houses before a book ever hits the shelves, and it is key to a book’s success.
Editing is a two-phase process. There is developmental editing, and there is copy (or line) editing. Some new authors accept the fact that editing is needed, but don’t understand the difference between these two types of editing. Developmental editing is a broad view of the manuscript. A good developmental editor will help you mold and enhance the story so it is in its best form. A developmental editor will point out weaknesses and strengths in the story and will help you understand why something isn’t working; this could include character or plot development. A developmental editor will point out inconsistencies or flaws in the writing and will help you see bad writing patterns you may have picked up. This work with a developmental editor will help you bring out the best story possible.
A copy editor does some of this, but the editing is like taking a magnifying glass to your work. A copy editor will still look for inconsistencies and bad writing patterns, but is less concerned with what needs to be developed in the storyline. A copy editor is checking for spelling and grammar issues, and consistency with tone and style. The copy editor will, in essence, tune up your story and ensure it is grammatically correct.
Many new writers think if the manuscript has been copyedited, then there isn’t any need to hire a proofreader. That’s not true. A proofreader is the “fresh set of eyes” needed for any manuscript that has been through the editing phase. If you are planning to self-publish, you will use a proofreader AFTER the manuscript has been typeset. Errors can be introduced in the design phase of production, so the timing is important. A proofreader will check for spelling and grammatical errors, but they will also make sure the page numbers appear on every page, that the headers are correct, and that the words look properly aligned on a page.
The best advice I can give my clients is to have all three of these editing stages completed. You’ve worked so long and hard on your book, why would you skimp on something that would help your book compete with a traditionally published book, and stand out from the pack of self-published books? Even some of the best painters start with a sketch; the finished piece is always much more dramatic and amazing than the original vision.
About the Author
Patti Frazier has worked as a copy editor and proofreader for more than 15 years. She has edited or proofread 100+ books for Llewellyn Worldwide, Flux, and Midnight Ink. With an MFA in Creative Writing, she specializes in literary fiction, magical realism, young adult fiction, gay/lesbian fiction and nonfiction, and general fiction. She has also edited or proofread creative nonfiction works and memoir. In 2013, Patti was involved in the production of more than 30 books, serving as developmental editor, copy editor, proofreader, or publishing consultant.
As a developmental editor, Patti can help you strengthen your work, release old habits, and create new, powerful ways of looking at your writing. Her primary goal is to tap into the author’s voice so the editing weaves seamlessly into the manuscript.
As a copy editor, Patti will ensure your writing is clear and concise. She will correct errors in spelling and grammar, including punctuation, capitalization, hyphenation, and tense. She will also make suggestions and minor editorial changes to improve your sentence and paragraph structure, tone, flow, and word choice.