Editing Process

Posted: January 4, 2023 by Mary Oluonye

If you’re writing a book or any other type of document that you want to publish, then having your work edited is a must.

When many beginning writers think about the editing process, they believe it only involves reading and catching typos, spelling errors, formatting issues, etc. This level of checking falls under the scope of proofreading which is actually the final step in the pre-publication process. Much more editing needs to happen before you get to the proofreading stage.

To get the most out of the editing process, your work should be edited at these levels and in this order

1. Developmental Editing: An examination of the foundation of your manuscript.
2. Line Editing: A closer look at the building blocks of the foundation of your manuscript.
3. Copy Editing: A focused look at the smaller, mechanical details of the building blocks of
   your manuscript.

Two other parts of the pre-publication process are:

• Manuscript Evaluation: An overall assessment of your manuscript with a focus on what is working and what is not. The assessment lets you know if you are on the right track. If you have a completed manuscript or book proposal (for nonfiction), I recommend you start with a Manuscript Evaluation.
• Proofreading: The last stage in the pre-publication journey and should be done after all other editing is completed and revisions have been made. It is the last chance to catch any missed mistakes such as typos and formatting issues. If you are being published by a traditional publisher, you won’t have to worry about this stage. The publisher will take care of it in-house.

Here’s the big takeaway

Whether you intend to submit your manuscript to a literary agent or a publisher, or you intend to
publish it yourself, it is imperative that you submit your best work, and that means you must
have it edited.

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