Types of Editing
There's so much involved in book editing, it could make even the most seasoned pro's head swim.
Want a cleaner draft before sending it to an editor? Try Sudowrite to tidy up your manuscript — and if you’re wondering what kind of editing your book actually needs, this guide to the five types of editing breaks it all down for you.
But there's one general consensus: you should not skip this step.
Let's talk about editing real quick, before we dive into the different types you might (or might not) need.
When we, as authors, write our books, we're lost to the words. And, let's be honest: we're emotionally tied to our work. We craft these characters and the worlds they live in from scratch and then bring them to life through our stories. They become real to us. It'd be shocking if you weren't invested in them somehow.
This can make it challenging to pick out specific issues after you type "The End." But the end in this case is really the beginning—of your editing journey.
Editors are magicians. Instead of a wand, though, they wave their red pens.
They weed through the entire book, front to back, back to front, sideways, and everything in between. They pick apart the details, make sure it makes sense, and ultimately, the goal is to give your readers the best story possible, one that resonates long after they've read the proverbial "the end."
You've poured your soul into writing. Now it's time to let the editors work their magic so we can touch our readers' souls. But where to start?
Assessment
An assessment is exactly what it sounds like. When you turn your manuscript over to your editor, they will take a look at the story as a whole, without digging into the tiny details.
Instead, they look at the story as a whole and provide feedback—typically good and bad. They will issue broader statements on what's done well, what needs improvement, and use this as a basis to recommend specific editing tiers.
For example, if you send over a completed manuscript and the editor reads it, but has a lot of questions about the story as a whole, they might recommend a developmental edit to begin. If the story is structurally sound, they might suggest skipping the developmental and going right to a line edit.
The beauty of an assessment is that you don't have to wait until your manuscript is done to have one done. You can ask for one at any point to determine if it's on the right path.
What it entails: A dive into the story, but with less detail than a developmental edit. An editor will provide a broad overview of what's good and what needs improvement, usually in a one-page document.
What it costs: Typically, editors charge a flat rate for an assessment. It can cost upwards of $1,000 to $1,500, though there are some who offer the service for much less.
Developmental Editing
This is the most in-depth type of story editing you'll encounter, and as such, it's also the most expensive. It's also sometimes referred to as structural editing as it looks at—you guessed it—the overall structure of the story, among other pertinent details.
During a developmental edit, your editor is going to dive deep into the substance of the story. They're going to look at things like:
- Characters
- Worldbuilding
- Consistency
- Timelines
- Plots (and subplots)
In the end, they will provide a detailed overview of what needs changing or addressing. For example, if you have a character whose personality changes mid-book without any explanation, they might ask you if it's a mistake or to address why the change happens, so you're not giving the reader whiplash.
It's worth noting that not every manuscript will need a developmental edit. Authors with years of experience churning out books typically have the process down and may be able to go straight to a line edit. Newer authors, though, will likely benefit from one, if only to get an idea of where they're going wrong and tips for ensuring the next book is woven tighter.
What it entails: The editor will review the entire story, look at the bigger picture, and make sure all the elements line up to create a cohesive story that won't leave readers wondering. You'll receive your manuscript back, marked up with issues that need addressing.
What it costs: According to the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), the going rates for developmental editing start at $0.03 per word, but can go as high as $0.073 per word, depending on the genre. Most fiction books, however, hover in the $0.03 to $0.04 per word range.
Want to build deeper characters and worlds before you hand it off? Generate quirks with the Character Name Generator, or take a peek at this deep dive into crafting memorable characters.
Line Editing
Line editing is just a step below developmental. In this phase, editors dig deep into each line of the story (hence the name), ensuring all words, sentences, and paragraphs work cohesively.
You'll likely get suggestions on how to improve the context or mood, or how to change up a scene to better fit the story as a whole.
During this stage, editors look closely at:
- Phrasing
- Style
- Dialogue
- Pacing
- Voice
- Flow
- Consistency
- Tone
The idea is to make sure the story is hitting all the right notes. After all, you don't want a happy dialogue exchange between characters in a somber setting or vice versa (unless of course, the wicked witch dies, but that's a whole 'nother story).
What it entails: Line editing is the most intensive type of editing, because it goes through every single line of the story. You'll likely get a heavily-edited manuscript back with what looks like an overwhelming number of changes, but it's all for the better of the story.
What it costs: The EFA cites line editing rates for fiction and non-fiction in the $0.02 to $0.029 per word, which comes out to around $2,000 to $3,000 for a 100,000-word manuscript. For legal books and documents, it can go as high as $0.155 per word.
Want help smoothing sentence flow or adjusting tone? Try Sudowrite’s line suggestions
Copy Editing
Copyediting is the most intricate step of editing, because it looks at every word. It's the most common type of editing authors seek, and it's also the one they think they can do the best themselves. But, it's not as easy as it looks!
Editors will dig closely into:
- Grammar
- Punctuation
- Consistency (at a deeper level, character traits)
- Spelling
- The use of numbers
- Any POV changes
If you've ever looked at book reviews on sites like Amazon, one of the most common complaints is a book needs editing. Readers notice. Even if you don't, they will pick up on the most basic of errors and they're not shy about letting you know you dropped the ball.
What it entails: Looking at each word in the story to make sure it fits and is consistent throughout.
What it costs: The EFA lists copy editing as $0.02 to $0.03 per word. Depending on the type of content, however, it can skyrocket up to $0.148 per word.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the last step if your book doesn't need any fact-checking or sensitivity reading. Basically, it entails a final read-over to ensure there are no typos or errors with pagination and formatting.
It's the last check before your book goes to beta readers or publishing.
What it entails: Editors will look closely at the printing format, margins, typeset, pictures, and spelling errors that may have made it through the previous editing stages.
What it costs: Proofreading is the cheapest level, with the EFA quoting rates as $0.012 to $0.02 per word, though for more intricate subjects, such as medical and legal documents and/or books, it can be as high as $0.05 per word.
Fact-Checking
Fact-checking is a critical part of editing if you're writing a non-fiction book, for example. For the most part, you'll want to include it on fiction books, too, especially if you're citing information in the medical, legal, or information technology sectors or anything based in reality.
Your readers will catch those errors if you make them. Just a fair warning. It helps to pay for this service. It may be included in other levels, particularly copyediting, but don't skimp on this!
What it entails: Reviewing facts based on reality to ensure they are accurate. Might include historical events, information centered in one of many advanced fields (medical, legal, aerospace, etc).
What it costs: Some editors include this as part of their packages, others charge separately for it.
Bonus: Sensitivity Reading
Does your book have a special-needs character? Or perhaps one with lots of cultural references? Here's where you need to hire a sensitivity reader.
Sensitivity readers are those who are immersed in the culture or either have specific disabilities or are experts in the field, who can read your manuscript and let you know what you got right and wrong. They are there to catch the glaring errors or misconceptions/myths/misinformation perpetuated throughout.
Do. Not. Skip. This. Step.
I am deaf and have done deaf sensitivity readings for several prominent authors, and trust me when I say some errors could cause uproar in a specific community.
What it entails: Reading the manuscript to ensure there's no misinformation or damaging information about a specific community, culture, or religion, for example.
What it costs: Varies depending on the person. Some experts charge for their time while others (like me) do it for free to help authors portray a disability, religion, or culture accurately.
When Do I Hire an Editor?
Timing is everything when it comes to publishing your novel, and hiring an editor should be a prominent part of that timeline. If you're really good at following your deadlines and have written books before, you can line up an editor ahead of time. Especially if you've developed a working relationship.
However, if this is your first time working with a new editor or you're releasing a debut novel, you'll probably going to have to wait until your manuscript is finished to start shopping around. The reason is that when you start working with someone new, they need to evaluate your manuscript first, to give you adequate pricing, and to make sure they're a good fit for your writing style or genre. Without any prior working experience together, that's all up in the air.
Bear in mind, editors can take as little as three weeks or up to six months to fit you into their schedule.
Is It a Good Idea to Self-Edit?
Yes, but also no.
Confusing, I know, but allow me to elaborate.
Self-editing is something most authors do as they are either writing the story or after they finish the first draft. The idea is to clean it up as much as possible before handing it over to your editor. After all, the less work they have to do, the better.
However, it's never a good idea to self-edit and then publish, skipping the professional editor altogether.
But, why?
Because they are trained to catch mistakes writers make, whether they're grammatical, spelling, structural, consistency, pacing … see where I'm going with this? We do our best when we write to make sure we address the issues, but in the end, we're just too attached to the stories to catch all of them. But that's an editor's job.
Looking to clean up your manuscript before you send it off to an editor? See how Sudowrite can help you send them the cleanest copy
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