WHAT KIND OF EDITING DO YOU NEED?

Transcription

1 WHAT KIND OF EDITING DO YOU NEED? 2018 A GUIDE TO THE TYPES OF EDITING You have finished writing your book Now what? You need editing services, but you aren t sure what types of editing exist. Considering that the editing community can t even agree on how many levels of editing there are, it is no wonder you are confused.

2 WHAT KIND OF EDITING DO YOU NEED? T H E 3 ( O R 4 ) L E V E L S O F E D I T I N G DEVELOPMENTAL/STRUCTURAL/SUBSTANTIVE EDITING The first level This type of editing looks at the big picture. It addresses the overall structure and how it all fits together. It focusses on: Organisation Presentation Content Character and plot development Identifying your reader Defining goals A developmental editor: Will draw out missing pieces of the story Will help eliminate repetition of information Can suggest improvements Will work on pacing May rearrange paragraphs or chapters This is the first type of editing and can occur once you outline your story, during writing or after you have written it. The main goal is to structure your story to give the maximum impact while developing the storyline and characters in a manner that is attractive to your target audience. This step is not absolutely necessary but will likely improve the final product. Page 1

3 This is where some editors opinions differ on whether there are three or four levels of editing. The next level of editing is line editing; however, some editors including myself combine line editing with copyediting. LINE EDITING The second level Line editing addresses creative content at a sentence and paragraph level: writing style, language and flow. It focusses on the language used and the aim is to ensure clarity, fluidity, ease of reading and effective communication of the story to your reader. Line editing will deal with: Overuse of words or phrases Run-on sentences Bland language Unnatural phrasing Confusing narrative Consistency in character traits and personality Consistency or holes in plotlines Unclear actions or meaning Redundant information Pacing Flow of dialogue This may include rearranging or restructuring sentences or paragraphs. The main concern is to deliver the story clearly to your reader, avoiding inconsistencies and awkward language or extraneous words and information. If you have a limited budget, consider finding an editor who combines line editing and copyediting. This level of editing improves readability. Page 2

4 COPYEDITING The (second or) third level Copyediting deals with the mechanics of language. At this point you will hear about a style guide. An editor will ask if you have your own style guide or if you prefer an existing style guide. Be sure to ask about a style guide when discussing your project with a copyeditor. WHAT IS A STYLE GUIDE? A style guide is a set of standards for writing. It ensures consistency in spelling, hyphenation, number treatment and more. Having a style guide allows each person who works on your manuscript to follow the same rules and prevents inconsistency in follow-up work. Copyediting will address: Grammar Spelling Syntax Punctuation Inconsistencies in hyphenation, capitalisation and spelling Abbreviations and acronyms Number treatment Accuracy of basic facts Internal consistency Treatment of quotations Font Some copyeditors offer to create a style guide for you and will include a copy with your manuscript. By the end of this process you will be close to publishing. Copyediting is highly recommended before publishing. Page 3

5 PROOFREADING The final level Your proofreader will need a style guide to follow. Include a copy (if your copyeditor gave you an individualised guide) or the name of the style guide you have used. The job of the proofreader is to complete a quality check on the final draft. This can be the most important step. The last thing you want is readers dismissing your work because of misspellings, repeated words or bad punctuation. Proofreading will check: Spelling Punctuation Grammar Syntax Typographical errors Formatting Chapter and page numbers You want to be sure that the best possible version of your work is presented to your readers. Always proofread before sending your manuscript to a publisher or for selfpublishing. FINAL WORDS Editors at every level offer sample edits. Some do it for free while others charge a small fee. The purpose of a sample edit is to give the editor a chance to see your work, so they can a) provide an accurate quote for the job, b) provide an accurate timeframe for completing the work and c) assess if they are a good fit and can work well with you, the author. If you are still unsure or would like to send me a sample to edit, contact me via my website or directly at pilkingtonproof@gmail.com. Page 4