The three (or four) steps of editing your book or novel
There are four main steps to editing a book, though steps 2 and 3 are sometimes done together
1. Structural/Developmental Editing
A deep dive into your manuscript to address the structure of the story. Things covered in a structural edit include:
- theme
- voice
- characterisation
- pacing, and
- plot.
More detail about Structural Editing.
2. Line Editing
This focuses on how your use of language impacts on the flow and pacing of the story and makes sure the word choice is correct. It is concerned with better phrasing to give the story greater depth and meaning. A line edit may pick up factual errors.
More detail about Line Editing.
3. Copy Editing
Copy editing goes granular, looking at spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax. Copy editing makes your writing tighter by deleting superfluous words.
More detail about Copy Editing.
4. Proofreading
This is the final stage of the process. A proofreader goes through a manuscript word by word, line by line to pick up any errors or omissions which can so easily happen in a manuscript.
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