Our Editing Process
Writers often ask what happens once they send in their manuscript to an editor. We understand how important stories are, and how difficult it can be for an author to wait for so long for feedback. So here we have provided a summary of what our editing process looks like.
1. Receive Manuscript
After selecting a service, you send in your formatted manuscript any time before the agreed-upon Start Date, along with a deposit and any supplementary materials that will help your editor better understand your story. After this point, your editor may reach out with updates and specific questions about the edit.
2. First Read
The editor reads through the manuscript, leaving comments and taking notes. This first read through is to help the editor read the story as a reader would, specifically analyzing the first impression of the story. This is also where the editor notes any red flags and big-picture weaknesses that could inhibit the story’s success.
3. Review Additional Materials
The editor reviews any other materials that you send, such as a synopsis, character list, or worldbuilding document. They will also look into current market trends and do research on specific topics and comparable stories. These help the editor get a better picture of your vision for the story as they review their notes and write up your editorial letter. At this point, the editor will begin gathering their thoughts and notes into a draft of the editorial letter.
4. Second Read
The editor reads through the manuscript again, reviewing their in-manuscript notes, leaving additional comments, and taking time to thoroughly analyze any problematic areas they noticed from their first read through. The editor continues analyzing their feedback and refining the editorial letter during this second read through.
5. Editorial Letter
As the editor reads through your manuscript, they compile their feedback into an editorial letter that provides specific analysis and suggestions about your manuscript. While finalizing the letter, the editor may discuss specific sections or concepts with other members of our team to get another perspective on the story. While the editor completes the letter, they may request a short consultation with you in order to better understand your goals for the story so they can cater their feedback accordingly.
6. Receive Edit & Consultation
After the letter is completed and proofread, and the final payment has cleared, the editor will send it, the manuscript with comments, and any other contracted materials (plot maps, comparison titles, etc.) on the agreed-upon End Date. The editor will include a link to schedule a consultation if one is included in your service.
When editing, we break down the manuscript into three fundamental layers that help us examine the story:
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Suggested Order of Editing Services
Another common question writers have is when to get different kinds of edits. Because every writer and manuscript is different, the editing process can vary, but we have outlined the general steps that we recommend to ensure your manuscript is at the highest quality by the time you are ready to publish or query.
1. General Review
This broad review is a quick analysis of the premise and outline to analyze the basic idea of the story to make sure it is structurally sound. This can often be done by the writer with a little research into craft and current market trends, but we do offer services to assist in this, such as a Brainstorming WIP, Outline Review, or 50 Page Reader Report. If you are a pantser writer, who prefers to write without an outline, then this step can be a review of the first draft that can then be outlined after in order to check the structure and flow.
2. Developmental Edit
This is the longest and most in-depth edit we offer, and it is an essential step in the editing process. A developmental edit thoroughly examines and reconstructs every part of the story. This includes clarifying concepts, deconstructing plot and pacing, deepening character development, elevating setting description, solidifying worldbuilding, and implementing theme. It points out both micro and macro problems in the manuscript and offers suggestions when possible, either in the manuscript notes, in the editorial letter, or during consultation. The editor will make notes on everything to make sure that you can have what you need when you revise.
3. Manuscript Reevaluation
This edit is done after a major revision of the manuscript. A reevaluation is when the editor looks for any issues that might remain from the developmental edit, or notes any new problems that may have appeared during the revision. It is not uncommon for manuscripts to go through several rounds of reevaluation, or even to have another full developmental edit, depending on how substantial the revisions are.
4. Line Edit
This is a review of plot, character, setting, and theme at the line level, meaning the editor examines every word, sentence, paragraph, and chapter, offering suggestions on how to reword or restructure to improve the flow of the narrative and give the reader the best reading experience possible. This edit should remove awkward phrasing, bad repetition, and inconsistencies while offering specific suggestions on how to improve the prose. Because the editor must make careful notes of each line, this edit often takes the longest to complete.
5. Copy Edit & Proofread
These edits are the very last step before publication, and should be done after all other edits have been completed. A copy edit makes sure the manuscript meets the publishing industry standards according to the most recent edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, from punctuation to word use to paragraph spacing. A copy edit elevates the manuscript to professional standards by improving the clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness.
A proofread is the final edit to ensure the manuscript is error-free, and is there to fix anything that might confuse readers, including typos, missing words, or unclear pronouns. It is the final polish to ready the manuscript for readers.
Note: We currently do not offer Copy Editing or Proofreading services.