In this post we will discuss the editing process in a little more detail, for some of you I know this will be a scary thing to do. For others it will serve as a refresher.

Now I know it is a scary thing, you have finally finished your manuscript, you have poured all your blood, sweat and tears into it. You have been through it countless times and edited it just as many, now you are ready for the HUGE step of sending it away. Let me first tell you editors (Or good editors) are really not the spawn of the devil, they really are there to help you and their main goal is to make that book you have been working on the best it can be. After all they are also putting their name out there and word of mouth counts, even in the editing sector of the book industry.

So you finally found the editor that you think fits your needs? CONGRATULATIONS this is a hard job in itself and one you should make sure you pay full attention to. So what are you going to expect from your editor? What sort of edits do you need? Well this is where I am here to help you ……….

Content Editing:
This is a more comprehensive partnership between author and editor, bringing them together as one to make sure the final product is the best it can be. Content editing is designed to address stylistic elements such as concept, tone, characterization, and organization. It will also cover intended word use and genre-specific conventions. The editor’s focus will also be on improving sentence structure, and the editor will ask the author questions – lots of questions – before they give feedback directly to the author. If they think a manuscript might need a little restructuring, so that the flow and readability of the final product will look better, they will give the author this feedback, too. Their aim is to ALWAYS make sure the best product is put out there for the readers and fans to enjoy.

Copy Editing:
Copy editing is a little different; in this the editor will address the technical elements such as grammar, spelling, punctuation and consistency. They do this so that the final product is as error free as possible, so your work can shine when it is published.

By combining the above two elements together, an editor will work with the author to ensure that the intended storytelling and characters are getting across as desired to the audience. They do this by reading as a fan – as well as an editor – so the author gets the best of both worlds.

Once your manuscript has been through the above processes by your chosen editor, I will be doing a separate post covering the best ways to choose your editor. Now you are ready to move onto the next stage. In the next instalment I will cover the need for Proof reading and Beta reading

After reading and digesting the first 5 steps last week are you ready for the next 5 that will take you even closer to your end goal? Well here in the second part you will be travelling that much travelled and worn path of other authors and writers like yourself. At the end you will be closer to achieving your dreams.

6. Now when you get the emails back there are less comments and suggestions than you had before, that’s great news and means you are heading in the right direction. No you are not done yet, and it can take more than one or two rounds to get to this point, but finally you got here. You can wipe the sweat off your brow and start making decisions about what you are going to do next.
7. Decide if you want to try and publish the work through a traditional route or if you want to self publish it and get it out there without weeks/months/years of heartache. There will be heartache, rejections will come in, and not everyone will love your work the same way you do, but don’t lose heart, you still have options to make your dreams come true.
8. You have decided to try your hand at self-publishing, everyone else is doing it. It’s got to be easy right? No this is just the next phase, now you need to think about setting up social media, etc. (This topic is for another blog post.) Now what is important for your work is finding an editor, never an easy task and there are many pitfalls to be had when looking. Make sure you get referrals from your friends and fellow authors on who they used for their works. Look at and read books that an editor has edited. Contact editors and see what their charges are. (These vary depending on where you go.)
9. So you have decided upon an editor and you are ready to send off your work. Normally they will ask for a small portion of the book to look through and see if it’s something they can work on and/or give you a quote on what they see is written. Some editors will just charge by the word or by the page, no matter go with your gut and talk to your editor. In the end if you are not happy, do not trust them, or don’t feel like you connect with them, this is not the editor for you. Move on and find someone more suitable that is a fit for you and your work.
10. Finally you have your editor and have sent of your manuscript to be edited, you have discussed what sort and depth of editing you need and can finally sit back and let them do their work. Yes relax; the editing process is not a quick and easy one either. In fact, you are now thinking is all this stress and heartache worth it? Yes it is, just keep your head up and you will get there, you still have many challenges coming your way.

Now you have followed all of these steps and reached the editing stage of your manuscript, congratulations on being one step closer. In my next post I will be going through the various types of editing, what your editor will do and why they are important.