Book Editing and Proof Reading Services

Why Editing Matters

Professional editing improves clarity, accuracy, and impact of the words you are using to communicate the feelings, thoughts, or emotions you are trying to impart to your reader. From adult fiction novels, biographies, or even children's picture books, editing is a vital part of the writing process. Typically, editing occurs at the tail-end of the book creation process; however, some authors prefer to edit at pre-determined spots in their journey. It all depends on the writer and how they work best! 

Everyone benefits from a dedicated editor, someone other than themselves, who is unfamiliar with your story. It not only gives you a fresh set of eyes to review your book, but also a new perspective. Whether you are a student, a professional, a business, or an author, having someone unrelated to your project come in to revise and review leads to quality editing—setting your content apart from the competition.

Types of Editing and Their Uses

There are four main types of editing, all of which can occur at any stage in the process, but typically flow in a linear pattern, depending on which stage in the writing process you are at.

Developmental Editing

Big-picture feedback focused on story structure, characters, scenario, plot, world design, logic, and organization. Developmental editing, or structural editing, is typically best in the early stages of your writing journey, as that is when the content is most malleable. Deciding to alter your plot progression in the last 1/3 of your novel means you will need to rewrite the first 2/3 to accommodate the new structure. This is why this style of editing is typically performed early on!

Copy Editing

Focused mostly on word choice and diction, copy editing exists to improve readability, consistency, and style. Similar to Line Editing, although copy editing focuses on correctness, ensuring accuracy in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and adherence to a style guide, if you have one. A copy editor would correct typos, fix grammatical errors, ensure consistent capitalization and formatting, check for factual errors, and make other types of edits related to the structure and professionalism of your copy, rather than the review of literary elements.

Line Editing

Focused on refining sentence flow, tone, and word choice. Similar to Copy Editing, although line editing focuses on the quality of the writing itself—improving clarity, style, and flow at both the sentence and paragraph level. A line editor would suggest stronger word choices, revise awkward sentences, restructure paragraphs, ensure consistency in both tone and style, and might suggest replacing a passive sentence with an active one, or rephrasing a paragraph to improve its flow. Line editing and copy editing are typically done at the same time, so many editors roll both services into one package. 

Proofreading

Catches any errors that may have been missed in previous editing stages, but is primarily focused on surface-level errors and ensuring accuracy for the final version of your manuscript. Additionally, a proofreader will assist with formatting your book according to your manufacturer or publisher's specifications. A proofreader may also act as a final reviewer of your finished manuscript, as they will be reading over the entirety of a near-final version of your book. They may offer insights or inputs into character, plot, symbolism, and other story elements.