Wickedly Deviant Publishing
Different Types of Editing
The first thing each prospective fiction writer must realize is what type of editing they require. If you have a finished manuscript and want to self-publish, you should know there are three major stages of editing.
Which one do you need? Let's take a look at what each of them are.
Developmental Editing
The first phase of editing is developmental editing, which happens when the manuscript is newly formed. Maybe it's done. Sometimes it's not. Most often, this is the type of editing a fiction author seeks after the first or second draft when they're looking for direction on the story.
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Are the characters fully developed and interesting enough? Does the story hold together? Where are the potential plot holes? New fiction manuscripts, whether from experienced authors or first-timers, need to be addressed on this level and a developmental editor can help address these needs.
Line Editing
Once the story has gone through developmental editing, meaning the story is tight and everything makes sense, the next phase is line editing. This phase addresses the text on the level of how the language works. In this phase, you're closer to being done - much closer, allowing the editor to address the manuscript on the level of the line.
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Do you repeat certain words or terms? Are there other language issues? Even the most experienced fiction author needs help here, addressing little idiosyncrasies that affect a book's readability.
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Believe me, readers pick up on these slight oversights.
Proofreading
The last phase of fiction manuscript editing is proofreading. This is perhaps the most familiar to new fiction authors. This phase happens when the book is almost ready and you're down to details, the proverbial dotting the i's and crossing of t's.
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Fiction manuscript editing is a key aspect of publishing success. Whatever the book, however you aspire to reach your audience, working with an editor is a critical stage.