Book Editing Services

Editing might seem like the natural next step after writing—like something that can easily be done by the person who penned the manuscript itself. While this is true in part, the entire editing process, from line to development, is always more beneficial to your book when completed by an editing professional. It might seem like an unnecessary or indulgent step, but hiring an editor to squeeze out all the possible potential from your book is the best

decision you can make as a writer.

Why Seek Book Editing Services?

Although it sounds deflating, editing your own book is not enough. Yes, you know your manuscript inside and out, better than anyone else ever will. And while this is impressive, it is also the reason that someone else should comb through it. Your book came from you—your experiences, your imagination, your research. Because it is a project so close to your mind, self-editing often means you’ll miss mistakes and opportunities that an editor can see clearly. If you choose to edit your own book, you risk running into these common roadblocks:

Not finishing your project due to frustration, overwhelm, or lack of time
Being denied publication because of grammatical issues
Overlooking mistakes because of an emotional connection to your writing
Disappointing readers with spelling, punctuation, or structural errors
Receiving poor reviews for unprofessional work

It's normal to feel possessive of your work and want your point of view represented in your book. Although it sounds counterintuitive, sometimes the best way to achieve this is to offer your manuscript to a practiced editor. Trained editing professionals use their knowledge of writing and their precious objectivity to highlight your voice in ways you might not be able to.

Which Book Editing Services Do I Need?

There are a variety of editing services that an author can employ to ensure that their book is at its best when submitted for publishing. While hiring an editor to complete all steps of the editing process is ideal, relying on their expertise for even one of the following services will provide immeasurable benefits to your manuscript.

Developmental Editing

This type of editing speaks to broader, more content-based changes to your book. Developmental editing will cover big-picture issues like plot, structure, character, setting, and more and help you to tell your story in the most consumable and effective way. During this phase, an editor might suggest that you cut a scene involving one character and add a different scene to more significantly spotlight another. They might ask you to change the timeline of your story or offer you solutions to plot holes previously unnoticed. Here, the editor is helping you to arrange the overall book to be its most compelling version.

Copy Editing

Copy editing involves taking a closer look at the minutiae of your book. Often included in this service is line editing--the process of an editor going through the manuscript line by line to ensure proper word choice and flow. Line editing helps to bring a cohesive tone to your book and reflect your voice clearly. Copyediting is a more microscopic assessment of your project where grammar, spelling, and punctuation are corrected. This part of the editing process is absolutely essential to your book because these are the mistakes that a reader will notice most abruptly and be most distracted by. While it may seem like something that you can do effectively yourself, copyediting issues are the easiest to miss and the most detrimental to your success.

Proofreading

This is the final part of the editing process, where your editor will scan your book for any final flaws, such as grammar mistakes or improper phrasing. This vital step is typically the last one before formatting and publication preparation, and after months or years of reading your own document, it is essential for uncovering any lingering errors.