On Editing
I've been active on a number of forums for writers lately. Inevitably, the extremely divisive topic of editing comes up. You have the one side that says, "I don't need an editor, I can edit my own work." On the other hand, you have those who point out that one of the biggest problems in indie publishing is the (not necessarily unfounded) reputation it has for poor quality. Part of the problem in the discussion comes down to definitions. Here's what I mean:
Author: I don't need an editor. I have five degrees related to English grammar. I have absolutely zero errors in my manuscript. I can edit my own work.
Reader: You're right. I didn't find any errors in grammar or usage, but your character arc is very weak and you have a few plot holes. You still need an editor.
Author: But you said my manuscript was perfect! Besides, what's a "character ark?"
You see, there are at least four different kinds of editing. Many writers I've encountered, when they hear "editor," they immediately think of their high school English teacher critiquing every misplaced comma or misused "that" in their final essay. While that is one type of editing, it is not the only one.
Many articles have been written that define these different types, but very few actually tell you what they mean. That's what I'd like to do here. These are my interpretation of what each type of editor offers an author.
Developmental Editing. Also called "story" or "structural" editing, this is 'big picture' stuff. Developmental editing is how Scout transformed from a grown woman living in New York in Harper Lee's original "Go Set a Watchman" into the little girl living in Alabama in "To Kill a Mockingbird." Developmental editors typically have expertise in the concepts of storytelling, character development, world building, etc. So, here's how a developmental editor might critique a line from a manuscript:
MS: "Tarish drew his sowrd and carefully stepped toward the shadowy figure."
DE: This seems out of character for Tarish. So far he has attacked and slaughtered every creature he's met with very little effort. Why is he being so cautious all of a sudden? Also, the ease with which Tarish is moving through this story makes his character a little flat. There's no real conflict impeding him from his goal, internal or external. You need to make this trip to the Mountains of Agrathon much more difficult if you want to create the kind of tension that will keep the reader interested.
In this example, the editor completely overlooked grammar and sentence structure issues. That's not what she's there to look for. She is looking at the big issues of Tarish's character development, plot development regarding the trip to the mountains, conflict development and resolution, etc. In essence, the DE is asking questions like, "Is this a good story?" or "Why do I, as a reader, care?"
Line (or Substantive) Editing. This type of editing still revolves around storytelling elements, but on a much finer scale. Basically, a line editor is assuming the overall construct is sound, and she is there to look for all the little details and plot holes the author might have missed. Where a developmental editor is looking at the big picture, a line editor is evaluating the story "line by line." Here's how she might critique the same line from the manuscript.
MS: "Tarish drew his sowrd and carefully stepped toward the shadowy figure."
LE: Tarish draws his sword here, but when the creature leaps out at him in the next paragraph, he draws his sword again without ever having put it away. We also know he has two swords, the enchanted longsword on his back and the rapier at his side, but it's not clear here which one is drawn.
Here, it is assumed Tarish's character is already fairly solid and that sufficient conflict has been established. If not, the line editor probably would not have accepted the job because it is too much work to line edit a manuscript that is not properly developed. Notice the LE still overlooked the grammar and usage. She might point it out in their critique, but you shouldn't expect her to. That's not what she's there to do.
Copyediting. This is the English teacher one. A copyeditor is looking for grammar, usage, and language errors exclusively. A copy editor may have little or no storytelling experience or expertise and should not be expected to give that kind of feedback. What you should expect is this:
MS: "Tarish drew his sowrd and carefully stepped toward the shadowy figure."
CE: "Sword" is misspelled. "Carefully stepped" could be rewritten as "crept" or some other synonym for a tighter sentence.
Tarish could be a medieval adventurer, an elf in a fantasy story, or even a vigilante on the streets of NYC. It doesn't matter to the CE. All that matters to her is the words on the page and the best use of language.
Proofreading. Literally, "reading the proof." After the printed proof is made, the proofreader compares the print with whatever the manuscript had in it to ensure no errors were made transferring the original into the print. If you have too many adverbs, too many "that's," not enough commas, etc., the proofreader isn't going to notice. If there is a comma in the manuscript, but it is missing from the print, then the proofreader will mark it for correction
When it comes to "editing," there are several different types you can use at several different stages of development for your manuscript. Not all writers need all kinds, but you should expect to need at least one sometime during the development of your manuscript.
If you are looking for a developmental or line editor, Kilted Writer would love to hear from you. I would gladly review a short sample of your writing for free so you can determine if you'd like to work with me on a larger scale.
Author: I don't need an editor. I have five degrees related to English grammar. I have absolutely zero errors in my manuscript. I can edit my own work.
Reader: You're right. I didn't find any errors in grammar or usage, but your character arc is very weak and you have a few plot holes. You still need an editor.
Author: But you said my manuscript was perfect! Besides, what's a "character ark?"
You see, there are at least four different kinds of editing. Many writers I've encountered, when they hear "editor," they immediately think of their high school English teacher critiquing every misplaced comma or misused "that" in their final essay. While that is one type of editing, it is not the only one.
Many articles have been written that define these different types, but very few actually tell you what they mean. That's what I'd like to do here. These are my interpretation of what each type of editor offers an author.
Developmental Editing. Also called "story" or "structural" editing, this is 'big picture' stuff. Developmental editing is how Scout transformed from a grown woman living in New York in Harper Lee's original "Go Set a Watchman" into the little girl living in Alabama in "To Kill a Mockingbird." Developmental editors typically have expertise in the concepts of storytelling, character development, world building, etc. So, here's how a developmental editor might critique a line from a manuscript:
MS: "Tarish drew his sowrd and carefully stepped toward the shadowy figure."
DE: This seems out of character for Tarish. So far he has attacked and slaughtered every creature he's met with very little effort. Why is he being so cautious all of a sudden? Also, the ease with which Tarish is moving through this story makes his character a little flat. There's no real conflict impeding him from his goal, internal or external. You need to make this trip to the Mountains of Agrathon much more difficult if you want to create the kind of tension that will keep the reader interested.
In this example, the editor completely overlooked grammar and sentence structure issues. That's not what she's there to look for. She is looking at the big issues of Tarish's character development, plot development regarding the trip to the mountains, conflict development and resolution, etc. In essence, the DE is asking questions like, "Is this a good story?" or "Why do I, as a reader, care?"
Line (or Substantive) Editing. This type of editing still revolves around storytelling elements, but on a much finer scale. Basically, a line editor is assuming the overall construct is sound, and she is there to look for all the little details and plot holes the author might have missed. Where a developmental editor is looking at the big picture, a line editor is evaluating the story "line by line." Here's how she might critique the same line from the manuscript.
MS: "Tarish drew his sowrd and carefully stepped toward the shadowy figure."
LE: Tarish draws his sword here, but when the creature leaps out at him in the next paragraph, he draws his sword again without ever having put it away. We also know he has two swords, the enchanted longsword on his back and the rapier at his side, but it's not clear here which one is drawn.
Here, it is assumed Tarish's character is already fairly solid and that sufficient conflict has been established. If not, the line editor probably would not have accepted the job because it is too much work to line edit a manuscript that is not properly developed. Notice the LE still overlooked the grammar and usage. She might point it out in their critique, but you shouldn't expect her to. That's not what she's there to do.
Copyediting. This is the English teacher one. A copyeditor is looking for grammar, usage, and language errors exclusively. A copy editor may have little or no storytelling experience or expertise and should not be expected to give that kind of feedback. What you should expect is this:
MS: "Tarish drew his sowrd and carefully stepped toward the shadowy figure."
CE: "Sword" is misspelled. "Carefully stepped" could be rewritten as "crept" or some other synonym for a tighter sentence.
Tarish could be a medieval adventurer, an elf in a fantasy story, or even a vigilante on the streets of NYC. It doesn't matter to the CE. All that matters to her is the words on the page and the best use of language.
Proofreading. Literally, "reading the proof." After the printed proof is made, the proofreader compares the print with whatever the manuscript had in it to ensure no errors were made transferring the original into the print. If you have too many adverbs, too many "that's," not enough commas, etc., the proofreader isn't going to notice. If there is a comma in the manuscript, but it is missing from the print, then the proofreader will mark it for correction
When it comes to "editing," there are several different types you can use at several different stages of development for your manuscript. Not all writers need all kinds, but you should expect to need at least one sometime during the development of your manuscript.
If you are looking for a developmental or line editor, Kilted Writer would love to hear from you. I would gladly review a short sample of your writing for free so you can determine if you'd like to work with me on a larger scale.
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