What kind of editor do I need?
People ask me all the time:
“What kind of editor do I need for my book?”
Here’s my answer.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: The first editor you need (and EVERYONE needs one) is a developmental editor.
A developmental editor reads your draft and writes an editorial letter that dives deep into elements including:
Story structure
Character development
Plot, story beats, pacing
Voice and style
Craft elements like dialogue, setting, sensory details, etc.
You need a developmental editor whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, and whether you’re pursuing a traditional book deal or self publishing.
There are, in my opinion, very few exceptions.
Once you receive a developmental edit, go back and revise your book based on their feedback (and your own revision plan).
I’ve currently got six developmental editing spots left on my calendar through the end of the year.
Want one? Go here for more info and to put down a deposit OR book a consult call with me. (If you put down a deposit today, you can book a submission date as far out as November 1.)
OPTIONAL: If you’re writing a book with very specialized content, you might want to ask a fellow subject matter expert to read it.
For example, my Writing Brave Press client Emily WhiteHorse wrote a textbook for PA educators. I suggested she have a colleague read it to ensure the content flowed and made sense from a subject matter perspective.
OPTIONAL: Beta readers. These are folks who fit perfectly into your imagined “ideal reader” profile.
Beta readers can be super helpful if you want to know how your book lands for folks who read a lot in your particular genre.
They can also help you figure out how best to market your book.
After beta readers react, sift through what feedback lands and what doesn’t, and revise your book again.
OPTIONAL: Line editor.
Very few of my clients require a line editor. This person will, line by line, edit your prose for clarity, tone, and impact. Think replacing a long phrase with a single, powerful word. Think: cleaning up sentence structure to make something easier to read.
REQUIRED IF SELF PUBLISHING: A proofreader or copy editor.
This person will edit for typos and grammar according to (usually) the Chicago Manual of Style. If you’re self-publishing, you absolutely need one.
If you’re pursuing a traditional book deal, you probably don’t need a copy editor unless you know your writing has a lot of grammatical mistakes.
So, to recap:
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Developmental editor. I’ve got six dev editing spots left on my calendar this year. Learn more here.
OPTIONAL: Subject matter expert
OPTIONAL: Beta readers
OPTIONAL: Line editor
REQUIRED IF SELF PUBLISHING: Proofreader or copy editor
Happy editing. ;)