What sort of Editor do I need?

[Catherine]

Hi All,

In the business of writing, it can be difficult to figure out who the right editor is for you. Did you know that there are different types of editing and editors? As an author, editor, self-publisher, ... with over 10 years in the industry, I seek to share my lessons with other writers in various stages of their journey.

"Authors seeking an editor can find themselves in a world of possibilities to bring magic to their manuscripts. The difficulty lies in knowing what type of editing is needed when and for what manuscript. It’s important to clarify the type of editing you require and communicate that with your editor. Editors will often ask questions to clarify and assess manuscripts to determine the type and depth of editing required. Below I’ve listed the stages of a manuscript and the types of editing appropriate at each stage.

PRE-DRAFTING OF A MANUSCRIPT OR PREPARING A QUERY

That’s right. Before you actually have a manuscript, you can involve an editor. You’ve got an idea, you’ve got an outline or multiple outlines, you might have a few scenes drafted out.

YOU COULD BENEFIT FROM:

Developmental/Project Editing. A Developmental Editor works with you kind of like a project manager or mentor/coach. They coordinate, set schedules, review and offer constructive feedback, and guide you as you’re writing the first draft. This can be informally through one-on-one discussions, or formally through an established project schedule. You’ll receive mentorship on areas you get stuck on, plot structure and character construction issues, genre and audience, marketability, and more. They can nip common and major problems in the bud before they make to a full draft. They can also offer feedback on your ideas and proposals for queries you’re sending to publishing agents and publishers. This is the type of editing I specialize in and get the most satisfaction from because you get to immerse yourself along with the author in their creative brainstorming. Starting early has huge benefits and can cut down on the number of revisions and rewrites.



FIRST DRAFT, UN-EDITED WORK

You’ve written out your first draft, or decided to stop writing at a certain point. You are seeking assistance to guide your focus and story early on, but haven’t read through and revised or edited the manuscript yourself...."

Continue reading more at : http://alchemy.catherinemilos.com/edi...

[Carole]

Thanks Catherine. Editors are vital to make sure your manuscript is in the best possible shape when it you send it out there. .

[Catherine]

You're welcome. I agree. I use a team of editors, readers, and proofers. Someone always catches something we all missed :). I found there wasn't a whole lot of content out there for folks easily defining what stage in the writing process goes with what type of editing and a lot of my clients didn't realize there were different types of editing! I hope my blog posts can help clarify for folks. I'm always willing to answer questions too! Take care.

[Carole]

;)