When you hear the word "editing," you—like most people—probably think of someone who fixes grammar and punctuation, right? Well, that's definitely one type, but there are actually a few different types of editing, and each one is vital to your book's success. I, myself, used to get confused sometimes distinguishing the various editing terms, so I imagine you might too. Well, be confused no more ... your friendly book doctor is here to explain ... Let's start with the granddaddy of editing, which we call "developmental" or "content" editing. These terms are used interchangeably, and you can remember it's the big one because it deals with every detail of the overall development and content of your non-fiction book or novel. In non-fiction, this type of editor must focus on every aspect of your book's structure and message, such as: the overall flow, clarity, and consistency the voice of your book and how your reader will connect with you where it might be lacking anywhere in content and what it needs to be complete if the reader will learn/be inspired/get motivated/feel better from the content if your book's overarching goal—AKA benefit to your readers—is met with the content of every chapter In fiction, the focus is on: story arc character development and integrity (would this character do this?) and their actions and reactions dialogue plot—including twists, pace, suspense, plausibility, etc. the essence of the story itself the use of "showing vs. telling" Whew! With all of those elements to focus on, you can see why your developmental or content editor is essential to building a book of credibility on every level, a task that commands a great deal of thoughtful attention and many passes through the content to polish it to its worthy shine. Next, we have copy editing—also sometimes called line editing—which is the one most people think about when they hear the term "editor." The copy editor is the person whose expertise lies in: grammar punctuation spelling style sentence and paragraph structure vocabulary usage fact-checking, if necessary A copyeditor often receives the manuscript AFTER the developmental editor and performs his or her task at that point, while some developmental editors are also copyeditors—like me!—and perform both types of editing for you concurrently. Either way, the copyediting phase is a vital one and will ensure the integrity of the language and syntax used in your book reflects you as the author in your best light! Hang in there! There's just one more level of "editing" and that's proofreading. This is the phase that happens AFTER all of the developmental and copy editing is complete, and is typically performed on an actual printed proof copy of the book. You'd be surprised what you see in a print vs. a screen version of a book, so at least three rounds of proofreading—meaning order a book, proofread, make corrections; order another book, proofread, make corrections; repeat as many times as necessary—is what I recommend from experience to every author. This is the last phase to ensure that every element is accurate and polished before it goes live for sale, so don't underestimate the importance of having your professional proofreader—along with yourself and your trusted circle—perform as many rounds as needed to make sure it's reached its worthy shine before publishing the final version. I hope this clears up any confusion you had when you arrived here today ... I know it can be overwhelming, but now that you know the different types of editing and the importance of each, I'm certain you're on the right path to producing a book of excellence! The Book Doctor Prescription of the Week: Make sure your book goes through each crucial phase of editing: developmental or content editing, then copy editing, then proofreading before you consider it ready for publication. There's no greater investment you'll make in your book than ensuring your words, structure, and message are polished to gleaming for your eager readers!

• published: 28 Feb 2014
• views: 0