The Many Phases of Editing: Part 1
Introduction and an Overview of the First Step in Editing
To an author or writer new to the publishing world, there are so many things that can be confusing—but the different phases of editing is the area I see most authors’ confusion. It can definitely be a struggle to grasp the many terms utilized for this part of the publishing process, in large part because some terms are used interchangeably by industry professionals.
So when it comes to revising your book, how do you parse out the terms and know what stage of the editing process you’re in? I personally utilize a publishing house’s typical process through the editing phase:
- Developmental/Structural/Substantive Editing
- Line Editing
- Copy Editing
- Formatting
- Advanced Reader Copies Sent
- Proofreading
Some indie authors, however, add a few steps into this process, so their lists look something like this:
- Alpha Readers
- Developmental/Structural/Substantive Editing
- Beta Readers
- Line Editing
- Copy Editing
- Formatting
- Advanced Reader Copies Sent
- Proofreading
We’re going to take a look at each of these terms over the next few posts, what they cover, and why there can be a lot of confusion around them. We’ll start with the publishing house side of things, then head into the differences many indie authors utilize (which can also be helpful for traditionally published authors).
Developmental Editing
This is often the type of editing that has the most names associated with it, though I find it’s the step that confuses authors the least. Known as Developmental, Substantive, or Structural editing most often, it’s the first step to ensuring your book is solid by tackling the big picture. This encompasses the overarching story, including plot, character arcs, world-building, overall pacing, and themes. Some editors include more elements, but these are the basic ones covered in a developmental edit. This editing pass is all about ensuring the foundations of the story are in place before tweaking the things that make it beautiful (like prose).
In many ways, this is the most important edit for any book. If your plot, characters, or themes aren’t right, readers are more likely to DNF (Did Not Finish) and leave bad reviews. Without this edit completed first, it can be a waste of time to delve into copy editing or proofreading—because there will often be significant changes, sometimes necessitating a full rewrite of a chapter or entire plot point or character arc. If you’ve already done the detail work and then have to rewrite, you have to go back and do the detail work all over again.
To grab readers and hold onto them, keep them in the midst of the story, the foundation and framing of the book’s structure must be solid before the details are fine-tuned. Readers love details, but they’re far less forgiving if a story isn’t well-developed or communicated clearly at the plot or character level—and that’s where developmental editors are invaluable.
There are several terms I’ve seen used for this type of edit, although I’ve most often seen Developmental, Substantive, or Structural. If you’re unsure what a term means, check the editor’s website for details, or ask them what the edit entails. If an editor cannot clearly define what they include in the edit you’re asking for, do not hire them. Editors familiar with the industry and the type of edit you’re looking for can clearly define what they’ll focus on during their edit, which gives you as an author a frame of reference for the edits you receive.
As a side note, some editors also offer a service called Manuscript Evaluation or Manuscript Assessment. This is most often a condensed version of a developmental edit, hitting the same major points, but with less depth. This type of edit is typically cheaper than a full developmental edit, and it’s a good way to assess your manuscript’s weak spots early on. I, however, would not use this as a replacement for a full developmental edit unless I’ve had substantial success in the publishing world.
Alpha Readers
For some independently published authors, their first step into the editing process is finding Alpha Readers. Alpha Readers are first-look readers at a finished manuscript who give constructive feedback the author can then use to strengthen their story. This is a great practice for indie authors, as they’re fully dependent on selling books to their readers to recoup the costs associated with publishing a book. It allows them to see what their audience thinks of the new story and give feedback. As a caveat, not all feedback is taken to heart and used to change the story.
I think this is a wonderful practice that could also be useful for traditionally published authors who aren’t on deadline. However, publishing houses often have specific types of stories they publish, so reader feedback isn’t always going to land well with a publisher, even if the author’s taken the initiative. Alpha readers may suggest a specific change that makes sense to the author, but then the publisher could change that during the editing process. This isn’t backwards work—it’s simply the subjective nature of reading, writing, and publishing. If you’re aiming for traditional publishing and want to utilize alpha readers, go ahead—but don’t be surprised if the publisher asks you to change something you added based on alpha readers’ suggestions.
A big note on alpha readers—this term is often used interchangeably with “beta readers” by authors. These are two completely different things, when you dig down into them. Alpha Readers are first-look readers after the initial draft is complete, often before the author tackles any form of editing. They give feedback that affects the main structure of the story, characters, and world, and most often come into the process before any editing has taken place. These are author friends or dedicated readers the author can trust to be entirely honest with their feedback in a constructive way. Beta Readers, on the other hand, typically come later in the process to discern how the novel is landing with readers after some editing has taken place. We’ll talk more about beta readers in another post, but this is often a larger pool of people, with some the author doesn’t personally know.
A Note on Self-Editing
Another term I see a lot in author communities is “self-editing.” It’s an ambiguous term that means very different things to different people, but in essence self-editing is the act of going through the editing process on your own without hiring a professional. This also sometimes encompasses getting no feedback from anyone until the author feels the manuscript is solid. Thus, the author would start with their own version of a developmental edit, parsing out their plot, characters, etc. and ensuring they work well and together.
I love self-editing and think it’s an excellent practice to employ, especially if you’re an indie author. However, it should not replace hiring editing professionals. Editors keep their pulse on the thrum of the publishing industry, keeping up with changes in tropes, story structure, readers’ inclinations, and cliches within different genres. As the world changes, so do preferences, and editing professionals can help an author refine their story in a way it will connect with readers while retaining the author’s voice and original ideas. I’m well aware hiring a professional can be expensive—but in the long run, your book will come out stronger and readers are more likely to tell their friends about it and leave positive reviews. Hiring a professional is the best way to ensure you have a solid story that will hit the market in the right way.
That’s all for this post—before it becomes its own novella. I hope the terms are cleared up for you—and if not, please leave a comment!
Next time, we’ll focus on the next few steps in the process: Line Editing, Copy Editing, and Beta Readers.
When hiring an editor, it’s good practice to remain wary, as there are a lot of scammers targeting authors—including within the editing sphere. So here’s a few things to watch out for when looking for an editor to hire.
Looking to hire an editor? Check out my services here.