How to Edit A Book (whether You’re Hiring or Self-Editing)
Self-publishing got its reputation for being amateur because so many writers started to slack off at the editing point on their journey. They don’t know how to edit a book, nor do they think they need to do so.
Most assume that once the first draft is complete, all they need to do is proofread and then hit publish.
But that’s not the case.
It’s understandable that you would get antsy. Going through the book writing process is a lot of work. Thinking up all the material, organizing it into an outline, writing it down, reading through it, rewriting, re-reading… It’s exhausting. Where’s the light at the end of the tunnel?
Truth be told, you can’t really see it yet. There’s still a lot of editing to be done.
Want to write a book in 2022?
What is editing? It’s where you review the book for inaccuracies. This includes more than spelling and grammar. The editing process involves picking out flaws, looking into sentence structure, and finding inconsistencies in descriptions.
As the writer and the owner of this valuable information, you’re too close to the project to see these things. You’re writing tens of thousands of words and trying to keep everything organized. It’s impossible.
With long-form content like this, you need the help of others. That help comes in the form of five main types of editing.
The Basic Types of Editing
Yes, there are different types of editing. Five of them, to be exact, although some get combined and used interchangeably when looking into how to edit a book.
And here’s a warning: you probably aren’t going to like the editing process. It’s long, and exhausting. But it’s so incredibly necessary.
With that said, let’s look into the types of edits and how they will be beneficial to your project.
Developmental Edit
This is the work you take care of in the beginning. It’s the outline you created and the flow of your story.
A developmental editor will look at your outline and let you know what they think of its structure.
Are there major gaps? Do things not line up?
A developmental editor usually comes in the form of a writing coach or a ghostwriter. At Visionary Literary, this is the first step an author takes when working with their ghostwriter. It starts the process and allows the author to feel confident moving forward.
Substantive Edit
More can be told about a book once the draft has been written and finalized by an author.
If a developmental editor helped you structure an outline, the chances of content topics being out of place are slim.
Having a substantive edit will expose these major inconsistencies with flow and structure before getting too far ahead with other areas of editing.
If significant rewrites are needed, they will be found during this round of editing.
Line Edit
A line editor performs—wait for it—a line-by-line edit of your manuscript.
Once the structure is finalized and the macro concept of the book is in good standing, it’s time to get micro. It’s time to get into the details.
Line edits provide a deeper look into things like sentence structure and word usage.
Are you using an active voice? Is your language in line with your target audience? Do you start sentences the same way or are they varied?
A line-by-line review will reveal areas that need restructuring.
Copyedit
This is the final leg of the editing marathon. It takes place when the manuscript is ready for publication in every other way and needs to be reviewed for correct spelling and grammar.
Also, are you making proper use of sentence structure and your native language?
Granted, this isn’t your college English essay. It’s creative writing. It’s engaging. Quick. Punchy. It breaks the rules.
The proper way to write is boring and belaboring, and nobody wants to be bored or feel strained when they read.
But it may still need some cleaning up.
Proofread
Why are we talking about proofreading in an article focused on how to edit a book? Because it’s the last line of defense against the embarrassment of having a typo in your book.
A proofread acts as a backup to the copyedit. If things go unnoticed in the copyediting phase, the proofread should be able to find them.
As a reader, you’ve certainly found a typo or two in some books you’ve read. How did they make you feel?
In a book with 100,000 words, a single typo could turn off a reader.
Pretty pompous, yes, but it’s the truth. You need to acknowledge it and defend accordingly. A final proofread of your manuscript should help.
Where to Find Editors
Luckily, most editors can take care of all five aspects for you—there’s no need to find five separate editors.
(You should, however, have a different proofreader and editor. How to edit a book the proper way is to have a fresh set of eyes when it comes to the proofreading step.)
Write your book and have it published to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more…
And, in sticking with the theme of this book, there are plenty of 21st century resources to help you recruit and work with an editor. Here are a few options:
- Reedsy. This is a directory of writing and publishing freelancers. It is the go-to site for many writing and editing services. The reason? Each freelancer listed on their site is vetted, meaning everybody has prior experience and credentials to prove it.
- ACES. They are a community of editing professionals who have an Editors for Hire board. Each editor lists their contact information along with relevant experience and the areas of editorial support in which they can assist.
- Upwork. It’s a little less dependable than the previous two because literally anybody can create a profile and list themselves as a professional. But if you take your time and find the right person, it can be great. Also, with Upwork, you create a proposal and editors come to you.
Of course, this isn’t the definitive list. There are other ways to find editors: attending conferences, networking with other authors, or joining groups on social media.
Twenty-first century tools have made finding a great editor much easier.
How Not to Edit
“Mom, can you read this for me?”
It’s okay to laugh. This is a terrible idea. But it’s also what many people do when they need someone to read over their work.
Heck, this was my go-to when I first started writing, back when I was a penniless, aspiring screenwriter.
I would hand over my screenplay to anybody willing to give it a read.
What were their responses?
This is amazing!
Wow, you’re so talented!
Step aside, Ernest Hemingway!
What ever happened to that screenplay? I buried it. Threw it in the yard and let the wind carry it away, page by page, until the entire thing was separated and spread apart so widely that no human would ever have the chance to lay eyes on the thing in its entirety.
In short, it was awful.
But I had no idea. I had asked family and friends to review my work for me, and they did what any family member or friend would do: they lied. They didn’t want to hurt my feelings.
Or, worse, they were biased.
Positive reinforcement can do wonders. Having the support of those around you while writing a book is incredibly important, but it can also be bad if those positive responses are the only ones you hear.
Plus, your family and friends can be—and most likely are—your biggest fans. Why show them the early work when you can blow them away with a final book?
Hire a professional editor, have your cover design and interior payout completed, and introduce them to the book when it’s actually a book—not a manuscript in a Word file.
Their level of excitement will be significantly greater, leading to some serious promotional benefits.
That Being Said… How to Edit A Book Yourself
Editors can get costly, and budgets will vary. If you’re unable to afford a professional edit, there are other ways to ensure your manuscript is in the best possible condition.
If you can find and afford an editor, it’s highly suggested that you use them. But if you’re strapped for cash, don’t let that deter you from pursuing your book. Here are some tips on how to edit a book by yourself:
Listen to your manuscript
Allow your computer, phone, or other software to read your manuscript back to you. You hear errors in this process that you might have missed several times while reading.
- Read Aloud or Speak feature. Microsoft Word has these options, depending upon your operating system and version you are working within. They are somewhat robotic at the time this book is written, but they are still valuable.
- NaturalReader. This online software has more natural-sounding voices and has different options for reading—mobile or online.
- Speechify. It has a Chrome extension option, iOS, or Android app and offers various readback features.
Use editing software
Technology is great, isn’t it? We just discussed software that can read your manuscript back to you and now we’re moving into software that knows how to edit a book for you.
And these options aren’t the spelling and grammar edits that we’ve grown accustomed to for over a decade. This isn’t spell-checking software. I’m talking about software that can help with word usage, writing style, engagement levels, and spelling and grammar.
That being said, there’s no replacement for the human eye (and ear). These software options should be reviewed cautiously. Don’t “accept all” suggested changes without reading through them.
- Grammarly. There’s a free and paid option. The free option is great for proofreading but if you want to get the best use out of the writing suggestions, the paid option might be worth it. It’s much cheaper than a one-time editor and can provide great feedback.
- Hemingway Editor. The Hemingway Editor takes your writing and lets you know at which grade level you are writing. Are you on par with your target reader? (Remember that big, fancy words slow down your reader.)
- AutoCrit. One of the best features in this is the word repetition finder. When you write thirty, forty, or fifty thousand words, you’re bound to use word repetition. This software will find it. It also points out pacing issues, passive voice, and other areas considered to be bad writing. It’s software seemingly geared towards fiction but that can benefit if your work is narrative nonfiction, which includes storytelling components.
There are plenty of options available when looking into how to edit a book. Whether you choose a human, software, or both, there should really be no reason not to put some serious thought into your editing process.
You may be antsy to get your work out into the world, but your future self—your company and brand included—will thank you for the effort you put into editing.
Need some help creating and publishing your book? We’re here to help. Reach out to one of our book creation experts today.