The Process
The publishing business has changed dramatically in recent years. Many publishing houses are more streamlined and more geared toward marketing and sales than toward nurturing inexperienced but hopeful writers. Many publishers accept manuscripts only from agents. On the other hand, self-publishing opportunities have expanded, but gaining knowledge of how to effectively navigate this mostly digital world can be challenging.
Before You Hire an Editor
If your objective is for others to read, understand, and enjoy what you’ve written, then share your work. Your first reader might be your partner or perhaps a relative or friend whose opinions you respect and from whom you are comfortable hearing criticism. Or your first reader might be your writing class or a book group. Listen and learn.
Developmental Editing
After you’ve digested and applied these initial suggestions, you may be ready for a developmental edit. The developmental editor looks at your manuscript from a broad perspective: plot structure, conflict and resolution, character development, and tone in fiction or organization, logic, and clarity in nonfiction. Developmental editors don’t generally mark up your manuscript, and rewriting is not in the job description. Instead, they give you detailed comments on what is and isn’t working and make suggestions for improvements. They are professionals. You pay them.
Copyediting
Copyeditors are the ones who do mark up your manuscript. Frequently using the Track Changes feature of Microsoft Word, they make comments, correct errors, add and delete text, and move whole passages from one place to another. You, the author, are, however, the boss. You can accept, reject, or query these changes. Do ask questions. Your editor will almost certainly welcome your curiosity and participation.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final step on a manuscript’s journey to publication. The manuscript will have been thoroughly edited, with both editor and author approving the final version. Ideally, if you are self-publishing, your copyeditor and your proofreader will be different people. Fresh eyes are always good! The proofreader receives a paginated, formatted proof of the manuscript and compares it to the final edit, noting where there are discrepancies. And then—Voila!