Episode 151: Editing your manuscript
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Ep 151: Editing your manuscript
Today, Fable and the Verbivore dive into the topic of revising and editing written projects.
This episode serves as an introduction to our series digging into revision and editing — which we’ll be covering throughout the month of August. In it, we talk about different types of edits, some lessons learned, how our process looks, and some tips and tricks.
We don’t have any shoulds here, other than noting how valuable edits can be towards making your work better and more readable.
There is no one definitive framework for different types of editing and sometimes the definitions can overlap, because of this we note how important it is to clarify what types of things an edit will include when hiring someone to review your work — both to ensure you’re on the same page and that your project is at the point where it’s ready for that level of review.
We chose a framework and definitions of edit types that made sense to us. Here are those four types or levels of edit and what they could include:
Developmental (Big Picture) - Thorough evaluation of work, identify plot holes, look at character development and arcs, any issues with the overall story, dialogue assessment, possibly identify characters or scenes that don’t add to the story, overall pacing
Line Edits (Stylistic) - Phrasing, style, tone, tighten up sentence structure, identify writing crutches or elements that need strengthening, identify overused words, pacing issues, flow and consistency of the work
Copy Edits (Mechanics) - Spelling, grammar, punctuation, filler words, overused words, make suggested corrections to add clarity or fine-tune word choice
Proof Read (Catch Errors) - Final read throughs, catch any issues or errors that were missed during the copy edit, consistency in formating
We view the editing process as one of removing the author lens and trying on other lenses through which to view your work in order to improve it’s readability and refine it so that it’s closer to being itself (the heart of the story). This can be done as a self-edit, enlisting the help of critique partners or beta readers, or with the help of a professional editor — or any combination of these.
Towards the end of this episode, we talk about some methods that can help you see your project with new eyes when working through the revision and editing process. Things like:
Doing a full read through to ensure you know what’s on the page
Reading it out loud
Printing out the project in hard copy
Changing the font
Highlighting the different story elements (dialogue, description, action, internalization, etc.) by color so that you can quickly and easily see what’s there
Retyping certain sections out again to internally evaluate if it’s needed and worth the cost
We also share the reminder that each character, setting, subplot, and word have a cost to both you as the writer and to the reader in the form of time and energy. Part of the revision and editing process can be an evaluation of if something is worth it. Does it have weight and does it add to the story? Or is the story better served by its removal?
Next week we’ll talk more about ways to approach the decision of what should stay and what should go in our projects.
We hope you enjoy this episode. Keep reading, writing, and putting your voice out there!
Into the woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Notes:
Fable (author Beth Stedman) offers both developmental editing services and a two week writing review. The review is two weeks of customized book coaching for writers of romance, young adult, and all forms of speculative fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, etc). Part developmental editor, part cheerleader, part motivational coach, she helps writers get unstuck and reach their goals. You can connect with her on instagram @bethstedman
Definitions:
Editing - Prepare (written material) for publication by correcting, condensing, or otherwise modifying it. Remove unnecessary or inappropriate words, sounds, or scenes from the text. Refining, polishing, making it more like itself.
The Verbivore paraphrases a quote from Neil Gaiman’s MasterClass. That actual quote is:
“The process of doing your 2nd [draft] is the process of making it look like you knew what you were doing all along.”
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader “What are the different types of novel editing?”
WritersDigest “Alternatives to a Professional Edit”
MasterClass “10 Tips for Editing Your Own Writing”
MasterClass “Editing Essentials: What Is Developmental Editing?”
MasterClass “What Is Line Editing? Line Editing vs. Copy Editing”
MasterClass “Editing Checklist: How to Edit Your Own Writing”
Reedsy “5 Types of Editing: Which One Do You Need Right Now?”
Reedsy “What is Line Editing and How Can It Help Your Book?”
Masterclasses Mentioned:
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)