Last week, a potential client asked me how she could know when she was ready for a copy edit. I gave her a few pointers on the spot, but her question has been rolling around in my mind—because the truth is, some manuscripts just aren’t ready for copyediting…yet.
If you’ve published before, you’re likely more familiar with the guidelines for each editing stage. But what if you’re new to the process? What if you are just figuring things out and doing your best (aren’t we all, really)?
Hi, I’m Kaitlin, a freelance editor for indie romance authors. As a copyeditor, I would be doing you a massive disservice by accepting your project knowing it needs more work first. So let’s talk about it!
How can you tell if your manuscript is ready or not? Here are five signs you may not be ready for a copy edit (or copyedit, your choice!):
“Hi!” “Nice to meet you!” “Love the weather!” “How are you?” “Bored of this dialogue, thanks for asking!”
No one picks up a book excited to wade through small talk. (Do you??) Pleasantries may be realistic in real life, but in a novel they bog down the action. Your dialogue should move the story forward and/or reveal important information about your characters. If a line doesn’t do either of these things, that’s called filler and it probably needs to go.
What about all the ins and outs of dialogue tags, attributions, or accents? These stylistic choices can be tricky even for more experienced writers. Take a peek at this article and this one for practical tips on tightening your dialogue so your readers stay engaged in every scene!
If no one else’s eyes have been on your manuscript yet, it’s not ready for a copy edit—or even a basic developmental edit. It’s time to bring in beta readers and critique partners!
This step is essential for getting initial feedback on your manuscript before investing money in professional editing. The more polished your story is before it reaches a book editor, the more time your editor can spend on improvements that will take your book to the next level.
The best beta readers and critique partners are people who are already familiar with your genre and/or are writers themselves. I don’t recommend asking close friends or family for this type of feedback because they often read (and respond) with rose-colored glasses. You don’t need someone to pat you on the back; you need the kind of constructive criticism that will tell you what’s working in your story and what isn’t.
I know, I know—it can be intimidating to share your writing with others. The bad news is that it’s absolutely necessary if you want to produce a stronger book. The good news is that it will, in fact, help you produce a stronger book!
I’ll be the first to acknowledge it: Editing is expensive! So why pay an editor to fix issues you can address yourself?
After your first draft is done, start by taking a break—anywhere from a few days to a few weeks—and then come back with a fresh set of eyes for your self-editing process.
Here my top three practical tips as you edit your book:
Read from a specific person’s point of view. Imagine how your brother or best friend would react to certain scenes—it helps you catch things you might miss otherwise!
Change the format. Print out your manuscript or switch to a different font to trick your brain into seeing things from a fresh perspective.
Read your manuscript aloud. This slows your brain down and helps you catch what’s actually on the page, not what your brain assumes is there after eons of time working on it.
What types of issues should you focus on while you read? Take a hard look at your overall story structure and cut any unnecessary scenes (ouch, I know). Then proofread for basic, easy-to-spot mistakes like spelling and grammatical errors, misplaced commas, punctuation, filler words, and other typos.
A little caveat as you read: Don’t try to fix everything on the spot! Instead, write notes in the margins or type comments in your word processing program—then keep reading so you don’t lose your sense of the overall flow or story arc.
Plan to work through your book like this at least twice. Pace yourself! Like most things, self-editing gets easier with practice. With each book you write and revise, you’ll develop a better eye for what can be improved. This can be a tedious process, but remember: Fixing what you can now will allow your copy editor to focus on the more complex issues once the manuscript lands in their editorial pile.
If you’re sending your manuscript off for copyediting, the story should be done. No more major plot or character changes! Yes, you’ll probably need a few small revisions after copyediting, but you shouldn’t be rewriting any major elements.
Copyediting is one of four main types of editing and focuses on clarity and consistency—not story development or content. If you still need help with big-picture or sentence-level issues, a developmental editor or line editor is who you should be contacting. Copyediting will come later. (You’ll work with a proofreader last—after your developmental edit, line edit, and copyedit—to catch all the little things that slipped by or sneaked in while you were making revisions.)
Plus, making significant story changes after copyediting is a surefire way to add new errors—and waste the money you just spent working with a professional editor!
If you feel like the clock is ticking and you have to publish ASAP, you may not be ready for copyediting. Good things take time, and you can’t rush writing or editing. (I mean, technically you can, but I guarantee the results will be disappointing.)
The excitement of publishing should never outweigh your commitment to creating a quality novel. Scrambling to publish too quickly can hurt your book’s marketability and chance of long-term success.
It’s always better to slow down and give yourself the time you need to craft the strongest version of your book—both for the sake of your reputation as an author and the enjoyment your readers will receive from a fantastic novel!
Do you recognize yourself in any of these scenarios? If so, congratulations—you now have clarity on your next steps in the editing process.
Start by reviewing the articles I’ve linked in this post, then focus on self-editing, finding beta readers or critique partners, and potentially hiring a developmental editor if you have larger structural issues to address. Once you feel confident with your story and want help refining it for clarity and consistency, that’s when you’re ready to work with an editor for copyediting!
If you’re interested in working together, I offer a free 1,000-word sample edit. Reach out here and let’s connect!
If you’re an author looking to hire an editor, here are some author red flags that editors look for—check them out to see what worries book editors when talking to potential clients.
Here are answers to all of my most frequently asked questions as a professional freelance book editor. Some of these book editor faqs might surprise you!
When should you use italics? When should you avoid using italics? When is italics a tool for an author and when does it detract from the story? Read this blog to find out!