{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-blog-post-js","path":"/editing-before-querying","result":{"data":{"page":{"yoast":{"title":"","metadesc":"Should authors get their manuscripts edited before querying? A look at the ethics and effectiveness of different services, and what to offer."},"title":"Editing Before Querying: What Fiction Editors Should Recommend","content":"

You’re a freelance fiction editor who works directly with authors. These authors are usually either planning to self-publish or submit to literary agents. If the latter, the author wants their manuscript to be as strong as possible before they start querying – and so they come to you for help. But what kind of editorial service (if any) is right for this type of client?

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There are two schools of thought on this:

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    \n
  1. Authors submitting to agents should not get professional editing beforehand – it’s misrepresentative and a potential waste of money. Agents and publishers want to see the author’s own writing ability. And, if the book is picked up, the publisher will handle the necessary editorial work anyway.
    2. \n
  2. Authors submitting to agents should absolutely get professional editing beforehand – to help them stand out. A polished manuscript stands out in the slush pile and appeals to publishers who’ll have less editorial work to do.
    3. \n
\n

Let’s untangle these and see if we can come to a definitive answer.

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The case against sentence-level editing

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Copy-editing – the mechanical, typo-fixing layer – generally won’t help a manuscript stand out in the slush pile. Publishers expect to do (and pay for!) this work anyway if they acquire the book.

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The exception is if the manuscript is in a pretty scruffy state – riddled with errors to the point that it obscures the writing beneath. In that case, a copy-edit is more about removing distraction.

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But then paying for a copy-edit ends up misrepresenting the author’s abilities: it presents a level of writing that the author doesn’t yet have as their own baseline. Hmm.
\nLine editing is slightly different. It’s more interventionist – refining and elevating rhythm, word choice, voice, etc. – and it actually can help a manuscript stand out in the slush pile.

\n

But this still only helps if the big-picture elements are solid. And it still runs into the same misrepresentation problem as copy-editing, just at a different level. A publisher taking the book on would assume the author can sustain that standard unaided across future books.

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If you take on sentence-level work for a querying author, your client needs to understand all of this upfront. You need to be clear about what these types of editing will and won’t do for their chances, and what it means for how they’re representing themselves to agents.

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And no amount of sentence-level editing can help a manuscript that needs big-picture work done to it first.

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When sentence-level editing is the right call

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That said, this isn’t a reason to never offer this type of work to this type of client. For some authors, sentence-level editing is the most useful thing they can do before querying. In that case, these services can be the most effective use of their budget – and your skills.

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This is also where two specific, and often underserved, niches come into play: dyslexic authors and authors writing in a language other than their first.

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For these clients, the barrier usually isn’t the craft qualities agents are assessing – it’s a different kind of barrier, and a copy-edit can clear away the noise that would otherwise stop an agent seeing the quality of the work underneath.

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So, if sentence-level editing would truly help, what’s the most transparent and cost-effective way for this to happen?

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My recommendation here is twofold:

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    \n
  1. Authors should only have their submission chapters edited.
    2. \n
  2. They should disclose this when submitting.
    3. \n
\n

Just editing the submission chapters means that authors aren’t spending a big chunk of money on a service that might not ultimately make a difference to their publishing goals, and it also means agents and publishers can see what the author is able to do by themselves (by reading the pages that haven’t been edited).

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Disclosure makes this work ethical rather than misleading. You should encourage your author to flag, when submitting, that the sample chapters have been copy-edited. That doesn’t mean the writing won’t be looked at properly – it means the agent has accurate information about what stage the manuscript is at and what level of intervention it might need later down the line. All things that will eventually become apparent anyway.

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I also recommend that, where you can, you should build in more value than a straight edit here: flag anything that’s consistently going wrong, so your client can learn from it and apply the fix across the rest of the manuscript themselves.

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This is good practice generally, but it matters more here – it turns a one-off spend into something the author can use more broadly. It helps authors close the gap between editorial intervention and their own writing ability! Everyone’s a winner.

\n

\"\"

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Developmental editing: not automatically the answer either

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If sentence-level editing can misrepresent the author’s abilities, and a solid story (with excellent structure and execution) is more important to agents, it can be tempting to think that developmental editing is therefore always the right service for authors seeking agent representation.

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But it’s worth applying the same scrutiny here that we applied to sentence-level editing, because similar considerations apply.

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With extensive, hands-on developmental editing, the author is still somewhat misrepresenting their abilities – just at the big-picture level rather than the sentence level.

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If an editor has substantially reshaped the plot, refined point-of-view, rebalanced scene and summary, and made changes that affect characterisation, the agent is responding to a manuscript that reflects more of a collaboration. Can the author carry over what they’ve learned to future books? Hopefully, but it’s not guaranteed.

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And, you know, not every author needs a developmental edit. Some manuscripts already have the big-picture elements sorted and are already well-pitched for the author’s target market.

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As well as that, developmental editing is (usually) one of the most expensive kinds of editing, and so using it as a stepping stone to an uncertain outcome (gaining agent representation and traditional publication) can be massively financially risky for the author.

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Though I believe most new authors do benefit from developmental editing, recommending a developmental edit by default to authors seeking agent representation, regardless of what the manuscript truly needs, isn’t the default answer.

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The most useful service: manuscript appraisal

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Given all this, the most appropriate service for an author preparing to query usually isn’t an edit at all – it’s a manuscript appraisal (or assessment).

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Here, you read the manuscript and assess it against the author’s own goals, then advise on what it really needs. This could be sentence-level editing, developmental editing, both … or neither!

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This lets you help the author spend their budget on whatever will truly move them closer to querying successfully, rather than defaulting to whichever service you happen to offer.

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This can work as a standalone, paid service in its own right. It can be fairly in-depth, and clients are often glad to pay for clarity before committing further money to editing they may not need.

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Equally, if a full assessment service isn’t something you want to offer, this kind of evaluation can simply be folded into how you vet projects before quoting – just bear in mind it needs to stay brief enough that you’re not giving away substantial diagnostic work for free.

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And if you want to help authors beyond editorial feedback, you can even offer to help them craft their synopsis and agent query letter. Just make sure you are well-researched in this area before charging for this service.

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The bottom line for editors

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Both sentence-level and developmental editing can help an author succeed in landing a literary agent, but these services also risk misrepresenting what the author can do unaided – just at different levels of the manuscript – and this can muddy the agent–author relationship. As well as that, both services involve significant investment and neither service can guarantee results.

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The most defensible starting point is usually a manuscript appraisal, which lets you match the recommendation to what the manuscript and the author really need. Whatever you end up offering, the value you bring to the table isn’t just the edit – it’s the guidance on what will truly help the author reach their goals, while helping them save money, effort and their enthusiasm in the process.

\n","excerpt":"

You’re a freelance fiction editor who works directly with authors. These authors are usually either planning to self-publish or submit to literary agents. If the latter, the author wants their manuscript to be as strong as possible before they start querying – and so they come to you for help. But what kind of editorial […]

\n","date":"17th September 2026","author":{"name":"Sophie Playle","description":"worked as a professional editor for 15 years, specialising in developmental editing and copy-editing fiction. Her favourite part of the job was working on imaginative speculative fiction with a literary slant, and reading manuscripts in the bath. She has been teaching editorial skills online for over a decade, and offers online courses and resources to help other editors run their businesses with confidence and skill. Find out more: [url]","acf":{"biographyImage":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1,"src":"/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/2c512/sophie-playle.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/7ede2/sophie-playle.jpg 195w,\n/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/9f700/sophie-playle.jpg 390w,\n/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/2c512/sophie-playle.jpg 780w,\n/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/05233/sophie-playle.jpg 1170w,\n/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/2c1bb/sophie-playle.jpg 1281w","sizes":"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"}}}}}},"featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.7727272727272727,"src":"/static/5c61fdf3a57b7542298973518b7ca4c2/2c512/editing-before-querying.jpg","srcSet":"/static/5c61fdf3a57b7542298973518b7ca4c2/7ede2/editing-before-querying.jpg 195w,\n/static/5c61fdf3a57b7542298973518b7ca4c2/9f700/editing-before-querying.jpg 390w,\n/static/5c61fdf3a57b7542298973518b7ca4c2/2c512/editing-before-querying.jpg 780w,\n/static/5c61fdf3a57b7542298973518b7ca4c2/05233/editing-before-querying.jpg 1170w,\n/static/5c61fdf3a57b7542298973518b7ca4c2/b24a9/editing-before-querying.jpg 1560w","sizes":"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"}}},"ogImage":{"childImageSharp":{"resize":{"src":"/static/5c61fdf3a57b7542298973518b7ca4c2/b1395/editing-before-querying.jpg"}}},"twitterImage":{"childImageSharp":{"resize":{"src":"/static/5c61fdf3a57b7542298973518b7ca4c2/5926f/editing-before-querying.jpg"}}}},"categories":[{"name":"Freelancing","slug":"freelancing"}]},"form":{"wordpress_id":230,"acf":{"title":"Liminal Letters","subtitle":"The newsletter that shares lessons and reflections on the art and business of editing.","introduction":"

Course updates, special offers and honest opinions on the editing and publishing industry – plus insights into the life of a small business owner: how I juggle a toddler (not literally), limited hours and high ambitions while trying to cultivate meaningful work.

\n","cta_button_text":"Sign up","note":"I will never share or sell your email address. You can unsubscribe at any time. Form not working? Go here: https://liminal-letters.subscribepage.io","mailchimp_url":"liminalpages.us6.list-manage.com","mailchimp_user_id":"5eae0b68be96658ab68947d28","mailchimp_list_id":"5cdff76c1a","mailerlite_user_id":"1255214","mailerlite_form_id":"142431918007256385","success_message":"Thanks for signing up to Liminal Letters. Check your inbox to confirm your subscription. Thanks!","generic_error_message":"Uh-oh. There was a problem signing you up to the mailing list. Please try again later.","already_subscribed_error_message":"You are already subscribed to Liminal Letters. No need to sign up again!","background_image":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":2.6666666666666665,"src":"/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/f422e/newsletter-form-background.jpg","srcSet":"/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/e75b5/newsletter-form-background.jpg 160w,\n/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/c01e2/newsletter-form-background.jpg 320w,\n/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/f422e/newsletter-form-background.jpg 640w,\n/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/a6352/newsletter-form-background.jpg 960w,\n/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/ec6c5/newsletter-form-background.jpg 1280w,\n/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/7019e/newsletter-form-background.jpg 1870w","sizes":"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"}}}}}}},"pageContext":{"id":1993,"relatedPosts":[{"node":{"title":"What Should I Name My Editing or Proofreading Business?","slug":"what-should-i-name-my-editing-or-proofreading-business","content":"

If you’re new to the editing world, you might be wondering what to call your business.

\n

Your business name is the first thing clients use to form an opinion of your business, so it needs some thought. It should represent what you do and align with your brand.

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The three main types of business names in the editorial industry

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1: [Your name or last name] + [‘Editorial (Services)’ or your specialist service]

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Real life examples: Duncan Proofreading, Winskill Editorial, Luke Finley Editorial.

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This format is clear and simple, helps put you at the centre of your brand, and is particularly good if you want to target publishers since they will mostly know you by name. It can be considered a little boring, though, and possibly easy to forget if you have a common name or one that’s difficult to spell.

\n

2: [Abstract word] + [‘Editorial’ or your specialist service]

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Real life examples: Responsive Editing, Breakout Editing, Pimlico Proofreading.

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This format adds some personality and helps you create a stronger brand. Keep in mind that if you use the name of a single service in your business name (like ‘Proofreading’), you won’t be able to expand your offerings without having to change your business name. (This applies to the above method, too!)

\n

3: [Something abstract that’s industry-related]

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Real life examples: Prepare to Publish, Liminal Pages, Book Butchers.

\n

This format is arguably the most creative, but it can be difficult to tell exactly what’s on offer without having to find out more. Good if you want to expand your business to include a variety of services not strictly to do with editing (such as formatting and design), though.

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How I named my editorial business

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I went with the first option when I started out. My business name was Playle Editorial Services, but I eventually decided it lacked punch and was a bit dull.

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I rebranded to Liminal Pages when I decided I wanted to focus on speculative fiction and offer online courses as well as editing. (Now, I just offer online courses.) If I’d decided to stick with offering editorial services only, though, I probably would have gone with option two.

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I chose the word ‘liminal’ because it means ‘on the threshold between two states’ or ‘relating to a transitional stage in a process’. I liked it as a metaphor for writing that was transitioning towards publication. As well as that, ‘liminal’ linked to speculative fiction by representing the space between two worlds.

\n

If you’d like additional guidance on choosing the right name for your editing or proofreading business – as well as developing that all-important brand and setting up your website – then check out my self-paced course, The Visible Editor.

\n","excerpt":"

If you’re new to the editing world, you might be wondering what to call your business. Your business name is the first thing clients use to form an opinion of your business, so it needs some thought. It should represent what you do and align with your brand. The three main types of business names […]

\n","date":"22nd September 2021","wordpress_id":1468,"categories":[{"wordpress_id":8,"name":"Freelancing","slug":"freelancing"}],"featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"aspectRatio":1.7846153846153847,"tracedSVG":"data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='400'%20height='226'%20viewBox='0%200%20400%20226'%20preserveAspectRatio='none'%3e%3cpath%20d='M0%2030c0%2028%200%2032%202%2029l8-5c5-3%209-7%2015-13%2011-12%2016-16%2024-17%2012-2%2023-5%2023-6l4-6%207-11-41-1H0v30M115%204c2%202%203%203%202%204l1%203c1%200%207%206%207%208l-2%203c-3%202-2%203%201%204%207%200%208%200%2010%203%204%205%204%207%202%209l-2%201c1%201-4%209-5%209l-1%201-3%204c-6%204-3%207%2012%207l10%202h36c4%201%205%201%207-1l8-1c8%200%209-2%207-8l-1-4h45l3-3c5-6%207-9%204-16-1-6-8-15-8-12l-2%201c-1%201-2%202-2%207-1%205-2%206-6%2010l-8%206v1c1%202-6%201-8-1l-4-2-5-1-6-4c-2-2-4-4-6-4l-4-3-2-3-1-1c13-1%2025-4%2021-5v-4l1-9V0h-29c-24%200-29%200-27%201%202%202%202%203-1%202l-1%201%204%201v1c0%203%205%208%208%207l1%201c-1%202%202%204%204%205l2%203c0%202%200%202-1%201h-2c-2%200-2%201%201%203l2%204%201%204%201%202h-2l-1%204c0%204%200%205-3%207a479%20479%200%2000-12%209l-9-13a196%20196%200%2000-6-14c0-2-5-8-12-15-6-6-6-6-1-11l3-3h-25l4%204m185-2c2%204-7%2014-11%2014-5%200-6%207-2%208l1%205c0%204%200%205-4%207-5%203-5%204-1%207l1%202c-4%201%2015%202%2028%202h15v112l3%206c2%205%203%206%204%206h2c1%201%208-1%208-2l1-1%204-2%202-2%205-2c5-2%2016-3%2017-1l6%201%205%201%204%201c4%200%207%202%206%204v2l1%206%205%2020c1%201%201-8%201-30l-1-99V0h-50c-48%200-50%200-50%202M97%2022l-1%203c1%203-5%2012-9%2014l-6%204c-3%203-4%203-11%204l-11%201c-7%204-12%206-15%206-3%201-4%202-5%204-5%2010-5%2010-14%2014-2%201%203%205%205%205l3%201%203%201-2%202-2%204-1%201-4%203-5%203h-2l2%202%202%202-3%203-4%202-5%203-4%203-3%201-3%201%203%205%203%204-2%203c-2%201-3%203-3%207l-1%2013a268%20268%200%20000%2053c-2%202-1%204%202%203%203%200%203%202-1%207-2%203-3%205-3%208l1%203%203-4%206-8%207-9c3-6%205-7%208-7%201-1%202-1%205-8a799%20799%200%200019-23l6-10c4-8%206-10%207-10l4-2%203-2%204-2c2-2%203-2%203%200l1-1%201-11V48l10%201%2014-1h5v-8c0-15-4-22-10-18m80%20166l1%202%202%206v2c-2-2-2-2-2%200l1%202%201%202-1-1c-2-1-2-1-2%203l-2%207-3%204-2%202c-2%200-2%201-2%202%201%202%200%202-2%202l-4%202c-1%201-1%201-5-1-7-3-19-4-32-4a927%20927%200%2001-22%203c-1%200-2%200-2%202s-2%200-4-4c-2-3-2-3-3%202-1%204-4%204-7-1s-4-4-4%202v4h126v-2l-2-6-2-7-2-13v-10h-26M13%20212c-3%204-5%205-10%204H0v10h7c6%200%206%200%206-3l2-5%201-6v-3l-3%203'%20fill='%23d3d3d3'%20fill-rule='evenodd'/%3e%3c/svg%3e","src":"/static/bcb467cb05be13e4fd3a9fa351dedcb2/f7fa3/name-editing-business.jpg","srcSet":"/static/bcb467cb05be13e4fd3a9fa351dedcb2/c96d8/name-editing-business.jpg 116w,\n/static/bcb467cb05be13e4fd3a9fa351dedcb2/12243/name-editing-business.jpg 232w,\n/static/bcb467cb05be13e4fd3a9fa351dedcb2/f7fa3/name-editing-business.jpg 463w,\n/static/bcb467cb05be13e4fd3a9fa351dedcb2/ce8db/name-editing-business.jpg 695w,\n/static/bcb467cb05be13e4fd3a9fa351dedcb2/87cea/name-editing-business.jpg 926w,\n/static/bcb467cb05be13e4fd3a9fa351dedcb2/b24a9/name-editing-business.jpg 1560w","sizes":"(max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px"}}}}}},{"node":{"title":"Is It Okay to Combine Editing Services?","slug":"combine-editing-services","content":"

A client has approached you to help them with their novel manuscript. They either don’t know about the different stages of editing, or they only have a budget for one round of editing.

\n

What do you do? Should you combine your editing services?

\n

The different stages of editing

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Generally, there are three different stages of editing. In an ideal world, a manuscript will receive professional input at each stage.

\n

The first stage takes a look at the novel as a whole. The author will receive feedback on how the novel might be received by readers, how it hangs together, how the different components work (plot, characterisation, pacing, etc.) and where they can make improvements through redrafting. Professional services for this kind of feedback include developmental editing and manuscript critiquing.

\n

The second stage addresses the manuscript at the sentence level. The story itself should be in its final formation. This kind of editing addresses readability, sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling, consistency in style and consistency in story facts and logic at the scene level (e.g. making sure a character’s surname doesn’t change halfway through or that a character is pregnant for ten months). Professional services for this kind of feedback include line editing (sometimes called stylistic editing) and copy-editing (sometimes called line editing … I know – go figure!).

\n

The third stage is the final check. No suggestions on the story will be provided. No major sentence-level stylistic changes will be suggested. At this stage, any lingering typos or errors in grammar, punctuation and consistency will be the main focus. You’ve probably guessed it: this is the proofread.

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When authors ask for the wrong service

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It’s common for authors who are planning to self-publish to get in touch with an editorial professional and ask for a proofread when they really want a copy-edit. I can completely understand this misconception. Most people know what a proofread is, but fewer people understand the concept of a copy-edit.

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Unless you work in publishing, you may not have come across the term. And even if you have, it’s a much more difficult service to define than proofreading. A copy-edit can contain quite a scope of tasks, depending on who you ask.

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If you’re an editorial professional and an author asks you for a proofread, what should you do? Firstly, make sure they understand what the service entails. A good way to prevent authors asking for the wrong service is to make sure your services are clearly defined on your website.

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Technically, a manuscript can’t be proofread until it’s been copy-edited. A proofread is the final editorial check. In other words, a proofreader checks that errors haven’t slipped through the editing stage.

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If an author hasn’t had their manuscript edited prior to a proofread, essentially they’re asking for a copy-edit. They may still think of the service as a proofread, but the editorial professional will be conducting a copy-edit.

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Before you agree to work with the client, you might also ask to see a sample of their manuscript.

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(In fact, this is generally a good idea anyway as it will help you understand the scope of the work, how to quote, how much time you’ll need to complete the job, etc.)

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If the author has asked for a proofread (thinking their work needs a quick once-over to catch any lingering errors) but you realise the writing needs much more intervention to bring it up to a publishable standard, you have several options:

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    \n
  1. As long as the author understands the exact nature of your service, go ahead and provide what they’ve asked for. After all, they’re making an informed decision. You’ll have to do the best you can within the parameters of the service you’re providing. For example, you’ll correct obvious errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling, but perhaps you won’t make suggestions on difficult-to-understand sentences.
    2. \n
  2. Suggest to the author that the manuscript would benefit from a more intensive form of editing, and agree to only provide the service you think the manuscript needs (or turn them away if you can’t provide the service). It can be obvious when a text needs line editing or substantive editing instead of a light proofread. However, without reading the whole manuscript it can be hard to know whether a novel would benefit from a developmental edit or manuscript critique as a first step. Often, though, if you can see story-level problems in the sample (e.g. muddled point of view, an imbalance of scene and narrative summary) it indicates there will be problems with the novel as a whole.
    3. \n
  3. Do your best to provide the greatest value you can within the client’s budget and expectations. This is probably the trickiest path to navigate because both parties need to feel as though they’ve received fair value from the exchange. If you go down this route, it’s crucial to be completely clear on what you will and won’t do as part of your service, and the results the client should expect.
    4. \n
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Can you combine copy-editing with proofreading?

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Kinda. Sometimes. Maybe.

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A proof-edit blends copy-editing and proofreading.

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This isn’t really a ‘real’ service because, as I said above, you technically can’t proofread something unless it’s been edited first.

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However, a ‘proof-edit’ is a term sometimes used when the client doesn’t have the budget for both editing and proofreading; they want a service that’s more intensive than a straightforward proofread but in which catching technical errors (rather than making stylistic suggestions) is the priority.

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The main benefit to this type of service is that it costs less than paying for two rounds of editing. The main drawback is that because the text is only being looked at once, it’s likely more errors will go uncorrected. And, of course, the bigger elements (like plot and structure) won’t be addressed.

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Often if an author asks for a proofread without having their manuscript edited beforehand and you choose to go ahead and provide this service, you’ll basically be providing them with a proof-edit.

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If you do this, make sure you’re being compensated appropriately. It’s a bigger task than proofreading something that’s already been edited.

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Can you combine developmental editing with sentence-level editing?

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In a word, no.

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I see a lot of editing companies offering ‘all in one’ services. Authors will also often ask me to let them know if I notice any obvious ways their stories can be improved while I’m copy-editing.

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This is either incredibly hard to do or a completely pointless exercise, for the following reasons:

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    \n
  1. Different types of editing require different types of focus. When editing a long piece of text like a novel, I have to hold a lot of information in my head at once. There’s only so much I can pay attention to at any given time. If I’m scrutinising the text for spelling errors and mistakes in punctuation, I may not be absorbing all the nuances or subtext or trying to keep plot lines straight. If I did, I wouldn’t be using all my brain power to focus on the sentences themselves. This is why an author should be totally happy with their story before they hand it over for copy-editing.
    2. \n
  2. It doesn’t make sense to edit sentences when the story needs to change. I could meticulously edit every sentence in a manuscript only to then tell the author that their chosen narrative style doesn’t work, or that there are huge plot holes in the story, or that the ending needs to be completely rewritten. Which means all those meticulously edited sentences will likely be deleted, and the author will have to pay again to get the redrafted material edited.
    3. \n
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The only way it makes sense to combine developmental editing with sentence-level editing is when the developmental editing is done with a very, very light hand and doesn’t address global issues – but then this basically ends up being line editing.

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Alternatively, a copy-editor might be able to provide guidance on a few of the most crucial scene-level issues for the author to address, and then copy-edit the redrafted scenes. Even so, the issues I’ve outline above still apply.

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Summing up

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So, is it okay to combine editing services?

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It’s best not to, but if budget and time are an issue, a client might consider it.

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There can be huge pitfalls, though, and the amount of value the client will receive from combing editing services will depend on where the main weaknesses of the writing lie.

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If the writing is pretty clean but the story needs major work, an author might decide to spend their budget on developmental editing and combine copy-editing and proofreading.

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If the story is solid but the writing needs a lot of correction, it would make sense for the text to be both line or copy-edited and proofread.

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An author might not be aware of the weaknesses in their writing, though, and this is where it gets tricky for an editor who’s asked to conduct a specific service. Assessing a sample of the writing is critical, but there’s only so much we can determine without analysing the whole manuscript.

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In the end, the ultimate responsibility for editorial quality lies with the publisher – whether that’s the author themselves or a publishing house.

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The publisher should know exactly what the manuscript needs. Self-publishing authors who lack the experience to know this kind of thing should err on the side of caution and enlist as much help as their budget allows.

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Knowledge of the different editorial services available is key.

\n","excerpt":"

A client has approached you to help them with their novel manuscript. They either don’t know about the different stages of editing, or they only have a budget for one round of editing. What do you do? Should you combine your editing services? The different stages of editing Generally, there are three different stages of editing. […]

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AI is a hot topic with editors. The big question on everyone’s mind is: Are the robots going to take over our editing jobs?

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My take is no – not yet anyway.

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Why? Because ‘artificial intelligence’ is just that – artificial. It doesn’t have true intelligence. To be an editor, you need emotional intelligence and you need judgement.

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At the moment, AI editing tools simply make best guesses based on huge amounts of data. Not all of that data is ‘correct’, and AI tools can’t make intelligent judgements using nuance and context.

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There are loads of examples on the internet where editors have put AI tools to the test and demonstrated how they’ve come up woefully short.

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In my own experience, I tried getting ChatGPT to write an explanation of a grammar issue, and it basically got it wrong.

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Why?

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Because the issue was complicated and it had exceptions and nuances that needed to be considered. ChatGPT was pulling information from badly written, incomplete, contradicting and sometimes incorrect data sources.

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Since it didn’t have the intelligence to simply write a correct explanation of the rule, I certainly wouldn’t expect it to be able to accurately apply the rule to a piece of writing.

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AI editing tools do have their place, though.

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They are going to be standard tools in an editor’s arsenal very soon, if they aren’t already.

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Proofreading tools are going to be just as useful as spelling and grammar checkers, which we’re all already very used to using.

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We already used these kinds of tools not to dictate edits but to inform them.

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We still have to apply our own understanding and judgement.

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Will editing roles change?

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As AI tools at the proofreading end of the scale get stronger and more sophisticated, I can see proofreading as a standalone job becoming assimilated into the copy-editor’s role.

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This has already been happening, over the years, with tighter publishing budgets, but I can see the onus of catching errors falling into the combined hands of computer and editor, rather than editor and proofreader.

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What about other kinds of editing?

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A lot of people think that developmental editors are harder to replace with AI tools, and I tend to agree.

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Though there are AI tools designed to help with big-picture story analysis, I’ve studied these and they all fall short.

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All of them.

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They can write convincing editorial reports, sure. But how useful and applicable are these reports?

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Not very, in my view.

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They seem to either churn out generic advice that isn’t tailored to the piece of writing its supposed to be analysing, or they spit out data-driven analysis that isn’t accompanied by useful creative interpretation or suggestions for improvement.

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Ethics? Real-world application?

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I’m not even going to touch on the ethics of the creation and use of AI tools because that is such a huge topic, but it’s fair to say these tools are being built on some very sketchy ethical foundations, and unfortunately I don’t think governing bodies are going to give two hoots about creating laws around this any time soon.

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There’s something else to consider, though, and that’s the potential AI tools have versus the real-world application they end up having.

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Why do people write? Why do people read?

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Partly for entertainment, yes, but an even bigger reason – I believe – is for human connection.

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HUMAN connection.

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Novels written by AI lack heart and soul – do we want that?

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And if not, why would we put novels through an editing process that also lacks heart and soul (as well as creative judgement)?

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Writing and publishing are industries with heart.

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I can’t see how outsourcing a huge part of that industry to robots is going to be something anyone really wants.

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Yes, publishing is a business. Yes, the bottom line matters. And that’s why editors will adapt to using AI tools – to make the editorial process more accurate and efficient.

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But honestly, though the role of the editor will change, I don’t think editors will be disappearing anytime soon due to the rise of AI.

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Have you been putting off taking the leap into freelance editing because you’ve been worried about AI? If this post has made you think again, take a look at my editorial training courses.

\n","excerpt":"

AI is a hot topic with editors. The big question on everyone’s mind is: Are the robots going to take over our editing jobs? My take is no – not yet anyway. Why? Because ‘artificial intelligence’ is just that – artificial. It doesn’t have true intelligence. To be an editor, you need emotional intelligence and […]

\n","date":"1st August 2024","wordpress_id":1766,"categories":[{"wordpress_id":8,"name":"Freelancing","slug":"freelancing"}],"featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"aspectRatio":1.7846153846153847,"tracedSVG":"data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='400'%20height='225'%20viewBox='0%200%20400%20225'%20preserveAspectRatio='none'%3e%3cpath%20d='M190%2022c-10%203-18%209-19%2015-1%203-2%205-7%208-6%204-11%2010-8%2011v8l-2%2011v5c2-2%204-2%204%200l-1%201c-1-1-3%204-4%206v4l2%203%201%201%201-1c1%200%202%201%201%202%200%201%200%202%202%201%201%200%202%200%202%202%200%201%202%200%204-5%204-5%205-6%206-4%202%203%201%208-3%208-1%200-2%201-2%203%200%205-1%207-3%207-1-1-2%200-2%202l-1%205-1%204%202-3%203-4%206-2c1-1%201%201%201%203-1%204-1%206-3%208l-3%204c0%202-2%203-2%201-1-1-1%200-1%201%200%203%201%205%203%204l3%203c1%205%201%205%206%206%205%200%205%200%205%203-1%204-3%205-6%205-4%200-4%200-3%208%201%203%200%202-3%200-4-3-7-11-9-18l-5-18-1-3-1-4c-2-2-1%205%200%209%202%203%204%2012%202%2010-2-3%200%208%203%2017a96%2096%200%20015%2017v7c-2%202-2%204-1%207l-1%207-1%206c-1%204-1%205-8%208-6%203-7%204-11%2011l-5%209c0%201-1%202-3%202-2%202-1%202%2015%202h17l-1-5c0-6%200-6%202%201%201%203%202%204%204%204l3-1v-3c1-3%205-2%204%201%200%203%201%204%204%202%202%200%202-2%200-4-1-2-1-2%202-2l3-1-2-2c-4-3-5-9-2-17%202-7%202-13%200-31%200-5%201-7%202-5l5%203%204%203%202%204c2%202%203%207%205%2017l-1%203c-2%200-3%206-3%2014%201%205%200%208-1%209-2%204%200%204%209%203l10-2c3-2%208-2%2010-1v1c-2%200-2%200-1%202h2c0-2%203-1%203%201s-5%204-9%204l-4%201c-1%201%200%201%204%201l6-1%201-1%201%201a1215%201215%200%2000122%200l-4-4-3-4h3l9%202c7%200%2013%202%2016%205%202%202%204%202%2017%202h14v-15l-2%201c-3%202-6%207-6%209%200%203-2%203-6%200-9-7-15-9-24-9h-14c-5%200-10-2-8-3v-1l-9-3c-9-4-9-5-9-23%200-9%200-13-2-15l-1-2%201%202a156%20156%200%2001-1%2030c0-2-2-3-3-3v-1c2-1%201-2-6-10l-7-11-5-10c-5-9-6-10-8-25%200-5%200-5%205%201%204%205%203%203%200-3l-7-11-5-8-1-3-1-5c-1-3-1-3-1-1v3l-1-3-2-9-1-8-3-6c1%200%202%201%202%203l2%201c0-1%200-2%201-1%203%201-1-5-4-7l-2-3-3-4-3-5c0-3-10-15-14-18-3-1-5-3-5-5l-20-16-10-6-12-1-15%201m-26%2030l-5%206-4%2017c1%201%208-3%2010-6%203-4%204-4%201-4-2%200-1-7%201-12%202-4%201-4-3-1m6%2016c-3%202-3%2010%201%209l1%201v2c1%200%201%204-1%206l1%202%201-1h3l4%201c1-1%202%200%202%201%200%202%202%201%203-2%200-3-4-6-8-6-2%200-2-4-1-8%202-5-1-8-6-5m5%2043c-2%203-3%206-1%206%203%200%206%200%207-2h1c0%203%204%204%206%203%202-2%201-6-1-7h-3c-1%202-1%202-2%200-2-3-4-3-7%200'%20fill='%23d3d3d3'%20fill-rule='evenodd'/%3e%3c/svg%3e","src":"/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/f7fa3/AI-and-book-editors.jpg","srcSet":"/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/c96d8/AI-and-book-editors.jpg 116w,\n/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/12243/AI-and-book-editors.jpg 232w,\n/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/f7fa3/AI-and-book-editors.jpg 463w,\n/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/ce8db/AI-and-book-editors.jpg 695w,\n/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/2c512/AI-and-book-editors.jpg 780w","sizes":"(max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px"}}}}}}]}},"staticQueryHashes":["1904826805","3610551545","930678125"]}