Editing
Editing a novel is several different jobs wearing one name. Structure, prose, consistency and proofreading each need a different kind of attention, and running them together is the reliable way to do all four badly.
These guides cover what each pass is for, the order that wastes the least work, and where an outside reader earns their fee.
13 articles
What to Send a Continuity Reader
The material that makes the job possible, and what it saves.
What a Continuity Editor Needs From You
What to send, what to say, and what makes it cost less.
How to Check a Manuscript You Did Not Write
Working from cold, and building the reference from the text itself.
How to Hand an Editor a Cleaner Manuscript
The file itself, not just the words, and what should go with it.
Continuity Editing Explained
The job borrowed from screen, and what it means for a novel.
How Many Drafts Does a Novel Need?
A draft is not a unit of work. Which passes it has had is the real question.
Readability Analysis for Novelists: Should You Care About Your Score?
A readability score is a signal, not a target. Here's when it's worth listening to.
Team Collaboration for Authors: Keeping Editors, Co-Authors, and ARC Readers in Sync
The fastest way to get an editor, a co-author, and a proofreader speaking the same invented language.
The Novel Kit for Editors and Proofreaders
See where rule-based terminology and consistency reports fit in an editor's workflow, what they can speed up, and
Beta Readers and Editors Compared
Compare beta readers and professional editors by purpose, timing, feedback and cost, then learn how to use both
Developmental Editing and Manuscript Critiques Compared
Compare developmental editing and manuscript critiques by depth, deliverables, timing and budget to choose the
How to Self-Edit a Novel Without Losing Your Voice
A practical self-editing process for revising structure, character, continuity and prose while preserving the
Line Editing, Copyediting and Proofreading Compared
Compare line editing, copyediting and proofreading by purpose, timing, deliverables and manuscript condition so
Editing, on your own manuscript.
One pass, and the documents your editor, narrator and readers each need. See the handoff pack →