When to edit?

When should I send my book for editing?

Knowing when to edit is important.

Editing is expensive and every author wants to feel that they are getting the best quality work and value for their hard-earned money. There is nothing more frustrating than paying money for a copy-edit only to see it disappear completely in the next redraft of your book.

The key to a good editing experience is to know your manuscript and to choose the right type of editing at the right time. 

I’ve dealt with this issue in my blog post about when to send your book for editing. More importantly, the post includes tips on how to avoid a bad editing experience.

Book Nanny’s top tips for a good editing experience?

  1. Get your story straight (structural and developmental editing) before you start polishing the language (copy-editing and proofreading)
  2. Don’t send an editor your first draft: have it beta read and revise, redraft and self-edit it until you get to the point you feel you can do nothing more with it. That way you’ll get maximum value from a professional edit or evaluation

Do I need to send a completed manuscript to my editor?

Yes. Unless you are looking for author mentoring or outline developmental editing, an editor can’t advise you on how well your story is working for readers if they haven’t got the whole story in front of them.

Is your manuscript ready for editing? Ask Book Nanny

Book Nanny Writing and Editing Services © Bernadette Kearns 2018

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