Frequently, one of the first questions a prospective client asks me is something along the lines of, “How will you edit my manuscript?”
The answer of course (because isn’t it always?) is “that depends.”
There are several different types of editing (I explore them here), and which one an author needs depends on where she is in the process of writing her manuscript. For example, if you’re stuck halfway through a first draft, it’s way too early to start checking spelling and grammar; and if you’re reviewing your final proofs before publication, it’s too late for structural edits.
When you’re researching and reaching out to editors, it can be helpful to think through what kind of feedback you’re looking for as a starting point to your conversations. Even if you’re not sure whether you need a manuscript critique or a line edit, if you can start to articulate what kind of editorial support you think would be most helpful, then you’ll find your conversations with potential editors much more productive. (As editors we can—and should—offer their own assessments of what your manuscript might need, but when you come to the table with a specific request, that gives us a really good starting sense of where you are and whether we can be the right partner for you!)
So let’s take a look at the general types of feedback an author may expect to see from an editor—and which types are most appropriate for each stage of the writing journey. We’ll start broad, with the biggest-picture support editors provide, and we’ll narrow down from there.
But first, a note that applies to any kind of edits you ever ask for or receive: Good editorial feedback is alwaysconstructive. Its goal is to amplify your strengths, identify your opportunities for improvement, and show you how to make those needed improvements. Good feedback is never criticism without guidance, and it’s neverjust bashing your manuscript. It’s honest, and it may highlight areas that aren’t working (that’s what you’re paying for after all), but it comes from a place of respect and offers solutions at the same time as it highlights the problems. It can be tough to receive criticism, and your knee-jerk reaction may be to go on the defensive. That’s fine. But, once you’ve given yourself some time and space to process, if you really feel your editor’s feedback doesn’t come from a place of respect and support, then she may not be the right editor for you.
Okay, with that PSA behind us, let’s look at the primary types of feedback you may ask an editor for.
Big-Picture Suggestions
Big-picture feedback is most useful early in the writing process, whether you’ve finished a first (or second or third) draft and you’re ready to stress test it, or you’re halfway through your story and finding yourself stuck. Here are a few kinds of notes this big-picture feedback might include:
Structural Suggestions
Structural feedback addresses the overall framework of the manuscript. Your editor will look at the story's organization, pacing, and flow, providing recommendations for rearranging chapters, restructuring scenes, and removing or adding content. This type of feedback asks authors to consider their narrative holistically and from a fresh perspective. It can often be hard to swallow, but it can also lead to significant improvements in the overall storytelling.
Plot and Character Development
Plot and character feedback may be delivered separately, but they often go hand in hand. After all, it’s the characters that drive the plot. Here, your editor is looking at causality—does each plot point (even the surprises and twists) stem logically from the ones that came before? We’re looking at character motivations and obstacles, and at what’s at stake. This kind of feedback is an opportunity to really dive deep into who your characters are, why they behave the way they do, and how effectively they’re driving the plot of your novel.
Voice and Style
There’s an argument to be made that voice and style feedback should come later in the manuscript development process, but I like to at least give some initial thoughts upfront. I’m not going to get my hands dirty polishing sentences yet, but if I notice something about an author’s voice that might distract from the narrative or keep readers at a distance, I’ll flag it so they can keep it in mind during rewrites. My early voice and style notes are generally about consistency and alignment between writing style with the intended audience. For the record, I’m never interested in changing an author’s voice—and an editor who is may not be the right partner for you. Rather, I want to amplify everything that’s uniquely great about it.
Polish
Once the big-picture elements have solidified through several rounds of revision and feedback, it’s time to start polishing. We don’t do this on early drafts because there’s no point in spending time and money meticulously polishing content that may not make the cut. But once you’re generally satisfied that everything on the page belongs—and is in the right order—then it’s time to get into the nitty gritty.
Line Edits
In line edits, your editor will make hands-on changes to the manuscript (using Track Changes so you can review everything). This feedback is still subjective, but it’s highly granular. Your editor will comb through each sentence to fine-tune your writing for clarity, coherence, and style. These edits may seem nitpicky, and it can be challenging to see an editor question a turn of phrase you love, but the goal is to elevate your style and be sure each sentence furthers your narrative and resonates with your readers.
Copyedits
Copyedits are more objective than line edits. They’re 95 percent about grammar and spelling, with the goal of making sure your manuscript is clean and professional. When I’m doing a copyedit, I’ll make the occasional subjective suggestion if I come across a sentence that’s unclear or seems to slip out of the narrative voice. But for the most part, that stylistic work should be all done before a copyedit begins.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final step of edits, and it often doesn’t happen until the book has been laid out for publication. I like to think of proofreading as insurance against catastrophic errors. There should be no subjective comments here at all. We’re looking for misspellings, formatting issues, and glaring mistakes that will distract readers from your story. This is the final polish—the dotting of i’s and crossing of t’s—before publication.
What Kind of Feedback Do You Need?
Every type of feedback is important for the development of a strong manuscript, but what you need from your editor depends on where you are in the process, what other support you have in your writing journey, and how you’re feeling about the novel. If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, your editor can assess the manuscript and help you put together a game plan. But if you can come to the conversation with a sense of what you need first, you’ll be able to zero in more effectively on the right editor and then hit the ground running.