Whether you’re self-publishing your book or seeking a publisher, your manuscript will need to go through the editing process. Sometimes it will require several edits and revisions, and usually, a couple of different types of editors. Prepare yourself for this.
The type of editor you’ll need and the extent of the work will depend on the general shape of your manuscript. But above all else, before you ever hand over your work to an editor it should be in the correct format, and polished to the best of your ability. So you’ll need to know about preparing your manuscript for editing!
Editors and Proofreaders Do Different Things
First, it should be noted that there are different types of editors that work on different aspects of editing. The better shape your manuscript is in when you hand it over to an editor, the less work it will need. You will also need to trust your editor. This means being open to their feedback on exactly how much work will be involved. You should also expect that despite the quality of editing you receive, you will still need a proofreader. Trusted Beta readers are also invaluable to the overall process but they cannot replace true editing work. They are supplemental in this case.
Developmental Editing
Developmental editors who will work with a rough manuscript to help you mold your work into a compelling and cohesive manuscript. These types of editors make your writing clearer, sharper, and more consistent. They also help with issues from plot and pacing, to point of view and tense. These are the type of editors that often go uncredited for the work they do that make the best finished products. This type of editing can transform good ideas into books that people want to read. Though generally associated with traditional publishing, these editors are now available to the self-published as well.
Content Editing Vs Line/Copyediting
The most common type of editing needed is content editing. This type of editing is many different things under one umbrella. Content editors will make suggestions to revise plot points, fix dialogue, and note any inconsistencies in tone, tense or structure. They also will do things as minor as checking for grammatical, spelling and formatting errors. This part is sometimes called line editing. But line editing can be a thing in and of itself. The main job of a content editor is editing the content. While they will find the things a line editor does exclusively, it is not their main focus. Line editors focus on the items previously listed and don’t have much to do with forming the actual story of your work. Though it’s humbling to admit, most new writers need content editors more than they need line/copy editors.
Proofreaders
A proofreader does a type of editing, but this work is done after the work of an editor. They are the keen pair of eyes that looks over your proof and does the final, final edits before your book goes to print. They catch the things beta readers and content editors may have missed such as formatting issues and overlooked spelling and punctuation errors. Proofreading is done after the interior design of your book is decided. They aren’t, and shouldn’t be, expected to do much else. But you still need them to do that important work before your book goes to print.
Either way, before you hand off your manuscript, you’ll need to spend some time and effort preparing your manuscript for editing.
Preparing Your Manuscript For Editing Requires Your Revisions and Correct Formatting
If you want your book to be the best it can be, and align with professional standards of quality for published books, you will need to do many revisions yourself before you hand it over to an editor. In other words, the bigger mess you hand to an editor, the longer the editing process. This means you can expect to pay more. And yes, even when you are seeking developmental editing help, you will still need to format your manuscript correctly.
Below are some tips to save your editor time and you money. They will also speed up the editing process. These are to be done as part of the revisions process when preparing your manuscript for editing.
- Never indent the first paragraph at the beginning of a new chapter. But make sure, in general, to use the standard rules for paragraph usage. This is especially important in dialogue, which can be tricky for some. These rules can be found in most writing guides or online. I suggest grabbing yourself a copy of a classic standby such as The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.
- Be consistent and intentional with your extra line breaks and page breaks. For instance, indicate time lapse or new scenes within the same chapter with a centered ellipses or through line, or a double line break. Also, use the Page Break function at the end of a new chapter and beginning of a new one! Don’t just hit enter until the end of the page.
- When preparing your manuscript for editing, make sure to read over your work one more time, even when you think you’re finished. Check for things like inconsistencies in tense, point of view, and the timeline.
- Correct any glaring spelling, punctuation and usage errors as you catch them.
The Most Important Formatting Standards to Follow
You will always need to have your manuscript set to a regular paper standard of 8.5” by 11”. This is generally the default setting for most word based documents. But below are the formatting standards you absolutely must follow to prepare your manuscript for editing. It’s best to set this formatting up before you even start typing your opening line.
If you don’t know how to do this in the software you use, do yourself a favor and make yourself familiar. All writers should know these things if they’re serious about writing and publishing their work. And all editors will expect this type of formatting. This is what will look professional to almost any editor, but submission guidelines for publications vary.
Margins
Margins should be set at 1” on all sides and your page should be set to a left justified alignment. This means everything from left begins at the exact same spot but your end lines may not line up this way. Of course, new paragraphs can still be indented.
Spacing
Double spacing is the standard and has been forever, for good reason. It’s probably because before it was common to have digital drafts this spacing left room on the page to write in corrections and suggestions between the lines. It also makes it easier to read for your editor.
Font
All manuscripts should have a 12 point font. This is the easiest to read without being too large on the page. Your font style should also be in something pretty standard such as Times New Roman(which used to be THE standard), Ariel or Calibri.
Page Numbers
Although page numbers and their related content will change with the interior design process, you still need to number the pages of your manuscript for tracking purposes. So, yes, add page numbers at the top or bottom right of each page.
Chapter Headings and Titles
For consistency’s sake, and to make it easier down the road during the interior design process, you need to format these with the style option( in the menu you can choose these styles). Don’t manually increase the font size or use bold to indicate these. There is no need to underline them either.
You also need to consider proper title page layout, although it is less of an issue when preparing your manuscript for editing than those listed above.
What NOT to Do to When Preparing Your Manuscript for Editing
A common mistake that many new authors make is trying to format their manuscript as close to what they think it should look like in its printed book form. Not only is this not helpful to anyone, but this type of formatting is done in the interior design phase of publishing your book. The author doesn’t do the formatting, the interior designer does this. Your manuscript and your published, printed book are two very different things with very different formatting.
Don’t Waste Your Time Doing Any of the Following with Formatting
- Don’t try to format your manuscript to appear how you think it will be in printed book form.
- Resist sending a link to your manuscript. You will need to download the file as a document and send it. A link to your document complicates things unnecessarily. It can cause formatting issues and confusion during the editing process.
- Avoid sending your manuscript in PDF form. Formatting issues inevitably occur when the editor has to convert the manuscript to document form. The final version used for the interior design process will likely be converted for that process anyway.
When preparing your manuscript for editing, you’ll want to keep all of these things in mind. These tips will save your editor time and headaches, and keep your editing costs down. It also helps your editor take you more seriously as a writer. This matters because editors aren’t infallible. They will make judgments about the quality of your work, and may even decide not to take it on because of easily avoidable errors.
So do yourself and your future editor a favor by polishing your manuscript the best you can and formatting it correctly before you even send it their way for an assessment. A little bit of work on your part can make a big difference in the end result!
If you’re hoping to improve your writing in general, which will help with self-editing and save you money on an editor, you can read more about that here.
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