4 Types of Editing for Fiction Writing

So, you’ve just finished your novel. Congratulations! You’ve done your own revisions, and you’re ready to find an editor. Now what?

If you don’t know what kind of editing you need, don’t worry. A lot of first-time self-publishers are unfamiliar with the different types of editing for fiction. There’s a lot to know.

Each stage of revision covers a different part of the editorial process and is valuable in its own way. Developmental edits focus on structure and any major weaknesses your manuscript might have. Line editing focuses on style and clarity. Copyediting is the nitty-gritty correction phase. Finally, proofreading is the polish on the finished product.

There are actually more than four major types of editing. Reedsy, the popular online author services platform, lists nine, including indexing and fact-checking. Most fiction, though, won’t have an index. Your work might require some fact-checking, like accurate historical references, for example. But it might not be necessary to have a dedicated fact-checker, especially if you’ve done your research.

In this article, though, we’ll focus on the most common types of editing for fiction and how they can benefit your book.

Developmental editing

This stage comes right at the beginning of the revision process. Some may know it as structural or content editing.

Developmental work is big-picture work. This editor’s goal is to help you develop a story that makes sense to an outside reader.

A developmental editor usually focuses on:

• Overall structure and plot
• Characterization
• Pacing and timelines
• Point of view
• Tense
• Narrative style

Why do you want it?

A lot of authors are too close to their work to see what’s missing. A developmental editor can provide clarity and a fresh perspective. Examining things in a different light can help you fix potential problems that might leave readers scratching their heads.

For a more in-depth look at developmental editing, check out Developmental Editing: What Every Self-Publisher Needs to Know.

Line editing

Next up on the editing docket is line editing, also known as stylistic or substantive. This type of editing gives your fiction fine-tuning at sentence level, making sure it’s lyrical, juicy, and enticing.

Line editing helps with things like:

• Consistency (character, tense, viewpoint, and more)
• Clarity
• Repetition
• Effectiveness of dialogue
• Overwriting
• Awkward phrasing
• Showing versus telling
• Clear character voice and expression

Why do you want it?

This type of editing creates fiction that hooks a reader and reels them in. Your story might be fantastic, but if it’s not expressed clearly and effectively, it can leave a reader dissatisfied.

Copyediting

A lot of people confuse line editing and copyediting, and for good reason. They both work on sentence-level structuring. For this reason, a lot of editors offer these services together in the same pass. But while line edits focus on style, copyediting looks at the mechanical aspects of the sentence.

Copyediting will address:

• Technical details like punctuation, spelling, grammar, etc.
• Dialogue tags and punctuation
• Logic and accuracy of times, places, characters, etc.
• Spelling consistencies for proper nouns

Why do you want it?

Incorrect details are stumbling blocks. If your main character’s name is misspelled, your reader might think you’re referring to someone else. Inconsistencies like these can trip them up. They will notice, even if only subconsciously, and it will pull them out of your story.

Having a fresh set of eyes is vital for finding technical errors. Writers who have been looking at their manuscript for months or years may not catch a mistake that is obvious to someone else.

Proofreading

Proofreading is probably the most misinterpreted stage of the editorial process. It isn’t really editing—it’s quality control. A proofreader is the final defense against typos, incorrect spellings, and odd formatting mistakes. Its purpose is to catch errors that the previous passes missed, right before the book goes to publication.

Proofreaders usually come in after the design and formatting stage. For print books, the proofreader looks at page proofs—basically a mockup of what the reader will see in the printed book. The page is already designed for the book’s final layout. For a digital format, a proofreader may not need to worry about certain aspects of formatting.

A proofreader looks out for:

• Spelling and punctuation consistencies
• Paragraph and page layout problems
• Missing page numbers
• Incorrect text styling

Why do you want it?

The proofreading stage is your final chance to ensure you are providing readers with a quality product. When you give readers a flawless book, you are building trust; a sloppy book sends people away. If your readers know they’re getting your best work, they will come back to you for more.

Be aware, though, proofreading by itself is rarely enough. If your work hasn’t gone through other rounds of editing, it’s not ready for proofreading. It is essential to catch the tiny mistakes before your book goes public. If the story is still rough, no amount of polish will make it shine, and it isn’t the proofreader’s job to fix those problems.

Final thoughts

Self-publishing authors do not always have the budget to get professional help for all types of editing on their fiction manuscript. But that doesn’t mean your book has to suffer. Some editors offer services like smaller edits and manuscript evaluations. These options can be a much more affordable way to get feedback. You can then apply the editor’s suggestions to the rest of your manuscript as you go through it.

If you are self-editing, though, make sure you still make each pass at a different time. Focus on the purpose of each type of edit as you go. If you can, give yourself some breathing space after each round. It gives your eyes and mind some time to “forget” the manuscript and its details. It’ll be much easier for you to spot problems if you do.

Until next time,
Jenna

Jenna Justice is a fiction editor and proofreader for independent authors. She specializes in speculative genres, including fantasy and sci-fi, for adult, middle-grade, and young adult readers. She is a proud member of ACES: The Society for Editing.

Visit Jenna’s website at Justice Serves Proofreading, and say hi on Twitter at @justice_proofs.