You know what’s hard? Like really hard? Figuring out the type of editing your book needs after you’ve finished writing it.
I know, it should be easy right? But you’ve just finished writing your novel, and realistically, you know that you need a developmental edit. You need to improve your characters, plot, worldbuilding, pacing, etc. All stories need this.
But is this the stage where you need to hire an editor right away? And if it is, what level of editing do you need? Can beta readers help, or should you invest in a manuscript evaluation? Maybe your novel needs a full-on developmental edit.
Maybe your story structure is solid, and your resources would be better spent on a line and/or copy edit. Or maybe you’re better than you think in all those areas and what you really need help with is formatting and proofreading to catch those final typos.
Let’s be honest… editing is DAUNTING! It’s a long process. Having a clear picture of where to invest your time, money, and effort will get you the best result. So, I’m here to help you with that!
I’ll walk you through six actionable steps to help you determine what type of editing your book needs most.
What We’re Covering Today
Step 1: Trust Your Gut
I know what you’re thinking: If I could trust my gut, I’d already know what sort of editing I need for my story!
But listen… You followed your instincts to write the story, right? You went through all the ups and downs and managed to get the story on the page. What I want you to do is go back to those ups and downs. Think about what you found easy and fun and what you struggled with.
- If your plot and characters developed effortlessly (like the puzzle was super easy to solve), but you’re unsure about flow and clarity, you may need a line or copy edit. In this case, you’d use critique partners and beta readers to tighten up the narrative before investing in an edit.
- If you struggled with character motivations, plot structure, or pacing, a manuscript critique or developmental edit might be the best place to start.
- If writing felt smooth but your draft has typos, formatting issues, or inconsistencies, you might just need help with that final polish. You’ve looked over your draft a hundred times and you’re sick of it. So sick that typos are left behind. It might be good to put your budget into a proofreader and formatter.
Your gut is smart. I promise you. Take some time to think over your struggles with writing because that’s gonna be a good indicator of where you need the most help.
Step 2: Take a Break
Again, I know this one is common. But you’ve probably spent weeks, months, or even years immersed in your story. When you do this, it can be hard to see any flaws.
Now, this isn’t me telling you take a significant chunk of time off. Many authors take as little as a couple of weeks. You need to feel this one out. Take enough time to rest and start feeling that writing itch again.
While you’re taking your time off, though, I encourage you to pick up some books. We writers have to read. I want you to read for fun, but I also want you to:
Take a step back, and read other books critically:
- Notice how subplots are woven into the main narrative.
- Analyze character arcs and pacing.
- Pay attention to grammar, dialogue formatting, and sentence flow.
When you read critically, you take the chance to notice these things and can often begin to see flaws in your own work when you come back to it. This can give you another good idea of where you struggle most—which will give you a clearer idea of where your story needs the most help.
Step 3: Use an Editing Program (But Don’t Rely on It)
As both an author and an editor, I don’t recommend relying solely on editing programs like Grammarly or ProWritingAid. They often miss things or sometimes give suggestions that can give the writing a less-than-human-feel. But they can be useful tools!
Try running a few chapters through an editing tool and look at the suggestions:
- Lots of grammar and punctuation errors? A proofreader is your best bet.
- Frequent sentence structure and clarity issues? Consider a line edit.
- No major issues, but the story still feels off? A developmental edit or manuscript critique may be in order.
Editing tools aren’t a replacement for human eyes, but they can offer insights into where your writing may need the most work.
Step 4: Story Swapping with a Critique Partner
I’ve had an amazing critique partner for several years now. None of my stories ever see the light of day until she’s had a chance to look at them. When we write stories, we’re so incredibly close to them. We simply can’t see that glaring flaw right smack dab in the middle of it. To us, it makes sense.
But that doesn’t mean it makes sense for everyone.
You’ll notice that the first few options I gave you have you working on your own. It’s good to gain that skill. But at a certain point, you need to bring fresh eyes to the table!
Now, I know it can be hard to find solid critique partners. It’s something that happens along the writing journey. But there are a lot of places where you can do story swaps.
Try joining:
- Facebook writing groups
- Discord servers for writers
- Online or in-person critique groups
Building a community around yourself as a writer is never a bad thing, and it has the added perk of getting to swap stories with people.
This gives you a chance to take a little bit of a break again while getting another person’s eyes on your story. Feedback from fellow writers can help you determine whether you need structural changes (developmental editing) or polishing (line editing or proofreading).
Swapping stories WILL open your eyes in a way that none of the above steps will.
Step 5: Try Reverse Outlining
When I edit for clients, I always create a reverse outline. As I read the story, I jot down plot points, significant character development, worldbuilding notes, etc. I basically outline the story in front of me.
Now, I do this for a few reasons, but the main one is because a reverse outline is a simple way for me to see all the working parts of the story in a concise format. I can see where things are working and where they’re not.
You may have created an outline before you began writing your story, but even still, you can benefit from doing this. And it’s something that works especially well for pantsers!
Doing a reverse outline after you write the story is going to give you a chance to see how tight your story works. Are there unnecessary plot threads? Maybe some dropped characters? Maybe you do this, and you notice a WHOLE LOT of problems. This can be a good indicator that you need some developmental help.
📥 Want a printable Reverse Outlining Worksheet? Grab yours for free and make revision easier!
Step 6: Get Professional Eyes on Your Story
Now, I’m not talking get a full edit here when I say get professional eyes on your story. What I’m talking about here is a sample edit.
While you’re taking a break from your story, feel free to do some research into editors. Find a few you think you might jive with and reach out. Any good editor is going to offer a sample edit. This process is to make sure our editing style is a good fit for you, but also to make sure that your story is a good fit for us!
When reaching out to potential editors:
- Be honest about where you feel stuck. Tell them your struggles
- Ask for feedback on whether your book is ready for line editing, or if it needs a developmental pass first.
- Use their insights to decide where to focus your budget and time.
You can take this info and learn from it. Use it to figure out where you want to place your focus and budget for your story.
📌 Curious about my editing style? Request a sample edit today!
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Editing can be a scary process. But when you break it down step-by-step it can be a little easier to figure out where to start. However, it can be easy to get caught up in the process! So, I want to talk about some things that I see my clients struggle with so that you can hopefully avoid them in your editing process.
Getting Stuck on the Easy Stuff
When it comes time to dig into self-edits, it can be easy to get caught up in the easy stuff. You read through your manuscript and you see some parts that are easy to polish. Clean up that typo there. Change this wording here. Oh, that’s character’s eyes were blue a few chapters ago—let me just change that right quick.
See how it can be easy to get caught up in that sort of stuff? It can be a big never-ending cycle tweaking these things, thinking you’re improving your story.
But you might be missing the big stuff. So, while it’s okay to tweak a few things here and there on your first read-through, make sure you’re not using this as a way to procrastinate!
Skipping Essential Editing Stages Because Your Budget is Tight
I will never be an editor that pushes a client to book with me when they can’t afford it. I know what it’s like to live on a tight budget. But this doesn’t mean you should skip steps.
This blog post is about picking the editing phase to throw the majority of your resources into to get the best results. BUT! Skipping developmental editing, line editing, or proofreading entirely can result in a weaker final product.
Here’s a quick resource for you to know the different stages and what order they come in:
Now, you don’t have to spend money on every single step. Here’s some great affordable alternatives:
- No budget for developmental editing? Do multiple rounds of beta reading.
- Need cheaper line edits? Use editing software + critique partners.
- Tight on funds for proofreading? Ask ARC readers to flag typos. Or look for volunteer proofreaders on social media.
The point is to produce the best book you can. So, if your budget allows you to only get one type of editor, hopefully this info will help you determine where best to put those resources.
Conclusion: Every Writer Needs Editing—The Key is Knowing Where to Start
All of us writers struggle with something. But by following these steps—taking a break, analyzing your process, using tools, getting fresh eyes on your work, and seeking professional input—you can determine where you might need the most help on your editing journey.
If you’re still writing your story, I encourage you to pay special attention to what you’re struggling with as you bring it to life on the page. And if you’ve already finished your story, I encourage you to take some time to think over where you struggled. This is a really solid first step to planning out your editing process.
Because your editing process is just as important to develop as your writing process. This is where we make that story shine!
Editing isn’t just about fixing mistakes. It’s about making your book the best it can be. Understanding the types of editing for books and investing in the right stage of editing will make all the difference.
📌 Ready to take the next step? Book a manuscript evaluation or proofread today!
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