What Kind of Editor Do I Need?
There are actually a few kinds of editors out there, and it's not unheard of for someone to hire a few people to fine tune a book. Fortunately for you, I'm very good at what I do, so we can get you a nice deal for most of it!
PROOFREADER
Proofreading checks the manuscript against the published product -- traditionally, the one who makes sure the book was formatted properly, keys weren't missing, words weren't put in upside down (whoops!) and everything was ready for sale. In this day and age, this will be the one who makes sure that your manuscript translates well to different mediums (like an eBook or self-published novel or webcomic...) and makes sure everything checks out.
COPY EDITOR
A copy editor will check your manuscript for the grammatical entanglements, bad dialogue tags, run on sentences, improper syntax and those mischievous commas. This is useful for everything from novels and short stories to research papers and technical manuals, and the main goal is CLARITY.
LINE EDITOR
A line edit is very important for voice -- weak syntax, confusing phrasing, messy syntax and generally fluffy prose that isn't actually pulling its weight. This is especially important for speeches, fiction and anywhere else a tone or persuasive turn of phrase would be helpful.
CONTENT EDITOR
This is the fun part, for me! A content editor specializes in the craft of storytelling, picking up on subplots, story arcs, pacing and continuity. This is the hard thing to find when you're writing a novel or series, but having an outside perspective on things will catch a glaring plot hole, predictable plot twist, or confusing concept before your readers do.
PROOFREADER
Proofreading checks the manuscript against the published product -- traditionally, the one who makes sure the book was formatted properly, keys weren't missing, words weren't put in upside down (whoops!) and everything was ready for sale. In this day and age, this will be the one who makes sure that your manuscript translates well to different mediums (like an eBook or self-published novel or webcomic...) and makes sure everything checks out.
COPY EDITOR
A copy editor will check your manuscript for the grammatical entanglements, bad dialogue tags, run on sentences, improper syntax and those mischievous commas. This is useful for everything from novels and short stories to research papers and technical manuals, and the main goal is CLARITY.
LINE EDITOR
A line edit is very important for voice -- weak syntax, confusing phrasing, messy syntax and generally fluffy prose that isn't actually pulling its weight. This is especially important for speeches, fiction and anywhere else a tone or persuasive turn of phrase would be helpful.
CONTENT EDITOR
This is the fun part, for me! A content editor specializes in the craft of storytelling, picking up on subplots, story arcs, pacing and continuity. This is the hard thing to find when you're writing a novel or series, but having an outside perspective on things will catch a glaring plot hole, predictable plot twist, or confusing concept before your readers do.