About Editing
Types of Editing
Content Editing (sometimes known as substantive or developmental editing): looks at the big picture and structure of the manuscript, points out things such as lack of supporting information to an argument, reliance on unreliable data, jumping from one concept to another, and in general deals with substantive revisions to strengthen the arguments made in the manuscript. Not to be confused with ghostwriting a book, in which an author hires someone else to produce the manuscript from scratch but takes credit for the work.
Line Editing: focuses not on content but on the prose itself, such as paragraph structure, sentence flow, and word choices. It points out things such as wordiness, repetitive words, repetitive sentences, and redundancies. Line editing most often makes use of MS Word's "track changes" to suggest rewrites.
Copy Editing: checks on grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Most editors combine line editing with copy editing. There may be some rewriting of a sentence for the sake of clarity but does not revise style or content. "Track changes" is standard for this kind of editing.
Proofreading: often confused with copy editing, but is not part of the editing process. Proofreaders compare the copyedited manuscript to the printer's proof to ensure that no errors were introduced during the publishing process. They look at formatting, end-of-line breaks, spacing, typographical errors, and will also point out spelling and punctuation mistakes.
Line Editing: focuses not on content but on the prose itself, such as paragraph structure, sentence flow, and word choices. It points out things such as wordiness, repetitive words, repetitive sentences, and redundancies. Line editing most often makes use of MS Word's "track changes" to suggest rewrites.
Copy Editing: checks on grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Most editors combine line editing with copy editing. There may be some rewriting of a sentence for the sake of clarity but does not revise style or content. "Track changes" is standard for this kind of editing.
Proofreading: often confused with copy editing, but is not part of the editing process. Proofreaders compare the copyedited manuscript to the printer's proof to ensure that no errors were introduced during the publishing process. They look at formatting, end-of-line breaks, spacing, typographical errors, and will also point out spelling and punctuation mistakes.
The Editing Process
At a minimum, there are two stages to editing: 1) Content and context editing (also known as developmental or substantive editing); and 2) copyediting and proofing. During both stages of editing I use Microsoft Word's Review and Track Changes functions.
1) Content and context editing: In this first pass I do a careful reading of the whole manuscript for content and context. I am thus able to attain an eagle eye's view of the entire manuscript (the view of the forest instead of the individual tress) before diving into the particulars of copyediting (the ant's point of view). It is the creative or design phase of editing.
When you receive this first draft of content editing, your responses to the sideline questions and comments can in many cases lead to re-writes, so any time spent focusing on the mechanics of grammar and punctuation will be time spent unecessarily, and will lengthen the time it takes to bring the project to full completion.
2) In the second pass, copyediting/proofreading, I concentrate on:
The reason why it's not advisable to perform content editing and copyediting simultaneously is because the editor is using two different functions (left side/right side) of her brain. To attempt to do the two levels of editing simultaneously leads to brain freeze and sloppy work.
So in sum, what to do with the first submitted draft?
These two phases of editing can be repeated as needed. But I have found through experience that when working with an author on a book-length manuscript, if we work in 30-50 page increments dealing with pig-picture issues during the content editing phase, the second copyediting and proofing phase doesn't need to be repeated.
1) Content and context editing: In this first pass I do a careful reading of the whole manuscript for content and context. I am thus able to attain an eagle eye's view of the entire manuscript (the view of the forest instead of the individual tress) before diving into the particulars of copyediting (the ant's point of view). It is the creative or design phase of editing.
- What is the overall thesis or "story"?
- How do the ideas progress from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph?
- Syntax. What's not clear?
- What needs to be shifted around to support the overall aim of the thesis or story?
- Does the opening chapter of the manuscript cohere with the final chapter?
- What needs re-writing?
- It is a process of asking question of the author and making suggestions, and a time when author and editor work closely together to resolve issues.
When you receive this first draft of content editing, your responses to the sideline questions and comments can in many cases lead to re-writes, so any time spent focusing on the mechanics of grammar and punctuation will be time spent unecessarily, and will lengthen the time it takes to bring the project to full completion.
2) In the second pass, copyediting/proofreading, I concentrate on:
- The mechanics of grammar, punctuation, spelling, more sentence construction as needed.
- This is a different level of careful reading, word by word, phrase by phrase, without having to worry whether ideas, themes, transitions, linkages actually cohere—a kind of mindless yet clearly photographic reading.
- This phase of editing goes much smoother and faster than the first phase, because the hard work of making sense of the whole manuscript has already been accomplished.
The reason why it's not advisable to perform content editing and copyediting simultaneously is because the editor is using two different functions (left side/right side) of her brain. To attempt to do the two levels of editing simultaneously leads to brain freeze and sloppy work.
So in sum, what to do with the first submitted draft?
- Answer the questions and respond to the suggestions/comments.
- Make any textual changes you yourself want to make, either adding or deleting text, or typing over an existing section.
- Make note of things you want to discuss with me.
- You then send me back the draft and I incorporate your changes and we also meet as needed to clarify issues.
- I then do a second pass of the draft for the final detailed copyediting and proofing phase.
These two phases of editing can be repeated as needed. But I have found through experience that when working with an author on a book-length manuscript, if we work in 30-50 page increments dealing with pig-picture issues during the content editing phase, the second copyediting and proofing phase doesn't need to be repeated.
About Fees
Editing Plus Coaching Package
Coaching and editing packages are tailored to suit the requirements of each project. Fees are aligned with Editorial Freelance Association rates (see link below). A 300 page document (75,000 words) can average anywhere from $1,200 to $5,000, depending on the type and combination of editing needed. Content editing requires substantive revising of a manuscript and is more time consuming than copy editing which deals with mechanics of spelling, grammar and punctuation. For long-term projects the monthly retainer fee is $500 per month. The Editing Plus Coaching Package includes:
- Unlimited monthly submissions of drafts per project for all levels of editing (developmental, content, line, copyediting, proofreading).
- Coaching/dialogue via phone or video conferencing on an as-needed-basis. Coaching involves discussing and developing ideas, planning the overall structure of the project, fleshing out the topic in logical steps, creating outlines, setting goals, clarifying the editor's changes, and discussing editorial comments. Coaching also involves help with mental blocks and dry spells, and taming gremlins hellbent on sabotaging your writing.
Students struggling to make ends meet get generous discounts.
Just Editing
Standard fee ranges between $35-$60 per hour, or $4 to $10 per page, or 0.02¢ to 0.05¢ per word. It all depends on the scope of the project, type of editing, and number of pages. These fees also involves phone communications as needed to clarify editorial comments and track changes.
How to Get a Project Quote
Submit a 5-10 page sample of your draft to cris10a@cristinaolsen.com. Include in your email a description of your work, an approximate deadline for completion of editing, and whether you have a preference to be charged by the hour, the page, or per word.