Technical Terms
Developmental Editing
This means an editor providing detailed feedback on 'big-picture' issues. I'll refine your ideas, shape your narrative, and help you fix any major plot or character inconsistencies. Basically, I look at just about every element of your story and tell you what works and what doesn’t. This is normally the initial step in the editing process - before the editor gets into the nitty gritty. Green Light includes Editorial Assessment and Structural Editing as subheadings of Developmental Editing.
Editorial Assessment
Handy, if you haven't finished your manuscript and/or you're a bit stuck. The editor will take a look and give you some concrete ideas about how to construct your story and where it might possibly go.
Structural Editing
How to improve your story’s structure. For example, changing points of view, introducing flashbacks or rearranging chapters and events - that kind of thing.
Great if you really don't know where your book is going.
Copy Editing/Line Editing
This is going over the manuscript with a fine tooth comb, to bring the writing up to a more professional level, improving clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness. It includes fixing spelling, grammar, word usage, repetition, shifts in POV/tense and descriptive anomalies.
Proof Reading
Generally the last stage in completing any manuscript. Spotting all the tiny mistakes and errors that annoy a reader. Oops. You forgot a full stop there.
Fact Checking
Green Light includes this as part of Copy Editing. Self explanatory, really.
Abraham Lincoln did not use a mobile phone.
This means an editor providing detailed feedback on 'big-picture' issues. I'll refine your ideas, shape your narrative, and help you fix any major plot or character inconsistencies. Basically, I look at just about every element of your story and tell you what works and what doesn’t. This is normally the initial step in the editing process - before the editor gets into the nitty gritty. Green Light includes Editorial Assessment and Structural Editing as subheadings of Developmental Editing.
Editorial Assessment
Handy, if you haven't finished your manuscript and/or you're a bit stuck. The editor will take a look and give you some concrete ideas about how to construct your story and where it might possibly go.
Structural Editing
How to improve your story’s structure. For example, changing points of view, introducing flashbacks or rearranging chapters and events - that kind of thing.
Great if you really don't know where your book is going.
Copy Editing/Line Editing
This is going over the manuscript with a fine tooth comb, to bring the writing up to a more professional level, improving clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness. It includes fixing spelling, grammar, word usage, repetition, shifts in POV/tense and descriptive anomalies.
Proof Reading
Generally the last stage in completing any manuscript. Spotting all the tiny mistakes and errors that annoy a reader. Oops. You forgot a full stop there.
Fact Checking
Green Light includes this as part of Copy Editing. Self explanatory, really.
Abraham Lincoln did not use a mobile phone.