My Editing Process
What can you expect from Scribe Cat’s editing process?
The first question I’m often asked is what type of editing service a project may need. Over the years, I’ve simplified my services while staying in-line with publishing industry standards. Here are questions based on each type of editing I offer.
Manuscript ASsessment
Is the project missing scenes or chapters?
Are the characters engaging enough and do they stand out as individuals?
Does the dialogue move the plot forward while also appearing natural?
Are there plot holes or inconsistencies? Is the story paced well with a strong conflict and resolution?
Are the chapters and scenes in the right order to create the best momentum?
Is there a good balance of description and action?
Is the meaning of each chapter clear?
Are the themes of the story consistent?
Copy Edit
(Note: I combine line/stylistic editing and copy editing under this service.)
Is the language appropriate for the genre and audience?
Is the writing clear and concise? (Concise does not mean short, sometimes being too brief needs course correcting as well.)
Are the paragraphs and sentences structured in a way to enhance the pacing of each scene?
Are the grammatical and spelling choices consistent?
Is the manuscript free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors?
Proofread
Is the manuscript appropriately formatted?
Are there any widows, orphans, runts, or rivers? (These are various types of formatting-induced errors, see below.)
Are all the chapter headers, running heads, and folios (page numbers) consistent?
Have all the margins been adjusted for the right trim size, even if just for eBook publishing?
Has every bit of text had a last read through for lingering errors? (This includes the main text, cover and marketing copy, proposals, and metadata.)
Is the project completely print ready?
What to Expect
Now, let’s go step by step, under the assumption your project needed every editing service.
After you’ve contacted me and we’ve discussed your project, there are a few clerical details to iron out. I’ll confirm the project’s parameters then draft up a contract for us both to sign. This contract outlines what I’ll be doing, pricing, and scheduling. Once the contract is signed, you’ll receive your first invoice. There is always a 50% non-refundable deposit before I begin any project. The remainder of the project’s cost can be meted out in two or three installments.
Manuscript ASsessment
I’ve already covered this in, “What Is a Manuscript Assessment?” but here are the basics: The first step for me is to do a cold read. That is, I read your manuscript from start to finish and make my initial notes. On my second reading with a manuscript assessment, I’ll make comments and start drafting my tip sheet (here’s an example of a manuscript assessment sheet). As you can see, I look at everything from content to marketing, but the primary goal here is to ensure your project’s content is solid from start to finish.
Where an assessment differs from direct content editing is that I will not make any changes to your manuscript directly. I may leave comments as I read through, but I do not offer a full content edit. I found the cost prohibitive and most authors want to make their own big changes, if any, not have me moving paragraphs and chapters around. By doing manuscript assessments instead of content editing, I do save myself a little time…but it also means assessments are much more affordable than a content edit. (An average-length novel is about 80,000 words, which would cost CA$640 as a manuscript assessment…or CA$2,400+ for a content edit, depending on where you go.)
Once you receive your assessment, you can begin editing your rough draft into a final draft. Keep in mind: I am your GPS, but you’re driving the bus. Anything I mention in an assessment is an educated suggestion—but they are still suggestions. I also recommend you find a writing group or beta readers to read your final draft. You won’t please everyone, but this feedback can give you a good idea on what may need to adjust or how to market your manuscript.
Copy Edit
With a final draft in hand, we’d now follow up with a copy edit. As mentioned, a Scribe Cat copy edit includes stylistic or line editing. Both line editing and copy editing look at the technical and mechanical aspects of a manuscript, so why separate them and charge twice? The first step here is to determine what style guide and type of English to follow. For example, if you have a fiction novel and you plan to sell in America, I would use the Chicago Manual of Style and American English spelling as a baseline. Any preferences contrary to those two guides, as well as project-specific words, will end up on your project’s style sheet. You’ll receive this style sheet at the end of the copy edit as well. (See a barebones copy of a style sheet.)
So, using Track Changes in MS Word or a similar program, I’ll make corrections to your manuscript in two passes. I always leave comments if I’ve suggested a large change (like recasting a sentence or changing a word), but for standard grammar and punctuation practices, only Track Changes will be used. I’ll send you both a copy with Track Changes and a clean copy (all changes accepted) with only the comments in place. Some authors like to go through every change, while others prefer only to vet the bigger changes.
If you’re also getting a proofread and format from me, I usually ask authors not to accept/reject changes, but comment on any change they don’t want implemented. This just makes it easier in terms of version control…because if I suggested the change once, I’ll likely do so again. This way, it saves everybody time.
Proofread
So, once I go through the manuscript and accept all the changes you didn’t respond to, I’ll do two more passes. Now, if you’ve come to me for just a proofread and your project is already formatted, I’ll check for lingering typos, formatting errors, and ensure everything meets your criteria and is consistent. However, if you don’t have a formatted document, I’ll do that first. Before I start, we’ll decide if you need an eBook and/or print layout, at what trim size, and other book design details. Then, I’ll format your manuscript appropriately and check for any errors.
What’s it mean to format a manuscript? I adjust the overall page size and margins according to your specifications. I’ll add appropriate chapter head styles, folios (page numbers), and running heads. If you’re self-publishing and need an eBook and print layout, you’ll receive three files for eBook publication (.ePub, .mobi, and .PDF) and two for print layouts (PDF and .docx).
Once formatted, I go over the manuscript again for errors that can be introduced. A lot of these tend to be spacing issues, but if you’ve ever read these terms, here’s what they mean:
Widow: A paragraph-ending line that appears on the next page.
Orphan: A paragraph-opening line that appears on the bottom of a page.
Runt: A single word (or part of a hyphenated word) that appears on a line by itself.
River: Spacing gaps that appear in a paragraph, usually by coincidental alignment.
These are just some formatting errors that need to be addressed in a final proof before heading off to the printer. Try as it might, technology can sometimes create interesting results when we start preparing a document for printing. This is your last step before heading off to publication, so every detail counts.
Now you have a completed manuscript ready for print or eBook publication! I’ll generally ask for the remainder of your invoice to be paid before I send over the final document. The only thing left for you to do is tell me when it’s published so I can get a copy. ❤️