Look, I promise I won’t always comment on the discourse of the day. But I’ve been seeing a few comments recently on line edits and whether they even happen any more. They definitely do (at least for the books I work on)! While resources and people in publishing are definitely stretched thinner, that doesn’t mean we’re skipping out on this crucial part of the job. (Even if sometimes it feels like readers are more interested in plot than prose.)
I thought it might be helpful to explain exactly what line editing is and how it fits into the trad publishing process.
The big picture
There are several levels of editing that usually happen for a book, and sometimes multiple rounds of each level. After you write a draft, an editor will take a look and do what’s called a structural or developmental edit. (Some agents also take on editorial duties for their clients before submission, but not all agents do this.) At this point, I’m usually reading a book with an eye to how the entire story hangs together. Are the characters compelling? Are their motivations clear? Does the story make sense (or is it purposefully not making sense)? Does the pacing hold up? What needs more (or less) fleshing out? The story is in conversation with the rest of the genre, so is it following the conventions, or is it subverting them?
This level of editing is often where the suggestions are more broad. I might talk to the author about whether they expand a plot point, or remove a character altogether who isn’t serving the story. Maybe things are great but something happens in the “wrong” order. Wrong is often subjective, of course. Usually after sending an edit letter, I’ll call the author to discuss my suggestions. If we disagree, we make our respective cases as to why we feel differently. Ultimately, it’s not my name on the book, so if the author is very passionate about something, I’ll usually defer to them. But I need to know that they’re confident in their narrative choices.
So what’s a line edit?
Once the basic structure, characters, pacing, and setting are set, I’ll move onto line edits. At this point, I know the gist of the story. So what am I looking for? I want to make sure each sentence (or line) makes sense, and serves the story. I’m looking at grammar and spelling, of course. But the bigger part of a line edit is checking the voice and the meaning behind each sentence. Sometimes a sentence sounds good, but it doesn’t really have a clear meaning. Sometimes an author has used the same word 39 times and it stands out. Even if it’s a good sentence and a great word, the reader will start to notice over the course of the book. So I’ll flag the repetition and ask if we should change.
There are so many considerations in a line edit. Does the protagonist stay true to character from page 1 to page 250? Is there a section that sticks out where the voice is dissonant? Are we giving readers the same information in subsequent chapters? I’m on the lookout for all those things, plus some basics like checking mixed metaphors or adjective order. I have to read a manuscript for a line edit in a much closer way than a developmental edit. If I’m not careful, my brain will fill in moments or phrases for me that aren’t there. It takes a lot of focus and it’s my favorite part of editing; I think of it like scalpel work rather than the more brutish developmental edit phase.
Fine tuning.
Once the line edit is done, and the author has made any changes, the manuscript goes to copyediting, which is an even closer look. Copyeditors focus on grammar and spelling, as well as sometimes fact-checking. They check for consistency, make sure everyone’s name is spelled correctly, and that we haven’t introduced any glaring errors. I was a copyeditor for a long time, so I sometimes catch myself copyediting books I’m working on. But I know that no matter how perfect I think a book is when I hand it over, the copyeditor will send it back with a ton of questions and markup. The key is remembering that good copyeditors are making your voice and your prose even more effective, allowing readers to more fully immerse themselves in your story. And a good copyeditor is one of the most valuable members of the editorial team.
What I’m Reading/Watching/Creating
- Reading a folk horror/detective novel by Jeff Noon called Creeping Jenny, about an investigator trying to find his long-missing dad in a strange small town. Very weird and I love the cult vibes of the setting. Interested to find out what happens next!
- Watching a lot of sports (Blue Jays are in the World Series! Raptors just started the NBA season!), but my husband brought me some movies too: Weapons, which I’m dying to see; Dust Devil, which I’ve been trying to find for ages; and the 4K of Eyes Without a Face.
- I found some red, black, and white chevron fabric, so I made a Twin Peaks Black Lodge-inspired dress. Next up should be a dress for a wedding, but I have to make a decision on fabric/pattern first.