It’s a common enough question: what are the types of book editors (and readers) and which one(s) do I need to find or hire? There can also be some confusion, as the lines between the different types of editing/feedback can become blurred.
First, if you plan to follow a traditional publishing path (query, agent, publisher), then the answer is you don’t need to hire anyone. It is not expected that you will bear the burden of those costs. However, some authors will still choose to hire at least one editor at a level they feel they need the most help in order to present a more polished manuscript when querying or if they’ve gone through a couple rounds of querying without so much as a nibble. It is up to you whether you feel you need to do that.
Those who are self-publishing will likely want to do as much as they can to polish that manuscript before they hit publish, but even editors understand that we are a large investment. If you’re not sure that you can do everything, it’s best to understand your own strengths and weaknesses and find the editor who will best help where you need it.
Who is that? Where do you start?
Below is a general overview of the types of editors and readers you will want to consider when seeking feedback, presented in the order in which you’ll need them.
Note that when I use “editor” throughout this post, I am referring to freelance editors. These are different than the editors of a publishing house, who are the folks who acquire manuscripts for the publisher and will usually see it through its publishing journey.
Alpha Readers
Not everyone will look for alpha readers, or if they do those readers will often be friends and family. An alpha reader sees a draft in rough shape and ignores all of its sharp edges and messy bits. They aren’t there to correct grammar or help you polish things. They’re there to look for the shiny spots—the diamonds in the rough—and to answer two basic questions: what is working and what isn’t. Often this can be about deciding which threads to follow and which to leave behind/remove from the draft entirely. An alpha reader should be a trusted fellow writer, critique partner, etc., or a family member you trust to say more than, “I love it!” because they love you. (Editors may also offer alpha reading or discovery draft evaluations. Hint: that last one is on my hidden menu!)
Beta Readers
I’ll put beta reading here in the list, but beta readers can come before or after a developmental edit—or both. I’ll explain more below.
First, what is a beta reader and how do they differ from an alpha? A beta reader sees a more refined draft than an alpha reader will and is coming in as a general reader, not as a critique partner. They are there to assess the experience the average reader may have with the work: where they’re riveted, where the story feels too slow, points of confusion, the characters they love, if they enjoyed the ending, etc. While they may point out some typos and such, they are not there to edit. (That said, some editors like myself do offer beta reading—it will be different from an actual edit.)
When to take on beta readers
Before a developmental edit, a beta reader can help an author to trim out the excess fat from a piece by telling them where it’s a bit of a slog, thus lowering the word count by getting rid of unnecessary bits and pieces so that the developmental edit isn’t as expensive.
After a developmental edit, a beta reader can help an author do a temperature check: did they implement feedback successfully? Are there any areas still in need of some love? Did any big revisions result in a plot or other hole they hadn’t noticed?
Developmental Editors
Developmental editors like myself hop into your manuscript before the others because there’s a good chance that this level of editing could result in revisions that change or affect the foundation of your story or character arcs. Why? A developmental edit is focused on the structure and pacing of the story, assesses its narrative style, and looks for plot holes, weak character stories, ways to improve world building, etc. You may also come away with a little fact checking if the editor is familiar enough with something being used within the manuscript. The revisions following a developmental edit are often significant.
Feedback should come in the form of a thorough report and significant comments throughout the document.
Line Editors
Line editors seek to tighten things up at the sentence- and paragraph-levels. They will assess clarity (down to the word choices), flow, style, and the pacing of the prose. These are the folks that help to make sure your readers understand and feel what you want them to. Line editors should utilize track changes, allowing you the opportunity to see the suggestions and accept or decline.
Copy Editors
Copy editors also work at the sentence- and paragraph-levels, but they focus on the more technical aspects such as spelling, grammar, punctuation, consistency in style (both the author’s and the style guide’s), etc. They are incredible at picking up on the smallest details. Under certain circumstances, a copy editor may also be responsible for fact-checking. Like line editors, copy editors will utilize track changes for the majority of their adjustments. However, there may be some basic micro adjustments that they will do without track changes on such as formatting adjustments, removing extra spaces, fixing a dash (maybe an en should be an em), etc.
Note: Many editors will offer line and copy editing together.
Proofreaders
Proofreaders comes after the book is formatted because it should be addressing more than the words—it’s also about checking for consistency in the book’s formatting.
Bonus: Editorial Assessors or Evaluators
Many editors (usually developmental, though others might as well) will offer a lower-cost service called a Manuscript Evaluation or Assessment. (My Skilled Beta Reads lean toward evaluation.) These often come before you hire an editor or, for those looking to query, may be a good way to check in before sending a manuscript out to literary agents.
Evaluations are significantly less in-depth than a developmental edit, with typically very few in-margin comments, if any, but they can give you a general sense of where the manuscript stands in its current state. The note or report will be only a couple of pages providing a very high-level overview of your manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses. It may include suggestions on which level(s) of editing you should prioritize if you’re unable to hire for all of them. (Note: Ideally, if you are self-publishing, you would hire every level of editor, but we know that with self-publishing that can be a big investment.)
Bonus: Authenticity Readers
Authenticity readers help authors address their own knowledge and experience gaps when writing characters and situations that may be outside of their own lived experience. This is about presenting people, places, and experiences accurately and with clear purpose (aka avoiding cliches and stereotypical assumptions). This can help when writing characters of a different race, culture, gender identity, sexuality, etc. It can also help to authentically represent mental health disorders, health issues or disabilities, trauma, and more. When you bring in an authenticity reader is up to you, though it may be helpful to do so before you hit the copy editing stage.
Are You Ready for an Editor? How Do You Choose?
Read more posts on hiring editors to help you find the help you need, when you need it:
