You’ve written your book and are ready to have it professionally edited, but what type of book editing services do you need?
Editing is an essential milestone in your book, but what type of book editing services do you need, and when do you need them? That’s the question we’ll be answering in the following article about book editing services in Australia.
Choosing between copyediting or developmental editing when selecting professional book editing services or a manuscript evaluation and proofreading is a big decision. The last thing you want to do is choose the wrong type of book editing service and have to redo something later.
In the following guide to book editing services and the different types of book editing, we’ll cover:
-
-
-
-
- Identifying When You’re Ready for Book Editing Services
- Manuscript Evaluations – Full or Partial
- Developmental Editing Services
- Copyediting Services
- Proofreading Services
-
-
-
If you’ve completed your first draft and you’re considering professional book editing services but are still looking for some reader feedback, check out What Are Beta Readers? The Complete Guide to Alpha and Beta Readers for Authors!
For authors in Australia searching for affordable book editing services near me, check out our full novel editing services page. We offer various affordable book editing services that are competitively priced and tailored to both new and experienced self-published and traditionally published authors in Australia. Finding book editing companies in Australia is never easy, but Author Services Australia is committed to providing professional book editing and developmental editors to Australian authors.
Identifying When You’re Ready for Book Editing Services
The first problem to overcome is identifying what type of book editing services you need and what stage of the editing process you’re at. It’s easy to miss a step in the editing process, which often leaves you having to go back and redo something at additional expense.
Below, we’ve prepared an infographic that outlines the flow of editing and will help you to identify which stage of the book editing process you’re at and what you need to do next.
As an author, there are specific key points when you’re writing your book that will trigger you to think about editing. These include:
One. You feel as if your manuscript is finished.
The first draft is done, and you’ve re-read your manuscript several times, changed or adjusted anything, and done a final read-through. This is a great time to seek out professional book editing from a qualified and experienced editor. Once you have taken the book as far as you can unassisted, it’s an excellent opportunity to reach out and seek professional assistance.
Two. You have identified issues with your book but are unsure how to correct them.
Writer’s block is standard and leaves you facing an issue of getting words down on paper, but in most cases, it can ultimately be overcome. However, if you know there is an issue with your book, but you don’t know how to fix it, that can be a bigger problem.
This is a critical juncture in your book and the perfect time to seek professional book editing services from a developmental editor. It’s never fun to have someone else ‘poking around’ inside your book, but an alternative perspective is often just what you need to solve specific problems.
Three. You want a polished finish to your book before you publish it.
If you’ve read, polished, read, and polished your manuscript and think your book is ready to be either published or sent to out to readers and reviewers, a final evaluation by an editor is the final recommended step.
Four. You received lukewarm feedback from beta readers, advanced reviewers, agents, or publishers.
Often, what people aren’t saying is more important than minimal feedback or a lukewarm response from advanced readers before publication, which tells you something isn’t right with your manuscript. An experienced developmental book editor will be able to recommend improvements, along with highlighting areas that aren’t working, and with this knowledge, you’ll be able to make final adjustments.
Manuscript Evaluations – Full or Partial
For new authors or authors who are writing in an unfamiliar genre, a full or partial manuscript can be a priceless investment. A manuscript evaluation of your manuscript will cover aspects including theme, premise, title, style, voice, flow, tense, plot, character development, and dialogue. It’s a great way to get a 3rd party perspective of your manuscript and identify key areas that can be improved early in the project.
You can choose either a full or partial manuscript evaluation. If you’re halfway through the book and struggling or want to ensure you’re on the right track, a partial manuscript is a priceless investment into your future manuscript.
Developmental Editing Services
If you’re considering a developmental edit of your manuscript you’re thinking big picture.
Sometimes referred to as a structural edit, a developmental editor will look at structure, narrative, style, pacing, and voice, identifying any areas of the manuscript that need further work or attention. After a developmental edit, the manuscript typically returns to the author for further work and input before it’s ready to proceed to copyediting.
Copyediting Services
If you’re happy with the general outline and pacing of your manuscript, then it could be time to proceed to copyediting. In most cases, you’ve already done several rounds of revisions and self-editing before you proceed to the copyediting of your manuscript.
Professional copyediting analyzes punctuation, spelling, and grammar. It can also look at phrasing tone and fix any tense issues while looking at the overall consistency of the book.
Proofreading Services
Proofreading is the final stage of the editing process and is typically done once your completed manuscript has been fully formatted. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t and shouldn’t proofread your manuscript yourself before that. Reading aloud is the best way to pick up any awkward sentences and those pesky spelling mistakes and typos that typically slip through the editing process.
What Book Editing Services Do I Need? | Conclusion
Picking book editing companies in Australia and choosing the suitable types of editing services for your book can be difficult, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you have any questions about self-publishing, including affordable book editing services, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
At Author Services Australia, we support Australian and New Zealand self-published authors and writers with a full range of affordable self-publishing services, including ghostwriting, copyediting, developmental editing, proofreading, ebook and paperback formatting, book cover design, children’s book illustrations, graphic design services, manuscript uploading assistance, and social media and marketing.
Please feel free to share the infographic, and if you have any editing tips or editing advice to share with other authors, drop a comment below. We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog to avoid missing out on any future author news and updates.
The Australian Society of Authors also wrote a great article, Behind the Book: The Editing Process, which outlines the traditional editing stages your manuscript goes through as part of the book editing process.
