These are the stages of book editing, more practical than official, all based on my experiences as a fiction author. I’m much older than I look, so, yeah, decades of real publishing experience. If you ask my nine-year-old daughter, she’ll tell you I’m the same age as Meliodas of Seven Deadly Sins. Same size too. Anyway.
1. Author writes a manuscript
Depending on pantser or planner temperament, they either write without an outline or with one.
2. Alpha reading
Some authors share their finished chapters, often a few at a time, with a select group of people for feedback on continuity, flow, character development, and/or plot holes. Feedback is often implemented and applied retroactively to written chapters and/or prospectively to future chapters. This could go on for a while, through weeks/months sometimes.
3. First draft
The manuscript’s first incarnation is completed. Most authors self-edit (again, continuity, flow, development, plot, etc), then they send to an editor.
4. Developmental edit
The editor reviews the manuscript for continuity, flow, etc, and gives notes and/or suggestions. Edits are mostly implemented, depending on the agreed powers of the author (the author may have limited say on this in some traditional set-ups, but indie authors can take the feedback as they like and implement at will).
Example, during developmental edit of my book Angel of Darkness, one minor character was pretty much singled out (ending up with him getting his own book) because his appearances (twice in the book) were groundbreaking and scene-stealing. I had to add mentions of him in the next draft, he was that hot.
5. Second draft
If more changes are required, go back to step 4. If the involved parties are happy, then they proceed to line editing. This is when the manuscript is basically broken down and rebuilt in terms of styling. This is usually when the author finds their ‘voice.’ Author implements feedback, again, depending on the extent of their ‘powers.’
Example, in the above-mentioned book, we decided to use a limited, biased first-person POV of the two main characters instead of the original third-person, making the narrators unreliable in the best way by bending the ‘truth’ to their perspective.
6. Third draft
If more styling changes are required, go back to step 5. If the involved parties are happy, then they proceed to copy editing. This is when the manuscript is put through a fine-toothed proverbial comb for tense and grammatical inconsistencies, recurring word usage/phrase usage, and the like. Basically, most people’s idea of ‘editing,’ but this is actually only a portion of the whole picture.
6.5 Possible beta reading
Depending on the author/publisher, beta readers are involved during an edit phase. A completed draft is shared with a select number of people. Depending on the stage, betas give feedback on plots, development, and/or more nitty-gritty stuff like tensing and sentence structures. In my experience, betas’ opinions are solicited on the ‘readability’ of the book as a whole – are they glued to their seats, devouring chapter after chapter, or are they bored out of their skulls? Did they get invested in the characters, or have they gone past caring because the leads are wooden and cliche?
7. Proofreading
If more edits are required, go back to step 6. If the involved parties are happy, then they proceed to the final draft stage, when proofreading takes place. Proofing is usually when proofreaders point out spelling errors, punctuation errors, duplicated lines, missing sentences, and others.
8. Final review
THIS IS IMPORTANT. Editing doesn’t stop here. Once the proof errors are fixed, there is one final ‘look-see’ of the manuscript by both editor/proofreader and author before the book is handed over for formatting. Sometimes there are missing words, incorrect chapter numbers, etc. The final ‘look-see’ must be done.
9. Formatting and cover design
Interiors of the book are designed and laid out. Covers are finalized based on the thickness and trim size of the formatted manuscript.
10. Final proofing and approval
THIS IS IMPORTANT. The author must sign off the proof of the formatted manuscript and the cover. I DO THIS WITH ALL MY WORK – traditional, self-pub, etc. I sign off all my proofs with Amazon, Lightning Source, Sanctum, and all my physical book printers/publishers in Oman and UAE. Online, I have to do an electronic approval. In person, I literally sign the proof off, as in my signature on the copyright page. The sign-off of the author means that the work can now be printed/released en masse.
10.5 ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies)
Some authors/publishers share advance copies of their books (either electronic or physical) with a select group of readers for reviews before the actual/final release dates. ARC readers usually post reviews online and/or in periodicals. Some authors consider their lovely ARC readers the final line of defense; some ARC readers are awesome in pointing out errors that no one in previous stages picked up – feedback very, very valuable before the release to a greater audience.
Okay. Whew. Feel free to share. On a personal note, I still type out my manuscripts in Word and self-edit with red (actually hot pink) pen on paper. What can I say, old sk00l is k00l.
Disclaimer: This is not an official guide. This is based on my own experiences. Thank you!
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