AM Proofreading and Editing offers a full book editing service for authors, as well as corporate clients requiring documents to be checked.
The purpose of editing is to correct and improve a manuscript without ruining the author's voice, by appraising the substance of the writing, that is the content, the language and the structure. Many new writers assume they can just do one "draft" then put it to an editor who will miraculously "fix" it all. This isn't the case. You need to do several drafts and check every aspect yourself - including spelling, punctuation and grammar - and get your manuscript the best you can and not just expect your editor to do all that. An editor is there to refine your work, not to fix basic errors. It will save you money as well if the editor has less to do.
Book editing is not the same as manuscript assessment, which is often required before it reaches an editor.
We often do an edit and basic proofread in one go, to try and keep the time involved, and therefore cost, as low as possible for the client, but technically, proofreading and/or copy editing is a different process.
One extra proofread is always necessary, especially after a book has been laid up for print.
All these steps are also vital if you want to produce an eBook.
An editor will check things such as:
- Is the opening powerful and gripping, so that the reader just has to continue?
- Is there sufficient dialogue throughout the book and is it engaging?
- Is the narrative voice correct throughout?
- Has the plot been well developed? Is it logical and ordered?
- Have the characters been well developed? Are they believable?
- Are there sections which need reducing or cutting?
- Is there good use of English?
- Is the basic writing good quality - including basic grammar, punctuation and spelling?
A good editor will also take into account the clarity of the language, vocabulary, author's style, conciseness of writing, appropriateness of the language, and so on.
There are often several stages in editing, and cost depends largely on the quality of the writing and the length of the manuscript.
"The time to begin writing an article is when you have
finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you
begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is
you really want to say."
~ Mark Twain
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