Yes, editing is worth it

I was meeting with a fellow author the other day when the topic turned to editing. Their book draft is almost finished.

“What would be the pros and cons of cutting copyediting and pushing forward with publishing?” the author asked.

It was a good question (and a common one). Editing can be frustrating, indeed! But it is the safety net that will help you refine your book and prepare it for the most successful launch.

It is a huge milestone to complete your draft. But there is a massive gap between a good draft and a draft that’s ready for publication.

Editing, in a sense, will surface all the things that readers could find if you skip those steps. Better to confront these issues in the safety of the editing process than push forward and get a wave of lackluster reviews online in response.

“I wanted to like this book, but …”

“Needed another round of editing.”

“The writing is sloppy.”

There are three rounds of editing that I want you to consider for your book. They each approach the material from a different vantage point and can help to improve the writing. And they are typically focused on uncovering different issues.

So, they all matter. These are the editing steps that most books take. The more steps that you can follow, the stronger your manuscript will be.

• Round 1: Developmental or content editing. First comes content or developmental editing—the 30,000-foot view.

• Round 2: Copyediting. Next comes copyediting, which burrows deeper on the paragraph and sentence level—spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

• Round 3: Proofreading. Proofreading is the final round of editing—the chance to pick up any minor typos or errant issues that didn’t get picked up previously.

All of the rounds of editing are important. But if I were picking the most important round for well-written manuscripts, copyediting is my choice. Good copyediting catches many of the issues that surface in developmental editing, and seasoned writers—those writing with their editing hat on—often are effective at steering clear of the potholes that undermine book drafts.

Even if you are able to skip a developmental edit due to a sound manuscript, you definitely should get a copyedit. Expect edits on each page—often multiple edits on each page—when you get your copyedit back. The copyedit is more granular, but edits are usually easier to resolve.

My friend Shelley Moench-Kelly has been one of the most supportive and helpful people I’ve connected with on my journey as a book writer and ghostwriter.

Shelley is going through an especially tough time following the sudden passing of her husband, Mike, who was an all-around wonderful man. They were married for nearly 27 years.

Shelley needs support for Mike’s services as well as to help her in navigating forward amid mobility challenges. Any assistance you can provide for Shelley would mean a lot.

Learn more here.