Welcome to 5-minute writing tips – answers to questions that clients ask me that can help you be a better/happier/more efficient writer in 5 minutes, 500 words or less
Today’s question: “I’m confused! What kind of editing do I need right now, anyway?”
When you’re stuck in a project, it’s bewildering to know exactly what kind of help you need to get it going the direction you want. After dozens of calls with writers over the past few months, I took the most commonly asked questions and put the answers here.
When people think of editors, they often imagine a persnickety reader correcting grammar or finding stray commas. In reality, people hire an editor for lots of reasons:
Some people like to work collaboratively on projects, and editors provide a sense of companionship, accountability, and a feeling like they aren’t writing into the void.
Other people like writing, and just need someone to help with productivity or staying on track.
Still others love research, get overwhelmed by writing, and need someone to help them move their ideas toward publication.
Other times, people have feedback from reviewers and need help making sure it’s sufficiently incorporated into the final draft.
As the manuscript evolves, you may want a coach at the beginning, or a developmental edit in the middle, or a stylistic edit at the end before the piece is proofread. Regardless of whether you do some of this yourself, have a network of support to read various drafts, or you want to hire an editor to help you through the process, it’s important to make time for each stage. The chart walks you through each of those stages.
Whether you still aren’t sure what kind of editing is right for you, or you’re ready to get started, book a free 30-minute consultation today!