Why You Should Edit Your Book

For an author, one of the most important steps in getting their book published is to make sure your book has been edited. Working with a professional editor is essential for both first-time and experienced authors, as editors have the experience and knowledge of how to bring a book up to publishable standard. When working with a professional editor, authors are able to have a fresh perspective on their manuscript, from people in the publishing industry who are familiar with the standards expected from commercial publishers.

Professional editors offer different services, but there are a few major types of edits that professional editors often use when working with a literary agent and their authors. The type of edit depends on the level of work needed to bring the book up to a publishable standard, so the professional editor will offer different intensity levels needed.

An overarching edit is when a professional editor writes a 9-10 page comprehensive assessment on the manuscript. The editor points out what needs to be done regarding characterization, dialogue, timeline, story arc, and other areas that need the work.

If the book needs a more intensive edit a professional editor will use a road map edit. In this edit, the professional editor edits the manuscript line-by-line, making comments and suggestions in the margins, to bring the book to a publishable standard. This is a more in-depth edit that shows the exact areas that need to be fixed to help bring the book up to publishable standard.

A third type of edit involves the professional editor working closely with the author as the edits are reworked. This developmental edit is also a line-by-line edit, but with more collaboration and hadn holding with the author and the professional editor to provide guidance to make the book the best it can be.

Langtons International works with some of the best professional editors in the US, and we offer those services to our authors whose books need an edit, whether an overarching edit or simply a line-by-line edit, in order to get the books up to publishable standards so that they can send them out to the commercial publishers. These professional editors are often award-winning authors themselves and have worked in the industry for many years, with lots of experience in what is required by the commercial publishers. An advantage to working with a literary agent like Langtons International is the connection to these professional editors, and the special care that goes into selecting the right professional editor to edit an author’s book.

If you are interested in working with a professional editor to make your book the best it can be, please check out our website at langtonsinternational.com and email us at langtonsinternational@gmail.com