How To Make Your Manuscript Shine In 8 Easy Steps – 8 Important Things Your Editor Does For You and Your Book

How To Make Your Manuscript Shine In 8 Easy Steps – 8 Important Things Your Editor Does For You and Your Book

I see a good bit of “So what does an editor do?” questions in places like Quora, LinkedIn, and in writing groups. I am a moderator of such a group on Alignable. If you’re not on Alignable yet, you might want to join.

Editing is a rewarding job. Let’s compare it to finishing the laundry. Great relief! Done for another week! Everything folded and pretty and put away properly. A job well done.

Okay, that’s not a good analogy. But that’s how I feel after I do the laundry. And it’s how I feel after I’ve finished a book and I see it published. It’s a feeling of joy and delight. Wow, look at that, I think. Look how pretty. And then, a smile because I know I helped make it happen.

I know the author feels the same, only more so.

Editing is more like actually writing the book. Through the words she’s privileged to read and move about, or underline, or delete, the editor feels connected to the story and the author. When all is said and done, the editor feels as great about the manuscript becoming a book as the author does.

Today I’m sharing 8 Things Editors Do to help your manuscript shine when it becomes a book … see how many you’re familiar with and whether my description fits what you know.

An editor’s work is not as mysterious as you think – here are my eight things we do to support our authors

(1) An editor gives your work the ‘whisper’ of reading it aloud. We recommend you do the same. It gives an entirely new perspective to the content. Hearing it and listening to it — in your own voice — reveals glitches readers should never have to experience. I always say if you create a hiccup in your writing, making the reader stop and wonder what you meant, you’ve given them the opportunity to put the book down and perhaps return to it later.

Speaking it out loud also allows you to get a sense of what the reader hears in that audiobook you’re going to have. With someone doing voiceover. No, I do not recommend you read your own work for an audiobook. There is more to producing a good audiobook than reading it. Voiceover actors know how to breathe, leave out ums, and how to pace the flow of the story.

(2) Editors understand the power of distance. This means we can stop and walk away and let the story mull in our brains for a bit while we get coffee or tea and take a pause. Distance means putting the story away so you can return to it with fresh eyes.

(3) Editors cull unnecessary words. Yes, you know the saying from Mark Twain, “If I had more time, I’d have written a shorter letter.” Turns out he didn’t say it first and not in the words above at all. Read this historical look at that phrase. Meanwhile, Twain also said, “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter – it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” And so, editors pay close attention to the words in your manuscript — the placement of them; their correct usage; and what impact they will have on the reader. Words matter. A lot.

(4) Editors understand when telling is okay. Some of you may be giving me that squinty-eyed stare that says, “But you say we have to show, not tell, all the time, Yvonne!” And I do. I say that. And I mean it. But sometimes, telling is okay. Sometimes, telling is necessary. A good editor knows when those times are.

(5) Editors look carefully for overall structure, throughline, character development (both in fiction and nonfiction — yes, nonfiction has characters), and consistency. Authors are too close to the material to be in charge of these tasks. Your editor will guide you through them and make sure your writing doesn’t get off track.

(6) Editors check for consistency in voice, tone, and writing style. I see someone in the back with your hand raised. What’s your question?

“What’s the difference between tone and voice?” Ah, a good question.

Voice refers to the unique personality, style, and perspective that comes through in a writer’s work. It’s the distinct way an author expresses themselves on the page, encompassing their choice of words, sentence structures, rhythm, and overall writing style. Think of voice as the author’s fingerprint; it’s what sets one writer apart from another. A strong voice makes writing more engaging, relatable, and memorable, and it allows readers to connect with the author on a personal level. Voice is consistent throughout an author’s body of work and remains relatively stable, reflecting their individuality and creative identity.

Tone, on the other hand, refers to the attitude or emotion conveyed by a writer in a particular piece of writing. It’s the mood that the words and phrases evoke in the reader. Tone can be influenced by factors such as word choice, sentence structure, and the overall context of the writing. Unlike voice, which remains relatively constant, tone can vary depending on the specific piece, the intended audience, and the purpose of the writing. Think of tone as the emotional undercurrent that colors the reader’s experience. It guides how the reader should interpret the text and sets the overall atmosphere of the writing.

(7) Editors collaborate with your BETA or ARC (advanced review copy) readers. And you, of course. BETA readers sometimes catch things we’ve missed. It’s not uncommon to have a typo or grammatical error in an uncorrected galley proof, which is what is sent to the BETA readers. It’s our job to make sure anything caught is fixed.

(8) Editors make sure every word and every paragraph is clear – clarity is key! This combines several of the other numbers, but it is worth its own listing because this is something that can make your book a great success or have it turn into a doorstop because the message was jumbled and unclear throughout. A good editor pushes back on any paragraph or word that gives her pause.

BONUS!!!! Here are two more things your editor does

(9) Your editor can help create the blurb or Amazon book description. She knows the story, the book, and the message, and she is able to help craft a good blurb for you. We do recommend considering a copywriter for this, also. The editor will then work with you and the copywriter to create the blurb. (Make no mistake, this is a gigantically important task – after your cover, your blurb is what sells your book!)

(10) Your editor understands different genres and brings her knowledge and expertise to every project. I believe there should be more fiction elements in nonfiction, and as an editor, I work to introduce the right ones to my nonfiction authors.

In the end, we all want a stellar book. A product you can be both proud of and able to sell to your audience. In the business of being a writer, it’s incumbent upon you to make sure you have the right editor. If, after a few chapters, you are not happy with your editor, find a new one. Your book depends on you taking charge and aligning all of your team up to work together cohesively.

What did I miss? What do you expect from your editor? Share your thoughts in the comments.

NOTE: ChatGPT helped me outline this but did not write the content other than with the parts about voice and tone. I liked what it delivered for those, so I reworded it a bit for my use. This is a lesson in how to use AI effectively. As a helper, not as a replacement for yourself.

Announcement: Master Book Builders is now offering manuscript assessments. If you have a manuscript that is almost done, half done, or even completed, and you want advice on the next steps, send me an email with “Manuscript assessment” in the subject line. I will send you our assessment information.