As with most freelance editors, I offer a sample edit for each project so that authors can make sure I’m a good fit for their novel and so I can make sure the parameters set for each edit will best help the manuscript shine. But what’s my process for doing the sample edit?
- Gather all the necessary information.
- Glance through the manuscript to get an idea of what the overall story is looking like.
- Do one round focusing on the copy and substantive edits while getting an idea of the development of the story.
- Go over the sample one more time to flesh out any developmental edits that are needed.
- Send the edited manuscript along with any overall notes to the author, including my suggestions for what types of edits to have done.
If you’ve ever asked for a sample edit from me before, you probably noticed I like to ask a lot of questions before I get started. I ask about the genre, your target audience, whether you’re planning on publishing traditionally or self-publishing, how many total words your manuscript is, whether you’ve had beta readers, and more. All this gives me an idea of where the writing likely is at and where it needs to be for you to have the greatest chances of success.
After I’ve gathered all the information I need, I like to just scan through the manuscript to get an idea of bigger picture things. I look at paragraph lengths, how much dialogue there is, and some general writing things that I notice as I scan. This gives me an idea of what to look out for as I’m editing and of what the author’s writing style is like, which then helps me make sure to bring that style out rather than making it my own style.
Next, I do one round of edits, focusing on the smaller edits. I look for things like punctuation, word choice, grammar, and clarity of sentences, only making small notes on bigger issues I need to think about in the second round. This allows me to really get a feel for the wording and the story, more than I would by scanning the manuscript.
Then, I read over the cleaner version of the manuscript and think about those bigger issues that still need addressing. Since I’ve got a better big picture of the story at this point, I can make better developmental suggestions that will help the overall story rather than just one section.
Lastly, I send an email to the author, including the word document with my edits, a brief description of the overall issues I fixed, and some suggestions for what edits are needed for the specific manuscript. If I feel developmental edits are necessary, I typically recommend authors find some beta readers (since they’re often much less expensive even if they charge) along with a list of main developmental issues I saw that would need to be addressed. But I always leave the decisions up to the author on what they want to move forward with. Just remember, there’s a recommended order of edits for a reason (see my article on what that order is and why here: https://ravishingrevisions.com/2021/12/14/getting-the-wrong-edits-done-first-aubrey-parry/).
Hopefully having a better idea of how I go about doing sample edits will help you feel more comfortable sending your sample in when it comes time to finding an editor. And remember, I’m here for you and want the process to be as smooth as possible for you, so if you’re ever worried about anything or have a question, reach out to me and ask; I work with lots of newer authors, so I’m used to those types of questions and love helping people just like you feel more confident in the process. So ask away!