Words are on the page. Characters have been born - they speak and think together and alone. Something 2D in your brain - a small spark of an idea - has become 3D.

Congratulations! You’ve done it!

But the work doesn’t end. It’s only the beginning.

Now it’s time to book an editor.

In simple terms:

1. Contact Anisa

   You don’t have to know the specific type of editing you are after, but if you do, perfect.

   She will ask you some questions during this phase.

2. Quote

   Once Anisa knows the type of service you are after, she will send you a quote based on the estimated/proposed word count.

   This is not to be paid!

3. Contract & Booking

   When a timeline has been established based on the estimated word count, service, and her schedule at the time of booking, Anisa will send a contract for both parties to sign.

   This signed contract is what locks your spot in with her.

4. Edit Begins & Invoicing

   Two to three days before the project is set to begin, Anisa will reach out to get the final word count of the manuscript.

   That number is used to create the invoice. A 50% deposit is required at this time.

   • Formatting clients will receive a form with specific questions to be filled out at this time.

5. After Edit

   Once Anisa has completed the required service, minus any fangirling messages from her you might get, she will email back the edited manuscript, an editorial letter detailing more extensive notes, and a style guide

   • Style Guides will be created for projects undergoing a line/copy & proofread edit unless one is provided.

   Anisa loves to discuss her notes with authors after the service is completed, either through video meetings, phone calls, voice messages, or simple emails and/or DM messages.

Here are some questions to expect:

What genre is your manuscript?

What is the proposed or final word count?

Which service are you looking to book?

Do you have specific deadlines in your publishing journey already chosen?

All editors can explain the difference between the types of editing, especially if you aren’t able to get all three. They should be able to help you navigate towards the service that offers you the most benefit based on your concerns. However, authors should have a basic understanding too.

There are three main types of editing, and they are expected to be done in order.

• Developmental edit

• Line/copy edit

• Proofread edit.

(Formatting isn’t technically an edit, but it is equally as important. It’s like putting your shoes on before leaving the house. The last step!)

Listed below are more details on each of these types of editing, though it is highly recommended that the same editor be used for the developmental edit and the line/copy edit, as editingcan be fluid.

While editing is broken down into sections, with specific things focused on, there are times when the editing types overlap.

So, having an editor you trust to analyze the characters’ motivations and the plot structure from start to end, from big picture to nitty-gritty grammar, can seem less stressful and benefit the story as the editor comes to know the tale in full.

In other words, the conversation is open from day one.

This is helpful to editors as well, as each type of edit is equally tricky. And they are equally needed to make a story the best it can be.

Editing is a skill - a complex technique - that all stories need. It doesn’t matter what format or genre the story is. It doesn't matter if you have just finished writing your first story or your tenth.

Every piece of literature needs editing.

An outsider perspective is extremely beneficial. After writing a story, an author is too closely related to the piece of work. They have spent weeks, months, sometimes years, looking at these sets of words. They know the work from front to back. So having a fresh pair of eyes on the project allows for distance and new perspectives.

Editors specialize in technique. For most authors, their first draft is the story in its basic form. They told themselves the story, making sure the plot and characters were on the page. More often than not, they weren’t thinking of specific techniques or unique syntax when writing. An editor, though, can see the threads - see the potential - and discuss ways that the story can be shaped moving forward for the author to make it the best story it can be. And if the author was thinking about technique? Even better, the conversation starts sooner. Because that’s what editing is all about.

Editing is a conversation. An editor is not going to come in and change an author’s story. It’s their job to recognize the writing style of the author and help the author build it like clay into the shape they want. There are rules that need to be followed in the English language, grammar, and reading expectations built on word connotations. But just like society, expectations change. The meaning of words changes. Rules are broken. Stories are born. And it’s an editor’s job to listen to that and help make it understandable for new and old readers alike.

That’s what makes writing - and editing - so fun. It’s a form of art that is fluid and ever-changing and evolving. If anyone says different, then they aren’t a true author OR editor.

Editors are here to help.

This editing process might seem scary and overwhelming. But it’s not! Going through the editing process can be incredibly rewarding and fun.

That’s also a part of an editor’s job - to make sure authors don’t hate writing afterwards.

But please keep in mind that while editing is objective, it relies heavily on context. The type of editing being undertaken, the length of the story (number of words, number of pages), the genre of the story, the tropes used, and the author’s intention/message woven between the lines - all these factors determine how long the editing process takes.

It is normal for this process to take a while, and for there to be many rounds of the same type of editing. Editing and the rewriting that follows by the author is a delicate thing that needs to be approached with care.

And Anisa loves every second of it. She treats editing with the respect and care it deserves. Her feedback is meticulous and thorough, with empathy and understanding in each editorial letter. Questions are also always welcome.

After all - Editing is a discussion~

So, whether you are someone who knows exactly what month/dates you need each service completed in, or if you have no idea and need to talk through the process, reach out! Anisa can help talk you through it to ensure your story gets the love and care it deserves.