Want to make a Book?

You’ve written a story. 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 edit.

There are three main types of editing, and they are expected to be done in order. First a developmental edit, then a line/copy edit, then a proofread. 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 editing can be fluid. While it is broken down into sections, there are times when the editing overlaps. 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 story fully. 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.

Here are a few reasons why -

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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. 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.

This 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. Editors are here to help. But please keep in mind that editing is subjective; 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.

So, with that said, here are Anisa’s average editing times -

• Developmental Edit - Average two rounds of editing at one and a half weeks per round. Total completion time is three weeks.

• Line/Copy Edit - Average two rounds of editing at three weeks per round. Total completion time is six weeks.

• Proofread Edit - Average one round of editing at one week per round. Total completion time is one week.

Again, these times are subjective and heavily depend on the type of work being edited and Anisa’s schedule at the time of booking.