What Is a Manuscript Editing Service?

If you have written a manuscript and now are looking for a manuscript editing service, you may have come across the question “What is a manuscript editing service?” Well then this article is for you.

Writing a manuscript is not for the faint-hearted. The endless hours of thinking and writing, developing the story, and fine-tuning it to your heart’s content coupled with so many other deterrents along the way. Congratulations on making it this far.

Your masterpiece needs one final step. It’s a no brainer that some errors were made while writing this manuscript. Mistakes that could not just reduce its readability but equally question your authenticity as a writer. No one wants that.

So, what is to be done about these errors? Well, a manuscript editing service could help. Here, we’ll talk about what a manuscript editing service is and the different types of editing such a service offers.

What Is a Manuscript Editing Service? 

A manuscript editing service is a service equipped with literate professionals with the required educational requirements who satisfy their job description. So what is this job description, you might ask? Well, the job description of a manuscript editor goes from reviewing the entire manuscript from top to bottom to highlighting errors, whether structural, typographic or grammar wise and then correcting these errors. However, the job is more detailed than this, and it’s in the author’s best interest to utilize this service.

Why? Here’s Why

When writing something as personal and detailed as a manuscript, the author will likely see his/her work as perfect even before it’s complete. Using a manuscript editor puts a fresh pair of eyes on your work. It gives the author a new view and enables them to see things from another perspective concerning the manuscript.

This new view could be channelled towards adjusting the writing structure, correcting grammatical errors, and ultimately refining the manuscript to improve its conciseness, coherence, and readability. This, of course, is subject to the type of manuscript editing the author is going for.

Types of Manuscript Editing

• Assessment

This is a broad top-level review of your manuscript to identify overarching structural inconsistencies and determine the manuscript’s readability. This editing type involves a complete reading of the manuscript, recommendations on structure, style, story, grammar flags and choice of word error, etc. Once these areas are highlighted, the assessment is returned to the author to incorporate into their manuscript.

• Substantive

Substantive editing is that which not just identifies but also improves upon the key structural elements of a manuscript. This editing type involves a deep restructuring of the story’s elements. It pays attention to adherence to the story’s structure as well as character development.

Here, the editor can rewrite, rephrase, or reorganize the manuscript at either paragraph, chapter, or scene. Plot inconsistencies are also addressed here as the manuscript is prepared for its final revision before publishing.

• Style 

Editors mostly do style or line edits with a knack for cadence. This editing focuses on correcting issues at the paragraph or sentence level.

This editing type identifies, makes recommendations, and fixes issues with awkward phrasing while improving dialogue, such as recommending alternatives for overused words. However, this editing type is done on a manuscript with a strong plot, style, or story as it doesn’t involve plot restructuring.

• Copyediting 

This editing type addresses the writer’s grammar and usage. Here, errors of spelling, punctuation, word choice, and correctness will be adjusted accordingly. Copyediting is less hooked on the manuscript’s rhythm and flow and more focused on ensuring its grammatical accuracy. A Copyeditor also makes sure that the manuscript is properly written in either British or American English (Learn about British versus American English).

In Conclusion

As an author, the quality of your manuscript is of great importance. A manuscript editing service guarantees the improvement of this quality as it accurately refines that which you have worked so hard on. This way, your confidence in your manuscript is unwavering as you seek publication.