A recap of point of view

A point-of-view character is the character through which a story – or part of a story – is being told. The reader will experience the story from the perspective of that character. That means the reader should feel as if they are in the character’s mind, experiencing everything that the character does and at the same time. This should include all thoughts, emotions and sensory experiences of the viewpoint character. There can be several viewpoint characters within a book or just one.

Point of view can be confusing and difficult to get right, especially for first-time authors. Some authors prefer to use one point-of view character throughout the book. Others may alternate points of view between chapters. However you choose to use point of view, remember to avoid headhopping, which happens when you jump from one viewpoint character to another.

Third-person limited point of view

Third person limited is, as the name suggests, limited to that particular character, and is the most popular point of view for authors to use.  She, he, it and they pronouns are used instead of I, as in first-person point of view. The reader experiences the story from inside the mind of that viewpoint character.  We are with them as events unfold and experience all their emotions, feelings and senses.

In the extract below, we are experiencing the story from Esther’s point of view.

It was the smell that bought her here. The filtered air and her weak lungs meant that most of the House was as scent-less as they could make it, but here no one could stop the rich, almost spiced aroma of the tomatoes. Mother called it grassy, but Esther could no longer remember what grass smelled like to be able to agree with her.

The Safe House, Louise Mumford, Chapter 3, Kindle

Consider the examples below:

Mal had never liked parties, especially those filled with people he didn’t know.

We are in Mal’s head, so we know he doesn’t like parties. If we are in his head, we can’t experience anything that he isn’t aware of.

Mal had never liked parties, especially those filled with people he didn’t know. The guy standing next to him was thinking the same.

As mentioned above, we are in Mal’s head so he cannot know what the chap next to him is thinking (this is an example of head-hopping). But we could tweak the narrative to give Mal’s observations of his fellow party pooper instead.

Mal had never liked parties, especially those filled with people he didn’t know. The guy standing next to him looked as bored as he was.

As when writing first-person point of view, reporting facial expressions can be troublesome.

Mal had never liked parties, especially those filled with people he didn’t know. He looked around the room with a bored expression on his face.

We are experiencing the story from within Mal’s head, so Mal can’t know he has a bored expression.

Mal had never liked parties, especially those filled with people he didn’t know. God, he was bored. He rolled his eyes and looked around the room. 

By adding in Mal’s thoughts through free indirect style along with some actions, we can keep the point of view on Mal. This also makes the prose more interesting to read,

Third-person objective point of view

Third-person objective point of view provides the reader with the experience of looking in on a character rather than looking out, as with third person limited. She, he, it and they pronouns are used, as in third-person limited point of view. Third-person objective point of view is sometimes referred to as third-person cinematic. With third-person objective we are able to observe what the narrator can see but we don’t know what the characters are thinking. With this point of view we can’t observe anything that is not able to be observed by the narrator in that particular scene.

This point of view is not so intimate as first person and third person limited as it is more impersonal, and the reader is distanced on the outside. 

Kelly had walked for miles. She was limping and her black leggings were splashed with mud. A rucksack hung heavily on her back, the front pocket gaping open. She stumbled and fell to the ground. She swore loudly.

Third person-objective point of view is often used alongside third person limited to covey factual information and allow access to a character’s thoughts and feelings.

Third-person omniscient

Third-person omniscient point of view can be challenging to write, especially for new authors.

An omniscient narrator knows everything about any event or place at any time and observes everyone’s thoughts and what everyone is doing. The narrator is not limited to the viewpoint of any one character. Their knowledge goes beyond what a third person objective narrator could know as they are an all-knowing being.

As the omniscient narrator is a separate entity, any character observations and thoughts should be reported by the narrator in their own tone and style rather than given in the unique voice of the character. Characters’ own voices can be shown through dialogue. As omniscient creates more distance from the reader, there is often more description and more telling than showing.

Platform Seven by Louise Doughty is written in third-person omniscient point of view. The narrator is a ghost that is confined within Peterborough railway station. In the extract below, the narrator is observing Melissa, a duty manager at the station, and comments on her scarf that was knitted by her mum for Christmas and that her mum is going to knit her matching wrist-warmers too. Only an omniscient narrator could know the facts about Meliissa’s knitwear.

Inside, Melissa unwinds her scarf – a lengthy process as it is very long and wrapped around her several times, like a python. Her mum knitted it for her last Christmas and has promised her matching wrist-warmers this year. She hangs up her coat, then puts on her red VTEC jacket. She will go and talk to the staff first of all make sure everyone is okay then go to Platform Seven and take a look around.

Platform Seven, Louise Doughty, Chapter 2, Kindle

An omniscient narrator can only observe a character’s thoughts and does not have access to direct (stream-of-consciousness) thoughts. Doing this would put the reader in the point of view of that character.

She wondered why she had been overlooked for promotion again. Perhaps she was terrible at her job.

The first sentence is reported by the omniscient narrator reporting their observations of the character. The second sentence is the character’s thought given in her own voice rather than in the voice of the narrator. This can be easily changed by adding a thought tag to show that the omniscient narrator has observed her thought.

She wondered why she had been overlooked for promotion again. She decided she must be terrible at her job.

Headhopping

I’ve mentioned headhopping at various points throughout this article and part one, but it’s worth giving another example as headhopping is a particular problem for new fiction authors.

Peter sighed and took a sip of his lukewarm coffee. How long should he stay? He was never comfortable at networking events and always felt completely out of place next to all the high-flying executives. He didn’t know anyone there. He glanced at the woman standing next to him. She wasn’t comfortable either and was wishing she was back in her office. Her name was Lola and she worked as a dispute-resolution solicitor in a small firm in Manchester.

This passage is told from Peter’s point of view. As we are in Peter’s head, we can only experience the networking event from his perspective. He doesn’t know that everyone else at the event is a high-flying executive. As he doesn’t know anyone there, he can’t know the name of the woman next to him, nor her occupation or that she was wishing she wasn’t there.

This could be fixed by some simple tweaks. Now we stay in Peter’s head and still glean the same information as when we were hopping about in everyone’s head.

Peter sighed and took a sip of his lukewarm coffee. How long should he stay? He was never comfortable at networking events and always felt completely out of place next to people who looked like they were high-flying executives. He didn’t know anyone there. He glanced at the woman standing next to him. She didn’t want to be there either judging by the way she kept sighing and looking at the clock. Was she wishing she was back in her office too? Peter took a deep breath and introduced himself.  She told him that her name was Lola and she worked as a dispute-resolution solicitor in a small firm in Manchester.

You can find out about first-person point of view and second-person point of view in part one of how to understand point of view in fiction.

Final thoughts

• Third person-limited is the safest choice for new authors and is the most popular option in modern fiction.
• Third-person objective is not so intimate as first person and third-person limited as it is more impersonal, and the reader observes rather than getting close to the characters. 
• Third-person omniscient is tricky to get right and is less popular in modern fiction. It adds more distance between the reader and characters.

References

Platform Seven, Louise Doughty, Faber and Faber, 2020

The Safe House, Louise Mumford, HQ, 2022

The post How to understand point of view (part two) first appeared on Fiction Book Editor and Proofreader - UK | Clare Black.

A point-of-view character is the character through which a story – or part of a story – is being told. The reader will experience the story from the point of view of that character. That means the reader should feel as if they are in the character’s mind, experiencing everything that the character does and at the same time. This should include all thoughts, emotions and sensory experiences of the viewpoint character.

Point of view can be difficult to understand, especially for new authors, but it is important to get it right as it will affect your reader’s understanding of the story and how deeply they are able to immerse themselves in your prose.

It is advisable to choose one point of view per chapter as it’s easier to keep track of whose head we are in. Alternatively, section breaks can be used to change point of view between scenes.  You may even only want one point of view for the entire book. Changing point of view randomly – known as headhopping – creates confusion for the reader and stops them being immersed within one character. 

Types of point of view

There are five types of point of view that can be used in fiction writing.

• first person
• second person
• third person limited
• third person objective
• third person omniscient

In this post we will discuss first-person and second-person points of view. The third-person points of view will be discussed in part two.

First-person POV

First-person point of view is used when the story is narrated by the character using ‘I’ or ‘we’ personal pronouns. It’s very immediate as the reader is in the head of the narrator and should feel that they are part of the character and living the experience alongside them. The reader will only get to experience what that character experiences, and the character could choose to withhold information or even be dishonest.  Sometimes,  authors choose to use first person just with certain characters in specific chapters.

A basic example of first-person point of view is shown below:

I helped Delaney to move the body.

We helped Delaney to move the body

An important point to remember with first-person point of view is that the reader should not be able to move outside of the mind of the character. They cannot know what is going on in the minds of other characters.

I  helped Delaney move the body. He frowned at me, knowing I had lied to him.

We are in the head of the narrator, so it would be impossible for us to know what Delaney is thinking. Giving the reader an insight into a non-viewpoint character’s mind is an example of headhopping (also known as a viewpoint drop). I discuss headhopping in more detail in part two of this post.

I helped Delaney move the body. He frowned at me. Did he know I had lied to him?

By rephrasing the last part as a thought using free indirect style, we can keep the point of view with the narrator and add some suspense to the story.

Below is an example of first-person point of view from a published book.

I never thought something like this would happen to me. I suppose that’s what makes me behave as though I’m in a film. I have no idea what else to do. I stop, for a moment, testing him, and his footsteps stop too.

I start again, this time faster, and I hear him begin too. My imagination fires up like a sprinter off the starting block and soon I can’t tell what’s real.  is he right behind me – I can’t look – and about to reach for me? The pounding of his footsteps is consistent, slapping against the wet concrete, but I can’t tell any more than that new.

I will call somebody, I decide.

Anything You Do Say by Gillian McAllister, Chapter 1, Kindle

Some problems with first-person POV

Showing facial expressions

When writing first-person point of view, portraying facial expressions realistically is often a problem. Someone could feel embarrassed but might not know they are blushing unless they look in the mirror.

I was embarrassed at tripping over in the street and I blushed immediately.

If we add in an action beat to say their cheeks were burning, we are showing their embarrassment. Also adding in some free indirect style shows that they can guess they are blushing.

I was embarrassed at tripping over in the street, My cheeks burned. I bet my face looked like an overripe tomato.

Events must be experienced directly

It’s important to remember that in first person, the viewpoint character can only report on events that they know about or experience directly.

I am getting ready for bed. I hear a man open the front gate. He hides behind the rhododendron bush.

Our viewpoint character won’t know that someone is lurking in their front garden unless they look out of the window or go outside. 

I am getting ready for bed. I freeze. Was that the click of the front gate? I swallow and peek through the curtains. A figure dressed in dark clothes disappears behind the rhododendron bush.

The intimacy of first person can draw the reader in and create an intense experience especially if the narrator is a deep thinker.

Overuse of I

One of the disadvantages of using first-person point of view is the constant use of I. This is one of the reasons some readers avoid books written in this point of view.

A stream of I did this’ or I’ said that’ or ‘I heard him’ is repetitive and can become tedious to read. Using thoughts, actions and emotions along with observations of the character’s surroundings will help avoid repetition and create compelling reading. This will show the reader the character’s experience rather than telling them. Consider the examples below:

I felt a hand grip my wrist.

A hand gripped my wrist.

I heard the sound of a piano.

The tinkling of piano keys filled the room. Was it Mozart?.

I saw a man run out of the bushes.

A man ran out of the bushes.

I always got emotional listening to Christmas carols.

My eyes pricked with tears. Christmas carols always got me.

I smelled the fish on my plate. It was off.

The fish did not smell right. My stomach flipped.

The example below shows that first person does not need to be all about I.

The fear pulsing through my body begins to abate – this is not the terrorist I expected. This is someone’s grandmother. We are a long way from safe, but if the others are like her…

It’s clear that I’m not the only one to have this thought, because those passengers who are standing begin to move towards her as if by some pre-arranged signal. My mind begins to race thinking ahead to when we have her on the floor. There are plastic restraint cuffs in the crew lockers, and, however many of them there are, there are more of us and all we have to do is—

Hostage by Clare Mackintosh, Chapter 29, Kindle edition

Second-person POV

Second-person point of view uses the ‘you’ pronoun and addresses the reader directly, as if the narrator is having a conversation with them. The reader often feels like  a character in the story, which can feel disconcerting. Second-person point of view can be a bit sinister to read, but this is great for creating suspense and intrigue.

It’s unusual to find books written entirely in this point of view as it can be challenging to write.

The extract below is from page 9 of Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney.

You cross under the rising stanchions of the old elevated highway and walk out to the pier. The easterly light skims across the broad expanse of the Hudson. You step carefully as you approach the end of the rotting pier. You are none too steady and there are holes through which you can see the black, fetid water underneath.

Part two of this article discusses the three third-person points of view.

Final thoughts

• Decide how you are going to use point of view in your book and whether you will have one point-of-view character throughout, per chapter or per scene.
• Switching point of view haphazardly is called headhopping, which is confusing for your reader. The reader needs to know whose head they are in at any one time. 
• First person is a great choice if you want to give your reader an immersive experience with a close narrative distance. But remember you are limited to what your viewpoint character knows or experiences.
• Second-person is fabulous if you want to create suspense. The reader will feel as though they are a character in the story as they are being addressed directly, which can be unsettling.

References

Anything You Do Say, Gillian McAllister, Penguin Books, 2018

Bright Lights, Big City, Jay McInerney, Bloomsbury, 2017

Hostage, Clare Mackintosh, Sphere, 2021

The post How to understand point of view in fiction (part one) first appeared on Fiction Book Editor and Proofreader - UK | Clare Black.

For the purpose of this article, I will only discuss past and present tenses as it’s quite rare to find a novel written in future tense.

Many fiction books are set in past tense although some authors do prefer to use present tense. It’s easy to get tenses muddled as the example below shows.

Joe enters the bookshop. He was looking for a particular book on using tenses in fiction writing. He has been looking for this book for ages. He had looked in every bookshop in the area.

Joe enters the bookshop. (present)

He was looking for a particular book on using tenses in fiction writing. (past)

He has been looking for this book for ages. (present)

He had looked in every bookshop in the area. (past)

Present tense

Present tense is used to describe the here and now, which means it is more in the moment than the past tense. The reader experiences events unfolding at the same time as the viewpoint character, which can give a sense of being closer to the action. Different forms of present tense are used when referring to events that are presently happening (she eats a cake) and to those that have already happened (she has eaten a cake).

If you are writing a novel in present tense, you will probably end up using most forms of it at some point. The paragraph below shows how the different forms can be used.

Joe enters the bookshop. He is looking for a particular book on using tenses in fiction writing. He has been looking for this book for ages. He has looked in every bookshop in the area.

Joe enters the bookshop. (simple present)

We know what Joe is doing at the time of the story

He is looking for a particular book on using tenses in fiction writing. (present progressive)

We know what Joe is presently doing and the action is ongoing

He has been looking for this book for ages. (present perfect progressive)

We know that Joe has wanted this book for ages and that this action is ongoing

He has looked in every bookshop in the area. (present perfect)

We know that Joe has looked in every bookshop, so this was a complete action at a different time

Here is an example from a published book written in present tense:

Zara is sitting behind the black curtains, waiting for the questioning to begin. Although nobody will be able to see her, her cheeks are flushed. She tries to calm herself with deep breaths.

All she has to do, she tells herself, is tell the courtroom what she saw.

How to Disappear by Gillian McAllister, Chapter 4, Kindle

Points to note with present tense

• The reader is in the here and now with the viewpoint character, so the narrative distance is closer.

• It is very easy to lapse into past tense when writing in the present as most people are used to using past tense.

• Not everyone likes to read books in present tense and some readers will go out of their way to avoid anything written in the present.

• It may be more difficult to move between other periods of time as the story is stuck in the present.

• There may be a lack of tension as everything is happening immediately. With past tense the narrator is relaying events that have already happened so they can feed in the tension at appropriate points.

• You could choose to use present tense for some viewpoint characters and past tense for others.

Past tense

Past tense is used when events have already taken place and they are being referred back to. Different forms of the past tense are needed when referring to events that happened at the time of the story and to those that happened before.

If you are writing a novel in the past tense, you will probably end up using most forms of it at some point. The paragraph below shows how the different forms can be used.

Joe entered the bookshop. He was looking for a particular book on using tenses in fiction writing. He had been looking for this book for ages. He had looked in every bookshop in the area. He used to go and scour the shelves at least once a week. When he got fed up with this, he would look online every day.

Joe entered the bookshop. (simple past)

We know what Joe was doing at the time of the story

He was looking for a particular book on using tenses in fiction writing. (past progressive) We know why Joe was there

He had been looking for this book for ages. (past perfect progressive)

Joe had wanted this book for some time, so this happened before the time of the story

He had looked in every bookshop in the area. (past perfect)

This happened before the time of the story

He used to go and scour the shelves at least once a week. (habitual past)

Joe used to do this once a week but no longer does.

When he got fed up with this, he would look online every day. (habitual past)

Joe would look online every day but no longer does.

Here is an example from a published book written in past tense:

I twisted my hands together in my lap. I heard Mum sniff beside me. She reached out and placed her hand on top of mine with a gentle squeeze. It was a sweet gesture. Supportive. Motherly. She was letting me know she was there for me.

The Perfect Daughter by Alex Stone, Chapter 1, Kindle

Points to note with past tense

• Past tense is favoured by most readers and writers of modern fiction. It’s a great choice for first-time authors as it’s easier to write than present tense.

• Even though the story has already happened, the reader still feels that they are seeing events as they take place.

• The author has flexibility to move between different time periods of the story.

Using present tense and past tense together

Sometimes when writing in present tense, it is necessary to refer to something that has already happened in the past, so this is an occasion when it is OK to use past and present tense together.

In the extract below, Adam is narrating in first-person present tense, but he explains to the reader, using past tense, what he would do if he were out of the office and missed a call from the DI. I have marked the use of past tense in bold.

Soft flakes of snow settle on the other side of the windowsill. Inside, an ignored phone call transfers from one empty desk to another, until someone takes pity on the caller and picks up. I find the GBH file and scan the list of witnesses. I can be out of the office all day, dealing with this lot, and if I miss a message from the DI, well, I was taking a statement or on the phone to Victim Support. I stuff the file into my rucksack and stand up.

Hostage by Clare Mackintosh, Chapter 2 Kindle edition

When writing in past tense, it may be necessary to use present tense to refer to something that is a fact or is happening at the moment.

Fraser walked down the street and stopped by the bakery to look longingly at the delights on display in the window, which, of course, is an unwritten rule for any cake lover.

We know Fraser was looking in the window (past tense), but the unwritten rule is something that exists now, so it can be written in present tense. This could be rephrased as:

Fraser walked down the street and stopped by the bakery to look longingly at the delights on display in the window, an unwritten rule for any cake lover.

Final words

• Make sure you know from the outset which tense you are using, so you don’t write with a blend of muddled tenses.
• Do a readthrough of your first draft to check for tense consistency. You’ll be surprised how easily a rogue tense can creep in.
• Read your book aloud. Inconsistent tenses will jump out at you!

References

Hostage, Clare Mackintosh, Sphere (2021)

How to Disappear, Gillian McAllister, Penguin Books (2020)

The Perfect Daughter, Alex Stone, Boldwood Books (2021)

The post How to use tenses in fiction writing first appeared on Fiction Book Editor and Proofreader - UK | Clare Black.

Do your due diligence

Most of us wouldn’t part with our hard-earned money without doing some research first. If you’re like me, you look at websites like TripAdvisor to check out hotels and restaurants before even thinking about making a booking or visiting. And we all want to read reviews of products before we buy online. It’s common sense and the way of the world nowadays!

So, remember to apply the same principles when looking for an editor! If you find an editor you are interested in working with, see what you can find out about them online.

Research the different types of editing

Not all writers realise that there are different types of editing. Make sure you do your research as editors don’t all offer the same services. To confuse things even more, the terms used to describe the different types of editing can vary between editors. 

Many writers believe that they just need a ‘quick proofread’, when in fact their book needs a whole lot more! I have a blog post specifically about the different types of editing, but in brief they are:

Developmental editing

Developmental editing identifies structural and bigger-picture issues. It is also known as substantive editing.

Line editing

Line editing looks at the text sentence by sentence and addresses the sense and flow. It can also be known as sentence-level or stylistic editing.

Copy editing

Copy editing addresses grammar, spelling and punctuation, repetition and applies a consistent style.

Proofreading

Proofreading is the final quality control check before a book is published. It is not a catch-all service and certainly not a substitute for the other types of editing mentioned above.

Let’s look at a hypothetical (but commonly found) example.

Arthur Author has engaged Prunella the Proofreader to proofread his legal thriller manuscript. Prunella is quite new to the editing profession and offers proofreading and not any other type of editing (and there is nothing wrong with that). Arthur’s book has not been through any other type of editing before he passes it to Prunella. A friend from a Facebook writers’ group told him that editors were not necessary and a waste of money, but if he were concerned, he could ask an editor for a quick proofread.

Prunella has done an excellent job with her proofreading and picked up typos, spelling errors, non-inclusive language, inconsistent style and layout problems. But she hasn’t noticed the plot does not follow a logical structure, the frequent point-of-view drops, and the unrealistic dialogue. And she is not a legal thriller specialist, so she hasn’t realised that Arthur has muddled up UK civil and criminal law.

Prunella isn’t to blame as she has done what Arthur asked her to do: proofread his manuscript. Prunella hasn’t been trained in developmental or line and copy editing, so she is unlikely to recognise the problems mentioned above.

If Arthur wants his novel to be successful and to get good reviews, he will need to engage further editorial support, which means additional expense. If Arthur had done some research beforehand, he could have saved himself time and money.

A good professional editor will ask to see the whole manuscript so they can determine what level of editing is required. If you are a self-publishing author, the chances are that your book will need line and copyediting as a minimum before your book is proofread.

Specialisms

Many editors offer their services in certain areas or subjects. For example, academic editing, fiction, non-fiction, legal, medical and so on. It’s common for editors to generalise and take on work across many areas.

Some editors specialise in a particular niche. This means that they have an interest in, and are knowledgeable about, their chosen subject or genre. For example, I specialise in crime, thriller and suspense fiction. Another editor might specialise in speculative, fantasy and science fiction. Or maybe self-help non-fiction.

Narrowing your search to editors that are specialists in your book’s subject or genre will make choosing an editor a simpler process.

Professional training

Has the editor been trained by a recognised professional training provider? In the UK, the Publishing Training Centre and CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading) are a couple of the reputable providers of editorial training.

Membership of a professional editing organisation

Membership of a professional editing organisation shows that your editor is committed to maintaining professional standards. The CIEP is a membership organisation in the UK that promotes excellence in English language editing. All members agree to abide by the CIEP code of practice called Ensuring Editorial Excellence.

Those members who are at Professional or Advanced Professional level have reached a high standard of training and experience and can have an entry in the CIEP directory of editorial services. This is a further way for clients to be reassured that their editor is trustworthy and knowledgeable.

Testimonials

Does your editor have testimonials from previous clients? Testimonials are a great way to help build a picture of an editor’s expertise.

Is your editor visible online?

Not all editors have websites but might instead use social media to promote their services. Although many editors have a website and also use social media. Checking out social media feeds is a good way to find out more about an editor you are interested in working with.

Know who you are dealing with

Knowing who you are dealing with is so important. When I trained as a solicitor, this was something that was drummed into me from my first day on the job.

It’s common to find editing services advertised online that don’t mention individual editors by name or include any photos. So you have no idea who you are sending your  precious book to. This is definitely a red flag. Businesses like this could be farming your work out to anyone (and often do)!

Remember the adage you get what you pay for. If you pay for a cheap edit, you may well find that is what you get – cheap and badly done. And paying for a cheap edit could be a false economy as you may find yourself paying again to get your book edited properly.

Cost

Editing is a premium service and editors deserve to be paid a decent amount for providing a skilled and professional service. In the UK, the CIEP has suggested minimum rates for editorial work.

Freelancing websites

There are several freelancing websites out there where you may well be able to get your book edited for £50. But be wary. There are a lot of people advertising editorial services on these sites that are not professional editors and will not edit your book properly. Remember what I said above about doing your due diligence and the fact that a cheap edit may not be a good edit.

However, if you look carefully, there are usually a few very good editors to be found on freelancing websites and many professional editors who are starting out use these sites to find their first clients.

Discovery calls

Many editors now offer discovery calls by Zoom or Teams. This means you and the editor get to meet each other which will help to determine if you are a good fit. And you are going to be working in partnership with each other, so it’s important that you have a rapport.

If meeting by Zoom is not possible, or if you are not comfortable with being on-screen or talking by phone, you can try and build a connection through email exchanges.

Sample edits

Many line and copyeditors will offer a sample edit of a short section of your work to show how they will tackle the job. Don’t assume that the sample will be provided free of charge. Some editors offer free samples and others may charge and deduct the cost from the overall fee if you choose to work with them.

If your editor doesn’t offer a sample (and not all do), they should be able to point you in the direction of previous examples of their work.

You should now have a clear idea of what to look for when choosing a professional editor and what to be wary of!

If you would like to arrange a discovery call to find out more about me and my services or would like to check out my credentials, please see the details at the bottom of this post.

The post How to choose a professional editor first appeared on Fiction Book Editor and Proofreader - UK | Clare Black.

Long sentences and too much description

If your book is written using mainly long sentences, some of your readers may feel alienated. Many of us have a passion for a particular genre, such as crime and thrillers and will have certain expectations. Readers know that crime and thrillers will usually have plot twists, several high-tension scenes and move at a fast pace. If we want a bit of escapism after a tough day at work or when we are on holiday, a book filled with rambling, complex sentences and poetic prose might not hold our attention.  But this sort of writing has a place in other genres, for example literary fiction.

There is often a temptation to give too much information to readers. Especially if the book is an author’s first.  Some description is essential so the reader can picture a scene, but readers can usually fill in the missing bits. It’s important to remember that the information given must move the story forward, rather than provide unimportant detail for the sake of it and to pad out the story.

Vary sentence length

Varying the length of sentences will add rhythm and keep the reader interested.

The made-up passage below is very repetitive and tedious to read. Although this paragraph includes short sentences, most have five words and they all read with the same rhythm. There’s no excitement or tension.

Clare looked at him suspiciously. She thought he was trouble. She wondered what to do next. She picked up her phone. She called Tim’s number. Tim didn’t answer the call.  The man moved towards her.

Consider the rewrite below.

Clare narrowed her eyes. He looked like trouble. Big trouble. Crumbs, what should she do next? Ring someone? But who? Her heart was pounding. Think, think.  Tim! Of course. Thank goodness for his text yesterday. Cursing, she stabbed furiously at the phone. Come on, come on, pick up. Tim’s voicemail cut in. Now what? The man edged closer.  She swallowed and stepped back.

The rewritten example is more immersive for the reader. The sentences are still short, but some snappy fragments have been introduced along with some single words. Adding in free indirect style and action beats creates more tension and intrigue.

The extract below shows use of different sentence lengths and structures in a published book.

Standing up, I walk to the windows. The pavements and roads are completely white with snow. And almost entirely empty, except for one woman in black, passing my door, down there. Street level. She is pulling little kids, she has her back to me. I can’t see her face. Clearly, she is dragging the children home, hurrying them along, before this thick, whirling snow gets too much. I feel sorry for her. Something in her stance evokes pity. Quite fierce sympathy: as if she could have been me. And then she has gone. Disappeared. A gust of snow? She turned a corner.

The Assistant by S. K. Tremayne, Chapter 3, audiobook

Use different sentence structures

Using the same structure throughout your book will certainly become boring for your reader. Many new authors like to use participles at the beginning of sentences as shown in the made-up example below.

Glinting in the sun, something in the distance caught Clare’s eye. Bending down, she looked at the cheese knife. Picking it up, she examined it more closely. If she wasn’t mistaken there was blood smeared along the blade. Dropping it back on the floor, she looked around her. Getting out her phone, she dialled 999.

The repetition of this type of sentence can be irritating to read. It’s best done in moderation alongside a variety of other sentence structures. The edited version is much improved.

Something glinted on the path ahead. Clare shielded her eyes. What was it? She bent down and peered at the object. It was a cheese knife. She frowned and picked it up. The blade was smeared with something sticky and deep red. Christ, was it blood? Why the hell had she picked it up? She dropped it as if it was red hot and looked around. Thank God no one was about. Hands shaking, she pressed 999.

Short sentences and sentence fragments

You might be thinking that sentences need a subject and verb otherwise they are not complete. Technically this is correct. But this is fiction and sentence fragments are acceptable as are single-word sentences.

Sentence length can alter the mood and tone of a scene dramatically. In crime and thriller fiction the reader expects lots of tension, which means that the story moves at a faster pace.

Imagine a character sitting peacefully on a riverbank alone with their thoughts, watching the flow of the river and listening to birdsong. We might expect to see long and languid sentences to match the mood of the scene. If the character saw a body floating down the river, we could expect shorter sentences and ungrammatical fragments to show the urgency and panic that would ensue.

In scenes of high tension, short, snappy sentences or sentence fragments convey the mood and drama. They also affect our emotions. When I am reading high-tension scenes, I am glued to the page, holding my breath to see what happens next. I feel like I am there with the characters and experiencing what they are experiencing.

Short and concise sentences and sentence fragments are an excellent way of conveying different moods and increasing tension. They are also effective at showing the viewpoint character’s state of mind. In a high-tension situation, we are all likely to panic and be unable to focus on thinking clearly or speaking coherently. For example, fear and panic can be shown using fractured or concise phrases as the made-up example below shows.

He was closing in. Which way should she go? Left? No. Too exposed. Right? Busy road.  Oh God. What to do. She darted into the undergrowth.

Expletives can also come in very useful when the stakes are high! In high-drama situations even the most clean-mouthed among us will probably be thinking, if not saying, some sort of obscenity.

Passages of short, ungrammatical sentences and sentence fragments are best used in short bursts and kept for moments of high tension when the pace needs to be faster. Filling the book with long passages written in this way would become tedious to read and the story would lose its impact.

Free indirect style

Using free indirect style means the reader can get right into the characters’ thoughts and emotions. There is no narrative distance between the reader and the character. As these are thoughts, it’s acceptable for them to be disjointed. Especially in nerve-wracking situations. The reader gets to experience the character’s natural thought process without the clutter of dialogue tags, quotation marks or italics. In the extract below, we are right there in Emily’s mind and feel how she must be feeling as she hides in a ditch.

Where is it? Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I can barely keep the panic at bay now, and I want to curl up in a ball at the bottom of the ditch and wail.

Hide by Nell Pattison, Chapter 28, BorrowBox

Read your book aloud

If you read your work aloud, you’ll be amazed at how over-long sentences and repetition jump out at you. Reading aloud is also useful for picking up typos and spelling errors.

Long sentences in dialogue

You may have a character that is prone to being verbose, in which case this could be shown in their dialogue by using long sentences. But do this sparingly otherwise it will turn into a monologue and your reader will lose interest. You could use short sentences and single words for a character who speaks abruptly. They could just snap one word demands or answers in their dialogue.

Final thoughts

• Use a variety of sentence lengths and structures to keep your reader interested.
• Short and snappy fragments, very short sentences and single words are great to use in moments of high tension.
• Use free indirect style to show a character’s thoughts under pressure and in tense situations.
• Read your story aloud to help gauge whether your sentences are too long or repetitive.
• Use dialogue to show the speech of a verbose or abrupt character, but don’t overdo it.

References

Hide, Nell Pattison, Avon, 2021.

The Assistant, S.K. Tremayne, HarperCollins, 2019.

The post Varying sentence length in fiction writing first appeared on Fiction Book Editor and Proofreader - UK | Clare Black.

Here is an extract:

All audiobooks offer opportunities for learning or reinforcing editorial knowledge. I regularly notice elements that I think are handled well. Good pacing and rhythm and flow of sentences are particularly obvious in the narrator’s change of tone and tempo. I also think about how I might have handled some aspects differently if I were the editor. As most editors know, many aspects of editing are subjective and not all editors will handle issues in the same way. Occasionally, I note things that I think are wrong. I would notice some of these issues if I were reading purely for pleasure, but listening means I can enjoy a story and learn at the same time. And, of course, when listening, there are no distracting spelling or punctuation issues.

CIEP Blog – 8th July 2022

If you would like to read more, the full post can be found on the CIEP blog.

The post Why audiobooks have helped me become a better editor first appeared on Fiction Book Editor and Proofreader - UK | Clare Black.

Hesitant or uncertain language is common when an author lacks confidence in their writing. This lack of confidence can result in writing shrouded with words that don’t express the author’s true intention. Authors often feel awkward at saying what they really mean and are reluctant to be assertive. They also want to avoid annoying the reader so use hesitant language and weaker words to soften the blow.

Authors should not feel the need to apologise for what they have written. The important thing is to get to the point and say what is really meant! This is an opportunity to be bold and assertive and say what you want to say. It is a chance to say what you might not have the confidence to say in real life!

Hesitant language can reduce the impact of the text and leave the reader on the outside rather than immersed in the story. Hedge words or tentative language are other terms that are used to describe uncertain writing.

Examples of hesitant language

A few examples of hesitant words are lited below.

• at least
• almost
• appeared to
• could
• generally
• hoped
• maybe
• might
• more or less
• perhaps
• pondered
• possibly
• potentially
• seemed
• somehow
• thought
• usually
• wondered

How can I make my writing less hesitant?

Deleting hesitant or weaker words

Often, simply removing hesitant words can improve the text.

She thought the book was more or less finished.

The book was finished.

Desmond somehow thought that he was right again.

Desmond was right again.

At least he had the chance to go to the pub tonight.

He had the chance to go to the pub tonight.

He frowned. Perhaps the accident could possibly be an omen,

He frowned. Was the accident an omen?

Perhaps and could possibly be are adding unnecessary waffle here, so removing them and recasting as a question creates intrigue.

Stronger verb

Changing a weaker verb for a stronger one is often a solution.

It had seemed like a good idea at the time.

It was a good idea at the time.

Swapping had seemed for was gives a more positive statement.

Recast

Recasting the sentence can reduce uncertainty and bring the reader closer to the viewpoint character.

She thought back to last night’s speed dating. She potentially had three dates lined up.

Last night’s speed dating had been fun. She had swapped numbers with three people. But did she want to meet them all again?

The second example puts us firmly in the viewpoint character’s mind, and we are no longer wondering why the three dates are potential. There is less distance between the reader and the viewpoint character.

Using stronger verbs and adding in free indirect thought

Adding in free indirect thought along with a stronger verb creates a tighter sentence filled with intrigue and tension.

Jas thought she might go to the cinema tonight.

Jas made her mind up. She would go to the cinema tonight. By herself.

Jas is the viewpoint character, so we are in her head. By including free indirect thought, the reader knows Jas has been thinking about going to the cinema and has now decided she will. And saying she is going by herself creates intrigue.

Sally pondered whether James really did love her.

Sally gazed at the traffic jam in front. Did James really love her?

The details of Sally’s surroundings help us imagine being stuck in a traffic jam and how it gives time for thinking.

She looked in the mirror. She was generally happy with how she looked.

She looked in the mirror and grinned. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Showing the reader her reactions rather than saying she was generally happy is more immersive.

Avoiding viewpoint drops

Viewpoint characters cannot know what is going on in other characters’ heads, so just removing tentative words does not work.

Ceri stared at the man in front of him in the queue. He seemed to be anxious.

We know the other man seems anxious but, as Ceri is the viewpoint character and we are in his head, we don’t know how the other man is feeling. Seemed is an appropriate word as from Ceri’s viewpoint the other man does seem anxious. He could even seem unwell. If we remove seem and say he was anxious, we are dropping viewpoint as we cannot be in the man’s head and know his thoughts and feelings. We can only report what we see. Just as if we were in a supermarket queue and watching someone in front of us.

By showing the man’s behaviour rather than saying he is anxious, we can see for ourselves (along with Ceri) that something is not right.

Ceri stared at the man in front of him in the queue. He shuffled from foot to foot, glancing around and mopping his face with a grubby handkerchief. Something fell from his pocket and clattered on the supermarket floor. Ceri looked down and froze. It was a small handgun.

When is hesitant language OK to use?

Becoming aware of how easily and frequently hesitant words are used is a good start. Using hesitant language isn’t wrong but reducing uncertainty will make writing stronger.

However, there are situations when hesitant language is appropriate.

Character personality

Hesitant language can make characters look weak or ineffectual even if they are meant to be bold and assertive. Obviously, if a character has a meek and mild personality, hesitant language will be appropriate.

Using our example of Jas from earlier, in the first sentence Jas comes across as dithering about going to the cinema. This could indicate she is prone to being indecisive. The second example shows her as being confident and decisive.

Jas thought she might go to the cinema tonight.

Jas made her mind up. She would go to the cinema tonight. By herself.

In dialogue

In dialogue, hesitant language is perfect if a character is prone to rambling, as in the first example.

‘I thought perhaps we might go out tonight, dear, if you fancy it. Maybe to that little restaurant you seemed happy with a few weeks ago. Or was it longer than that? You know, that place by the river.’

The second example shows the character is bold and assertive.

We’re going out tonight. I’ve booked a table at that splendid restaurant by the river.’

Acting out of character

Consider the example below.

Kevin appeared to be drunk.

Kevin was drunk.

By changing appeared to be to was, we aren’t wondering if Kevin is drunk. But, if Kevin has been taken ill, he could appear drunk, with the apparent drunkenness being symptoms of something else. The recast below shows that to someone watching, Kevin did appear drunk, but it’s out of character for him.

Kevin appeared to be drunk. He staggered and swayed from side to side and his face was dripping with sweat. But Simon knew that he didn’t usually drink at lunchtime. Something was wrong.

When the viewpoint character is speculating

Chloe looked at the photos of her wedding. It seemed a lifetime away now but it was just three years.

Olaf glared at Maureen, the accounts clerk. How many more questions? He only wanted a £20 payment authorising. She was acting as if she was personally paying him.

In brief

• Using hesitant language isn’t wrong but reducing uncertainty will give the reader a more immersive experience.
• Deleting, using stronger verbs and recasting can all help to make language more certain.
• Free indirect thought is an excellent way to make the prose more interesting and add intrigue.
• Hesitant language can be a way of showing personality traits if characters are prone to dithering or lack confidence.

The post How to reduce hesitant language in fiction first appeared on Fiction Book Editor and Proofreader - UK | Clare Black.

Show character description through personality, habits and other traits

Adding in little details to give more information about personality, age, habits, history or other traits will make characters more interesting. For example, noting a bruise could hint at violence or an accident, and more details of this could be revealed later in the story. Perhaps there is an indentation on their wedding-ring finger but no ring, although the character is married. Fragments of information that are pertinent to the plot can be more interesting than a long list of hair colour, height, build, age and clothing.

In the example below from Mummy’s Little Secret by M. A. Hunter (Chapter 1, audio version), a little girl has told Jess (the viewpoint character) that the woman she is with is not her mum. Jess is very suspicious of the woman, and the description, particularly the mention of strained lines around her eyes, is a clue that something could be amiss.

She is much older than I’d expected. A shock of auburn hair interspersed with wisps of grey, and subtle blonde undertones. The skin above her cheeks is mauve and hangs, while the lines beside her eyes are tight and strained. Maybe she’s the child’s grandmother. Certainly not her mother.

Reveal character description by comparing with another character

In The 2½ Pillars of Wisdom (p. 5–6) by Alexander McCall Smith, Professor Dr von Igelfeld contrasts the large nose of Professor Dr Unterholzer with his own, which reveals not only a snippet of von Igelfeld’s appearance but also his pompous nature. This appears on the first page of the book, so the reader knows from the start that von Igelfield has snobbish tendencies.

Unterholzer, by contrast, thrust his nose forward shamelessly, as might an amateur, with the result that it was the first thing one saw when he appeared anywhere. It was exactly the wrong thing to do if one had a nose like that.

The von Igelfeld nose, by contrast, was entirely appropriate. It was not small. Von Igelfeld’s nose tended slightly to the aquiline, which was completely becoming for the scion of so distinguished a family.

Character self-reflection

In A Friend of the Family (p. 25), Lisa Jewell uses a mirror to contrast how Tony used to look with how he looks now.

He pulled himself from his bed and gave his body the customary mirror appraisal. A couple of years ago he’d look in the mirror and see a slightly stocky man with a burgeoning belly and ever so slightly budding breasts. A thirty something man who looked like he’d had a few curries in his time, the odd pint of lager, balanced out by sessions at the gym and the occasional game of football. What looked back at him now was a spherical, snowy-white blob with a belly large enough to house a five-year-old child and sad, slightly pendulous breasts that were bigger than Ness’s (yes – she’d measured them).

Character description through the eyes of a viewpoint character

Looking through the eyes of a viewpoint character is a sound way to reveal character details.

In Left You Dead (Chapter 47, Kindle version) by Peter James, Roy Grace is visiting his son Bruno in hospital after the boy was knocked down by a car. The reader sees Bruno’s appearance along with Grace, the viewpoint character.

Much of his marble-coloured face that was visible was covered in abrasions. His right cheek had a dressing on it. His normally neat blond hair was tousled and greasy. His bruised left hand had two cannulas taped to it, with lines leading up to pumps regulating the flow from the bags above. An arterial line came out of his wrist.

This extract from The Evidence Against You by Gillian McAllister (Chapter 2, Borrowbox version) shows Izzy’s reaction at seeing her father appear outside her restaurant one evening after his release from prison.

He must see her expression, because he steps backwards, and now she can see his face and upper body framed in the window, his arms raised up in a gesture of defeat. No, not defeat, a gesture of peace. I mean no harm, he is saying, palms to her. She stares and stares at him. His aged figure is skinny under his coat. Cheekbones protruding. Hair greyed out, as if he used to be in colour and is now in monochrome.

Use dialogue to show character description

Dialogue is a natural way to reveal snippets of character description. Consider the fictitious example below.

‘Doesn’t she look stunning, Mum?’ whispered Linda.

Joan smiled then replied a bit too loudly, ‘Oh, she does. That red dress is amazing.’

‘Isn’t it just? Very unusual.’

Joan gazed back towards her granddaughter, admiring the intricate criss-crossing of the satin laces that fastened the deep-red bodice. ‘Scarlet really suits her. What with her pale complexion and dark hair. Mind you, I thought she might have tried to lose a bit of weight before the wedding.’

Emotions evoked by character appearance

A character’s appearance can be used to show emotions evoked in the viewpoint character.

In 29 Seconds (Kindle version) by T. M. Logan, Sarah is being sexually harassed by a work colleague. Logan describes the predator’s appearance in detail to reflect Sarah’s incredulity that despite his manner, age and appearance, this man thinks he is irresistible to women. The reader is in no doubt that this man makes Sarah’s skin crawl. And Logan does an excellent job in creating a character for the reader to loathe.

He had been OK-looking once upon a time, she supposed. Maybe even moderately handsome as a young man. But forty years of alcohol and fine food and debauchery had taken their toll, and now he resembled nothing so much as an ageing Lothario gone to seed. He was carrying too much weight on his tall frame, a pot belly hanging over the waistband of his jeans, his jowls fleshy and his nose and cheeks dappled red with booze. His grey ponytail was thinning, strands of hair gathered over his increasingly bald pate. The bags under his eyes were heavy and dark.

And yet, Sarah thought with a trace of amazement, he still walks around acting like he’s bloody George Clooney.

 She tried to edge further away, but she was already hard up against the door, the door handle digging in her thigh.

Show character description through out-of-place setting

Another way of revealing character description is if a character is in a setting where they might be out of place or be conspicuous. In the extract below, Daniel is judged on his scruffy clothes while visiting an exclusive estate agency.

And so it was that he set foot in an estate agency on one of the most expensive roads in London, and that represented some of the most exclusive properties, dressed in a faded T- shirt and a pair of cargo shorts with holes where the seams met at the pockets.

[…]

Her eyes were dark too, deep pools with fathomless depths. In them, he caught the mental calculations as she subtly took in his frayed shorts and T-shirt.

The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances (audio version)

Keep the characters’ knowledge realistic

Not everyone is an expert on every subject, so characters should not be either. For example, a viewpoint character may not have a detailed knowledge of makes and models of cars, so it would not be realistic for them to talk about cars at length. If Martin is a car buff and it is relevant to the story, then the first example shows this perfectly. If Martin is a heritage railway enthusiast, he might be more inclined to the thoughts in the second example.

Solly held the car door open. Martin hesitated. What a beautiful car. A Jaguar XK 120 3.4 from 1953 with double SU H8 carburettor.

Solly held the car door open. Martin hesitated. What a beautiful car. An old Jaguar of some sort.

In brief…

• Try and avoid long and unimaginative lists of character description.
• Reveal character description gradually through character traits or habits, self-reflection, comparison with another character, emotions, dialogue or the eyes of the viewpoint character.
• Make sure that a character’s knowledge is realistic.

References

2½ Pillars of Wisdom, Alexander McCall Smith, Abacus, 2004

29 Seconds, T. M. Logan, Zaffre, 2018

A Friend of the Family,Lisa Jewell, Michael Joseph, 2003

Left You Dead, Peter James, Macmillan, 2021

Mummy’s Little Secret, M A Hunter, One More Chapter, 2021

The Evidence Against You, Gillian McAllister, Penguin, 2019

The Girlfriend, Michelle Frances, Pan, 2017

The post How to write effective character description first appeared on Fiction Book Editor and Proofreader - UK | Clare Black.

Why should I hire a professional editor?

A professional editor:

Brings fresh eyes to your work

Self-editing is hard. We all miss errors when we check our own work (even editors) as we are too immersed in what we have written. We read what we expect to see, rather than what is actually on the page.

A professional editor will pick up grammar, punctuation and spelling errors that you or your spellchecker missed. Consider this: your book has a sentence that reads ‘She walked there in her bear feet’. Of course, it should be ‘She walked there in her bare feet’. That is, unless she was really wearing bear feet.  Bear is spelled correctly, so it would not be flagged by a spellchecker.

Offers a professional service

Editors are professionals and are skilled in their art. Many authors say they don’t need an editor as they can run a spellchecker or ask a friend who has a good eye for detail to look over their book. That friend might pick up some of the errors, but do they know how to apply a consistent style or are they aware of the importance of conscious language?

When I want the interior of my house painting, I ask a professional painter and decorator to do it. I tried doing it myself and although it was acceptable (ish), it was not a professional job.  The moral of my story is that I now pay a professional painter to do a proper job.

Saves you time

Using a professional editor will save you heaps of time. Why spend hours or even days looking over your work for the umpteenth time when a professional editor can take that worry away from you? You can use your time more productively or go and do something fun.

Is honest

An editor wants your book to be the best it can be, and they will be completely honest with you. If a friend checks your work, they may be uncomfortable about pointing out errors. A good editor will be honest and flag everything they think needs addressing and make suggestions for improving your text.

Gives you peace of mind

A professional editor will introduce certainty that your work will be improved. This will remove the worry that you missed lots of errors.

Provides expert knowledge

Professional editors generally bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to your work. Editors edit day in and day out, so each project helps develop their skills. Plus editors tend to have excellent general knowledge and remember random bits of information. Editors also like an excuse to go down a rabbit hole on the internet to check facts.

Is committed to keeping their skills current

Good editors are committed to keeping their editing skills up to date by taking training courses and reading widely. This means you get the benefit of all that new knowledge.

Saves your blushes

If you mistype a word but the mistyped word has the same pronunciation but different meaning to another word (a homophone),it would not be picked up by a spellchecker. Remember the bear/bare example from above? Well, it could get a lot worse than that… An incorrect or missing letter could prove very embarrassing.

May have a specialist subject knowledge

Many editors have backgrounds in other professions, which means they can offer their specialist knowledge if your project requires familiarity with subject matter, language conventions and terminology. I know of editors with previous careers in medicine, law, engineering, accountancy and the armed forces.

Does more than pick up typos

An editor does not just point out grammar, punctuation and spelling errors. They will apply a consistent style throughout your work (for example capitalisation, hyphenation and use of ‘iz’ and ‘is’ spellings). They will also flag issues such as repetition of words and phrases: for example, using ‘repetition’ six times in one paragraph. An editor will also improve the clarity of your writing and eliminate issues such as extra line spaces and double spaces after full stops. And they should also check that you have used inclusive and conscious language.

Are you still wondering whether hiring a professional editor is worth the money? These are just a few of the tasks that editors do. There is so much more involved, all of which will help to make your book brilliant.

The post 10 reasons to consider hiring a professional editor first appeared on Fiction Book Editor and Proofreader - UK | Clare Black.

Writing a book is hard work! But it is also a major achievement, which any writer should be incredibly proud of. Before your book is published, it’s worth considering enlisting professional editorial help to ensure your book is at its best. Why spend all that time and effort writing a book and not give it that final professional polish? It could be the difference between good and bad reviews. This post discusses the different types of editing to consider.

Running the spellchecker in Word or getting a ‘quick proofread’ by a friend that is good with words is not usually enough to make a book good enough to publish. The friend might pick up some of the errors, but do they understand about consistent style or are they aware of the importance of conscious language?

Any professional editor that is asked for a quick proofread knows that there is no such thing! The process of editing a book follows a logical sequence, and each stage of editing has a different function. Most authors ask for proofreading, when their book really needs line and copyediting. This misunderstanding is no surprise as the jargon used for different types of editing can be confusing, even more so as terminology varies between editors.

The different types of editing

The different types of editing are discussed below in the order they should be carried out.

Developmental editing

When writing a book, an author is completely immersed in their story, so they will know the plot and characters inside out. This means it is easy to overlook a part of the story or miss something crucial to the plot, or maybe not realise a character’s point of view doesn’t work. This is where a developmental editor comes in to ensure that the big-picture elements of the book work as they should and that the story is complete.

Developmental editing, which is also known as structural or substantive editing, looks at the bigger-picture issues that apply to the book as a whole. A developmental editor will typically consider the following points:

• genre
• structure
• the plot has a beginning, middle and end
• characterisation
• any point-of-view issues
• narrative style and tense
• the pace at which the story develops.

There may be some overlap between developmental and line editing with point-of-view issues, but a developmental editor is unlikely to be concerned with other sentence-level issues, or with spelling and punctuation.

Manuscript critiques

A manuscript critique, also known as a manuscript evaluation or manuscript assessment, is produced by a developmental editor. The critique is a report that outlines the bigger-picture strengths and weaknesses within the manuscript. It also includes suggestions for improvements. No changes are made to the manuscript, and the author can use the report to address the issues themselves.

Line editing

Line editing, which is also known as sentence-level or stylistic editing, examines the text line by line and addresses any issues with sense and flow. The editor will usually amend the text directly in Microsoft Word. Some elements, such as point-of-view drops, may overlap with aspects of developmental editing. Line editing is often carried out at the same time as copyediting, but this varies between editors. Some of the points addressed at this stage include:

• use and effectiveness of dialogue
• redundancy and repetition of words or phrases
• sentence length and structure
• showing and telling issues
• point-of-view drops and head-hopping
• cliché and metaphor use
• overwriting
• use of non-inclusive language.

Line critique

Some editors offer line critiques. Instead of amending the text directly, the editor produces a report that uses examples from the book and makes suggestions on how to improve any sentence-level issues. The report will also highlight spelling, grammar and punctuation problems. The author can follow the suggestions and examples and make their own revisions and amendments.

Copyediting

Copyediting takes place once the bigger-picture and sentence-level issues with the manuscript have been dealt with. Copyeditors work directly on the text file using Microsoft Word. The editor will record their style decisions on a style sheet. This includes details of spelling and numbering preferences, hyphenation, capitalisation, timeline of the story and character information. Some of the points addressed in copy editing include:

• applying Word styles to headings, illustrations and tables
• ensuring that the tone and style of the text are appropriate for the audience
• checking for errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation
• applying style decisions consistently (for example, use of ise/ize, capitalisation and hyphens)
• numbering tables, figures and illustrations and checking content against text and captions
• ensuring that tables and illustrations have the correct captions and are consecutively numbered and positioned
• querying obvious factual inaccuracies, including plot holes
• highlighting potential legal issues (for example, copyright infringement)
• formatting references and citations using required style (in academic books)
• marking up index for consistent formatting (if applicable).

It’s worth pointing out that when line and copyediting have been carried out, it will still be necessary to move onto the next stage of editing, which is proofreading. Your book may have had thousands of amendments, both large and small, and no editor can pick up every single error, so there are likely to be some errors remaining.

Proofreading

Proofreading is the last stage of the editing process and can be thought of as quality control. Typesetting software is used to format your manuscript into page proofs that go on to form the completed book. As well as residual errors from the line and copyediting stages, proofreading will pick up issues such as inaccurate spacing and layout, bad word breaks and incorrect page numbers, which can all be introduced at the typesetting stage.

The text is not edited directly, and any errors picked up at proofreading stage will be annotated in a PDF document. This is done using comment and mark-up tools in software such as Adobe Acrobat. Proofreading can also be done in Word, providing the manuscript has been professionally copyedited.

A proofreader will refer to the style sheet created by the copyeditor and will address the following issues:

• essential errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation
• any minor changes for sense
• consistency and positioning of page elements (for example, page numbers and spacing)
• consistent style decisions (for example, use of ise/ize, capitalisation and use of hyphens)
• formatting of references and citations (academic and some non-fiction books)

As you can see, editing a book involves so much more than a quick proofread! Not all writers will engage professional editing support at all stages. Some writers are comfortable with self-editing. Others will commission a professional editor to help with the stage of editing they are least confident in. Whatever you decide, your book is a work of art and deserves quality editing before being published.

The post Different types of editing first appeared on Fiction Book Editor and Proofreader - UK | Clare Black.