Remember- Editors work for you. Their job? Make your manuscript reach the goals you have for it.

There are two basic types of editors. Content editors work to make your story the best it can be. Line editors work to make your actual written words stronger. Nearly all editors do both, but most editors do specialize in one or the other.

Content Editors look for:

    Structure: Does the story have a good, solid structure. Does the story arc well?

    Flow: Does the story progress well, or does it get hung up in un-interesting places. Is it well paced?

    Plausibility: Has the story been written in such a way that it "feels" possible? Is there a suspension of disbelief, and are there any tripping points which wake the reader from your story?

    Consistency: Is the world you created internally consistent? Are the character names, ages, and backgrounds, consistent? How about your plot?

    Characters: Do you have interesting characters? Are they challenged sufficiently, do they grow, and will they keep people interested? Do the characters have appropriate arcs?

    Plot: Does your plot feel forced, or does it flow naturally- as if it already existed and you simply pulled it from the air? Where are your plot issues?

    Writing: Does your writing show skill? Are you able to express deep ideas with the fewest words? Do you structure your sentences correctly? Are you showing off? Is the writing tight and concise? Are words used properly? Are you using trite expressions?

Line Editors look for:

    Grammar: Is your book written using proper English grammar?

    Clarity: Do you say what you meant to say? Can people understand your meaning?

    Structure: Do your sentences work together? Do paragraphs flow well?