The Editing and Publishing
Process Explained
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
The business of editing and publishing is endlessly fascinating, especially for writers who want to make their book dreams come true. But it can also be tough to understand or unpack, especially for people new to the industry. There’s a lot of intrigue to editing and publishing, but I’m here to shine some light on things. Taking a novel from the idea stage to a published book on the shelf can feel daunting—or downright impossible. Here’s an overview of the steps of writing, editing and publishing, so you can feel more confident forging ahead—no matter where you are in the process.
What is Involved with Editing and Publishing?
1. The Idea: The process for getting an idea for a book isn’t necessarily straightforward. Ideas can come from anywhere. They can percolate for years or arrive in a flash. It’s okay to indulge in an idea, or nurture it over time. I suggest doing a novel outline or some planning for longform work, but you can also write around to discover whether the idea has legs.
2. Writing: This is the first stage of the editing and publishing process. During this stage, authors create the content that will ideally become a book, whether the intent is to publish traditionally or self-publish. Writing can be carefree and lovely, or fraught with frustration and loss of confidence. The key thing is to develop strong writing habits, even if you don’t have a daily writing practice.
3. Editing: Once the manuscript has been written, it should go through a developmental edit (sometimes called a structural edit). You can attempt self-editing the project, or work with an editor for hire. After all of the significant moving pieces are in place (plot arcs, character arcs), the manuscript needs a final polish. It must be edited for accuracy, clarity, grammar, spelling, and other language errors. This can be done by a freelance editor, especially the proofreading, as writers are notorious for missing things in their own work. It’s strategic to make or get your manuscript as polished as possible before submitting to agents or uploading your file to a distributor.
This is the dividing line between editing and publishing. Now let’s talk about what happens if you land a publishing contract or tip over into self-publishing.
4. Design: After the manuscript has been edited, it must be designed for print or digital publications. This includes selecting fonts, colors, images, layout, and any other design elements. For self-publishing, cover design is worth an investment. Editing and publishing both hinge on people judging a book by its cover—despite the common saying that suggests otherwise!
5. Final Proofing: At this stage, the content is read again to check for any remaining errors before it is published. It’s crucial to give everything one more look, including exporting into every format. Another set of eyes is very helpful at this point. The editing and publishing process is almost complete at this stage.
6. Production: Depending on the format of project you’re producing, this step may involve printing either a print run or setting up files for POD or print on demand. With traditional publishing, all of the production will be taken care of for you. With self-publishing, you’re solely responsible for making these decisions and might want to hire freelancers to help you. (There’s also the option of a hybrid publisher, where you pay for bundled services that make these steps a bit easier, but given the variety of hybrid publishers out there, this is a risky move.) The good news is, we’re almost finished with the editing and publishing steps.
7. Distribution: Once the book is printed or published, it must be distributed to readers. This is where traditional publishers have long been attractive to writers—they have distribution networks connecting them to booksellers, schools, and libraries. With hybrid or self-publishing, distribution can be tougher (no matter what promises are made by various companies). Marketing becomes very important at this stage, especially for self-published projects and traditional debuts.
Learn More About Editing and Publishing
Writing a novel is an exciting and rewarding experience, but it can also be daunting. The editing and publishing process can be overwhelming for many writers, especially those who are new to the craft. It’s good to research these things, but try not to get overwhelmed.
As you’re learning about editing and publishing, feel free to take a break from your story. This will give you time to clear your head and come back to your manuscript with fresh eyes. Next, do a big-picture pass of your manuscript. This involves looking at the overall structure and flow of your story. Are there any plot holes or inconsistencies? Are the characters well-developed? Does the story have a clear beginning, middle, and end?
Once you’ve done a big-picture pass, zoom in to edit scene by scene. Look for any areas where the pacing is off or the dialogue feels unnatural. Make sure each scene serves a purpose and advances the plot. Taking this process in layers is key to editing and publishing. Another thing you can always do at any point in this process is reading like a writer. One part of knowing the market is seeing what your peers—inside and outside of your category—are doing.
After you’ve done a thorough edit of your manuscript, it’s time to do a copy edit. This involves checking for accuracy, punctuation, spelling, and grammar. It’s important to be meticulous here, as even small errors can detract from the quality of your work.
Finally, it’s time to get a proofreader. A professional proofreader can catch any errors you may have missed and ensure your manuscript is ready for publication.
Once your manuscript is ready, you can choose how to publish it. Traditional publishing with a well-known publishing house is one option, but there are other options such as hybrid publishing and self-publishing.
No matter which route you choose, remember that the editing and publishing process is a journey. It takes time and effort, but the end result is worth it. With the right approach, you can create a book that you’re proud of and that readers will love.
Click here to purchase Writing Irresistible Kidlit, my book on fiction craft for MG and YA novels, out from Writer's Digest Books. This will show you my writing craft philosophy and give you lots of valuable advice, including tips for the novel revision process and self-editing. There are over 35 example novels cited and discussed throughout. It’s a valuable resource for any writer’s toolkit.
Click here to purchase Irresistible Query Letters, my book on query letters, including over forty examples with comprehensive notes on each one. There’s a ton of submission advice, best practices, and insider information in these pages, and you’ll really enjoy seeing what other writers are doing in the slush.
Click here to purchase Writing Interiority: Crafting Irresistible Characters, my book on interiority and character creation. Explore your protagonist’s thoughts, feelings, reactions and interpretations, expectations, and inner struggles to create a rich, immersive experience. This guide will empower you to create characters who live and breathe on the page, fostering an unbreakable bond with your audience.