All editing exists on a spectrum. On one end is the broad, story-level editing that looks at the big-picture elements, such as plot, pacing, character development, and themes. This big-picture editing is often called developmental or structural editing.

On the other end is specific, nit-picky sentence-level editing, which looks at technical concerns such as grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage. This level of editing is called copy editing.

Between the broadest and narrowest levels of editing, another type of editing sits in the middle called stylistic or line editing. This type of edit examines the artistry of the language rather than the technical correctness of the sentences. It looks at any issues regarding clunky phrasing, the effectiveness of figurative language, dialogue realism, and language that is appropriate for the mood and tone of the scene.

Editors often combine stylistic editing into their story-level or sentence-level editing services. In my sentence-level editing services, I’ve combined stylistic and copy editing together. I also give authors the option to combine stylistic and developmental editing together as well. You can add a stylistic report to any of my story-level editing services and receive a C$150 discount on the total price.

To learn more about how the different editing levels work, you can check out my blog post The Four Levels of Fiction Editing.

The story is the reason why most readers read books. Ensuring your story is strong is a vital part of any writer’s journey. But does that mean all writers need professional story-level editing?

If you’re planning to traditionally publish, a story-level edit can be an excellent tool to help you prepare your manuscript for submission to agents and publishers. Traditional presses often don’t do story-level editing anymore. They get so many submissions that they can just pick the stories that are already in great shape.

What agents and publishers are looking for in a manuscript is a unique and deeply engaging story. A story-level edit can help you sharpen your story and put your best foot forward for submissions to agents and publishers.

If you’re planning to self-publish, you’re probably working with a set budget for the whole publishing process. Ideally, you’d be able to get both a story-level edit and a sentence-level edit, but that isn’t always possible. You’ll need to identify your editing budget and what level of editing would meet your manuscript’s most pressing needs.

Technical sentence-level editing is best suited as a final polish right before you have your manuscript formatted into the internal pages of the book. Traditional publishers will handle a technical copy edit themselves, and they aren’t looking for perfect grammar and punctuation in their submissions. They’re looking for a unique and deeply compelling story.

So, if you’re looking for an edit to help prepare your book for submission to agents and publishers, a copy edit may not be the best choice. A story-level edit is usually the best choice, though a stylistic edit can also be very helpful as well.

Of course, when you’re self-publishing, it’s a different story. If your goal is to publish your book to professional standards, a stylistic and copy edit is very important. Typos, a lack of clarity, and clunky phrasing will trip your reader up, take them out of your story, and damage their trust.

That being said, you need to make your editing choices based on your manuscript’s specific needs and your budget. If you know you have excellent sentence craft and punctuation skills but are concerned about narrative issues, a story-level edit may be a better choice to prepare your manuscript for self-publishing. It’s all about choosing what service will best meet your specific needs and budget.