Editing a Book:
Creating a Compelling Story That Flows

At some point, you need an editor to look at your book with fresh eyes. Editing a book means critically reviewing the manuscript, so your book achieves the highest level of connection with your ideal readers.

Whether you are writing your book yourself or hiring a ghostwriter, your manuscript will need critical review, to make sure it has the maximum impact on your readers. It will also need to be edited for readability and language accuracy.

Editing a book spans a range of services, from high-level manuscript review to detailed proofreading. The high-level review, also called substantive editing, includes editing for narrative flow, story arc, logical flow and readability. 

Once the author (you) and the editor are satisfied with the contents, the manuscript goes to a copy editor, who edits for readability and language accuracy, including spelling and grammar.

At the final stage, another editor checks the manuscript word for word, in what is called proofreading.

At Author Bridge Media, our editors are experienced in turning rough-draft manuscripts into compelling books readers rave about. Our editing packages include the following two: one for overall review (Inspect and Reflect) and another for language accuracy (Polish and Sparkle).


Inspect and Reflect

Summary: You wrote; we analyze. We give you valuable feedback on the manuscript you have written, so your project achieves the highest level of memorability, marketability and impact.

Benefits: You achieve distance from your book. You gain a committed but detached perspective on your book. You gain specific suggestions for how to make your story more compelling, so you have impact as an author.

Who this is for: Authors who need critical feedback on drafts or completed manuscripts.

Goal: To give you critical feedback on how to turn your written story into a compelling narrative that fulfills your project purpose.

Task highlights:

  • Review your manuscript for overall theme, story arc and message
  • Identify narrative holes and illogical flow
  • Recommend solutions for closing identified gaps, so you have a cohesive manuscript  


Polish and Sparkle

Summary: You wrote; we polish. We make sure your written manuscript looks its best in language accuracy, so you do too.

Benefits: You have peace of mind knowing your manuscript flows with readability and sparkles with English language accuracy. You look sharp.

Who this is for: Authors who need to polish their existing manuscript for readability, flow, spelling, grammar and other language accuracies.

Goal: To make sure the language is readable and follows English language rules.

Task highlights:

  • Copy editing for sentence flow and English language accuracy (spelling, grammar, etc.)
  • Optional: Proofread for word precision and technical accuracy 



Related Resources

Read more about Editing Checklist

Read more about Book Editing

Read more about Rewriting Content

Return to the top of the Editing page

Return to AuthorBridgeMedia.com home page

Testimonials

  • “Thank you for your hard work, long hours, and commitment that you have put into this book. I would not be here if it wasn't for that one phone call. You believed in me, and I can't thank you enough for that, Helen.”

    Nisa Burns, author of Kitchenability, from Acknowledgments section

  • “To Helen Chang, for your editing brilliance and incredible cheerleading. Any person who has the privilege to work with you is very lucky.”

    Chad Mureta, Author, App Empire: Make Money, Have a Life and Let Technology Work for You

  • “To Helen Chang, noble warrior, editor, brave soul, and sojourner, who covers all the bases we would have missed had she not been there.”

    Michael Gerber, Author, The E-Myth Optometrist and other books, Acknowledgments chapter

  • “Helen Chang, wow, we did it! From book jail to book hell to book heaven, all in a few months. Your work ethic is unbelievable. You are a woman of excellence and diligence. I enjoyed working with you, and I love your heart for people.”

    Dani Johnson, Author, First Steps to Wealth, Acknowledgments chapter

  • “[Author Bridge Media] has taken me from talking about writing a book to actually having a book ready for the published market in under 4 months! Their support is amazing and if the author is willing to put in the time necessary, it can and will be done with this team.”

    Carmen Kosicek, RN, MSN, Author, Nurses, Jobs and Money: A Guide to Advancing Your Nursing Career and Salary