When the editor and the author are satisfied, the manuscript (ms.) then goes to a copyeditor<\/strong>, whose functions were well described by Linda Jay in an earlier post<\/a> on the Write Spot Blog. In brief\u2014copyedits range from \u201clight\u201d to \u201cheavy\u201d\u2014s\/he checks grammar, spelling, punctuation, consistency, usage, continuity, facts, voice, phrasing, tone, and the like. On the \u201cheavy\u201d end of the scale, s\/he might suggest rewording, moving sentences and paragraphs around, or adding to or eliminating text.<\/p>\n The third kind of editor is your publishing and proposal consultant<\/strong>. S\/he will help you craft a proposal and get it looked at by appropriate publishers or literary agents. (Many small-to-medium houses will look at unsolicited mss., but the larger houses need to go through known literary agents.) Both of these kinds of submissions require a polished proposal.<\/p>\n Number four is the acquisitions editor<\/strong> who works for a publisher. S\/he will be the one who decides if the proposal warrants further attention, and ultimately decides if it is right for the house. S\/he may also say that it would<\/em> be perfect for them, if<\/em> only it had a bit more of (a) and (b) and a little less of (c), in which case it goes back to step one (the \u201ceditor\u201d) to work with you for resubmitting.<\/p>\n Once a book has been accepted for publication, it goes to a designer. The designer will put the text and assets into layout (aka galleys) and will send it back to you for approval or tweaking. Having secured that, it will go to a proofreader<\/strong> who will again read the ms., but also specifically look at things that may have gone awry in layout: headings, page numbers (folios), missing lines, bad line breaks, \u201cwidows and orphans,\u201d spacing, figures, captions, etc.<\/p>\n Category six is the production editor<\/strong>. In a major house, s\/he is responsible for reviewing all aspects of the editorial and production process, including hiring editors, copyeditors, proofreaders, and designers; plus scheduling, shipping, warehousing, and distribution. For an \u201cindependent\u201d (formerly known as \u201cself-\u201d) publishing title, this can also be one of the editor\u2019s responsibilities, that is, finding a designer and printer\/binder\u2014or formatting your ms. so that it can be accepted by a POD (print on demand) house like CreateSpace, Lightning Source, Blurb and so on, and leading you through that process.<\/p>\n Sometimes these functions can be the province of just one person. Or up to six or more individuals. But each stage of the editorial process is necessary\u2014to greater or lesser degree, depending\u2014and will do wonders for your book.<\/p>\n![\"Mark](\"http:\/\/thewritespot.us\/marlenecullenblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Mark-Burstein.200.jpg\")
<\/a>Mark Burstein<\/a><\/strong> is a freelance editor of both nonfiction and fiction. His clients include Chronicle Books, Insight Editions, Harry N. Abrams, and Welcome Books, as well as many authors.<\/p>\n