So you’ve written the story, reached out to editors, and found the one who’s going to work their magic on your manuscript. Your budget is set. What else is there to do? Well, a few things actually. And they’re all in the name of preparing your manuscript for professional editing.

Why Manuscript Preparation Matters Before Professional Book Editing

You’ll get the most value from professional book editing when you provide a clean manuscript. That means a complete, self-revised, and well-formatted manuscript. Editing is a collaboration. When you give an editor a clean document, it makes their job easier. They will clearly see that you care about how you present your story and, in turn, your editor will give your manuscript the care it needs.

If your manuscript is a mess, your editor is going to have to work a little harder, which can increase the costs of editing and lengthen the timeline. Manuscript preparation avoids that. It’s beneficial to both parties that your manuscript is clean and well-formatted.

How to Prepare Your Manuscript for Editing in 5 Steps

Step 1: Finish Your Draft Completely

It should go without saying that your manuscript needs to be completed before sending it in for editing. Your editor needs to see how the whole story comes together in order to give you the best service. Part of editing is maintaining consistency and flow throughout the whole story. That can’t be done on an incomplete manuscript. You’ll also be paying more than originally planned. If you have a quote for a 70,000-word manuscript, then add more chapters, your quote will increase, which will also extend the timeline and possibly force you to push your deadline back.

If you want the most effective edit, complete your manuscript first.

Step 2: Let Your Manuscript Rest Before Revising

Once you’ve completed your story, don’t jump straight into manuscript revisions. Take a step back and let the story sit. You’ll need fresh eyes before diving into revisions. Think about it: you’ve been deep in the world you’ve created, been in every character’s head, and guided them on a journey. You can’t go into revision with all that still at the forefront. Take a few days, weeks, or even months to create distance between you and your story. You’ll be able to spot errors, plot holes, and inconsistencies when you come back to it. You’ll also prevent burnout and probably cure that writer’s block.

Step 3: Self-Edit Your Manuscript

Yes, you need to self-edit your manuscript before sending it to a professional editor. Remember, a clean manuscript helps an editor do their job better and faster. It helps them focus on the issues that need their expertise.

But don’t go all in. Focus on the big picture first. This includes plot holes, pacing, and character arcs. After that, zoom in on the sentences. Check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Cut the filler and crutch words and rework some sentences for better flow.

Use editing software and grammar tools if you need to, but don’t rely on them, and definitely DON’T use them as a replacement for professional editors (more on this at a later time). Use craft books or read some writing blogs for tips. Look into writer critique groups or ask your author friends for a second look.

It can help to read your manuscript out loud or use text-to-speech software. Or you can go old school and print it out. Change the font and colors—whatever you need to do make your manuscript easier to look at.

Step 4: Get Feedback from Beta Readers

Beta readers are not editors. They are readers from your reader base who will give you a reader’s perspective. I think they are valuable. You can see what’s working and what isn’t. You can request a specific type of feedback from them, something that you want more input on. I think this step is best done before the copyediting stage. At that point, your manuscript is pretty much in its final stage. Any last bits of feedback that could possibly lead to more revisions or rewrites should be done before copyediting.

Step 5: Format Your Manuscript

One of the last things you’ll need to do before you give over your manuscript is format it. And I don’t mean the formatting that usually occurs for publishing, I mean making sure your manuscript looks good and organized on the writing software you used to write it (Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc.). Some standard manuscript formatting basics are:

• Double spacing (some editors may prefer different — like me; I like 1.5x spacing)
• 12-point readable font (like Times New Roman)
• One-inch margins
• Indented paragraphs
• Dialogue in their own paragraphs
• Chapter titles as headers

Why Proper Formatting Helps Your Editor

Having a well-formatted manuscript improves readability and workflow. Trust me, we editors don’t want to have a hard time reading your manuscript. It makes comments and revisions easier, saves time, and prevents confusion.

Common Formatting Mistakes to Avoid

• Extra or double spaces
• Inconsistent fonts
• Tabs vs. spaces
• Incorrect paragraph breaks
• Straight quotes vs. curly quotes

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At the end of the day, you want to be proud of the work you’ve done. Preparing your manuscript for your editor will show that. It’s an empowering feeling to make your manuscript look the best that it can. I can tell you right now that as an editor, I LOVE when I get a clean, well-revised, and well-formatted manuscript. It lets me know that the author took care of their work, and it makes me want to do an even better job at editing.

If you’re currently shopping around for an editor, send me an email (editedbymatthania@gmail.com) or fill out my contact form to see if we’d be a good fit. I provide free sample edits of up to 1,250 words, and I’m always looking to work with new indie authors looking to hone their craft.