What Is Line Editing?
By amy wilson
editor and writing teacher.
What is line editing? We’re glad you asked. Line editing is an essential part of the writing process and a key factor in producing a high-quality manuscript that’s ready for literary agents, publishers, or readers. It involves checking for repetitions, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary errors, as well as improving spelling mistakes and enhancing the overall quality of the content.
Line editing goes beyond copy editing, which focuses on mechanics such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation. It also looks at the style of the writing, examining each line to make sure it conveys the writer’s ideas clearly and concisely. What is line editing? A crucial step in polishing your manuscript before publication.
What is Line Editing Used For?
A professional line editor will work through a manuscript line-by-line, with a focus on style, consistency, and readability. They will look closely at how the writer’s word choice and syntax contribute to the tone or emotion of the piece, as well as the overall pacing and logical flow. Line editing can help writers improve their writing by removing unnecessary words, making sure the word usage is correct, and ensuring that the writing flows seamlessly.
A good editor will catch mistakes like “What is line editing proofreading?” and separate these two statements to instead read, “What is line editing? What is proofreading?”
The benefits of line editing are numerous. Having a second set of eyes on your work strengthens the prose and allows you to make better word choices, eliminate clichés, and ensure that the sentences are as effective as possible. An outside editor will be able to identify any holes in the plot, character logic, or world-building as well. When it comes to line editing specifically, your editor can also help you create a consistent writing style throughout the manuscript, and can even help to improve the plot flow and characterization.
Line editing is a skill that all writers should strive to master themselves, if at all possible, but even then, there will always be room for outside line editing. It can be daunting at first, but with practice, it can become an enjoyable part of the writing process. There are many online resources available to help writers learn more about line editing, such as the resource vault at Good Story Learning.
What is Line Editing?
In conclusion … what is line editing? It is an important step in the writing process that can help writers produce a high-quality manuscript. It goes beyond copy editing, focusing on style, consistency, and readability. With practice, it can become an enjoyable part of your writing process, or you can hire an editor to do the hard work for you while you sit back, relax, and anticipate what they’ll say about your manuscript.
unlock your writing potential
As an agented writer and highly experienced editor, Amy Wilson can quickly identify strengths and opportunities for growth in your plot and prose, help you build a compelling submission package, and provide the encouragement you need to reach your writing goals. Take your writing to the next level with Amy’s professional eye.
