One common question I get as a book coach is:
“I wrote a book… now what?”
As a new author, you might know your manuscript needs editing, but you might see that as one general term, unaware of the phases or types of book editing included in the process.
Sometimes a client comes to me feeling totally lost in their manuscript weeds. They know it’s rough and need help seeing it clearly again. Other times, they hand over what they believe is a finished draft—passionate, heartfelt, even brilliant in parts—yet unaware of the work still ahead to truly serve their reader. Still others know they have something meaningful, but don’t quite know how to shape it into a structure that reflects both their story and message with clarity.
If any of that sounds familiar, let me encourage you: it’s completely normal. Writing the first draft is a huge accomplishment. Celebrate the milestone, for sure! But editing—revising with your reader in mind—is what transforms your message into a book that makes a lasting impact.
And if you’d like professional feedback to help you see your draft with fresh eyes, I offer detailed Manuscript Reviews to guide you with care, clarity, and kindness.
Let’s walk through 4 common types of book editing: developmental editing, line editing, copyediting and proofreading. Even better, we’ll cover the practical steps of what they look like for your manuscript. We’ll go step by step, without overwhelm, so you can discern what you can do on your own and when you might want to recruit professional help.
Understanding the 4 Main Types of Book Editing
Before we dive into the steps to edit your manuscript, it’s helpful to understand the different types of editing—and why they all matter.
1. Developmental Editing
Also called content editing, this is the big-picture stage. A developmental editor helps shape your book’s structure, message, flow, and clarity. They look at what’s working, what’s confusing or missing, and how to strengthen your reader’s journey. For non-fiction books, this often includes refining your core message, clarifying your target audience, and making sure your chapters are in a logical order.
Related edits: Structural editing, Manuscript Review (aka Manuscript Assessment), Book Coaching
2. Line Editing
This is the artful polishing stage—sentence by sentence. A line editor focuses on tone, flow, word choice, and style to help your voice shine and your message land with impact. It’s more about clarity and rhythm than fixing typos.
3. Copyediting
Copyediting is all about the technical details—grammar, punctuation, spelling, and consistency. It ensures your writing is clean, professional, and aligned with the right style guide (like The Chicago Manual of Style for most non-fiction books).
Related edits: Fact-checking, verifying Scripture references or quotes
4. Proofreading
This is the final quality check before starting the interior layout design. A proofreader looks for any lingering typos, formatting issues, or overlooked errors from earlier rounds. It’s like wiping the fingerprints off the glass before you hang the frame.
Optional layer: Cultural and Sensitivity Editing—especially valuable for memoirs or message-driven books to ensure inclusive, respectful language
What’s the Difference Between Feedback, Editing, and Revising?
Writers often toss around terms like feedback, editing and revising. But what’s the difference? Let’s untangle these terms:
- Feedback: Getting someone’s reaction to your message—what lands, what confuses, what moves them.
- Editing: The process of identifying what needs improvement—structure, flow, language, grammar.
- Revision: The actual rewriting and reshaping you do based on that feedback and those edits.
With that clear, here’s what your editing journey might look like.
Progressing Through the Types of Book Editing
Step 1: Read It Like a Reader
Before diving into revisions, read your entire manuscript in one or two sittings—no pen in hand. (Yes, that’s going to be hard!) Get comfy with your mug of coffee and a quiet space to focus. Settle into the mind of one of your future readers…not all of them—just pick one reader. Then, read and observe. Highlight passages with broad strokes if you must, but stay high-level, in the mind of that ideal reader.
- How does your writing feel?
- What sticks with you after you finish?
- Does it flow the way you imagined?
- Would your ideal reader find this meaningful, compelling, and clear?
Then… walk away. Let it percolate. Don’t let any overwhelm, fix-it urges or editing obsession take over. Yet. This “reader lens” moment isn’t about you, nor a measure of who you are. It’s a panoramic view, preparing you to tackle what’s next.
A professional editor might do a version of this during a manuscript assessment. While they won’t typically mark up your pages with detailed edits at this early stage, they’ll usually provide a 3–5 page editorial letter highlighting areas to improve—such as structure, clarity, authority, and reader resonance—along with guidance on the next recommended stage of editing.
Step 2: Structural Revisions (Big Picture)
Now, it’s time to get that pen, notepad, or note tab open on your computer. This is where we zoom out and look at the bones of your book. Ask:
- What do I want my reader to experience from beginning to end?
- Is there a logical arc or journey the reader goes on?
- Does the order of chapters make sense?
- Are any chapters or sections repetitive? Confusing? Dull? Unnecessary?
💡 Tools to help:
If your writing is in a bunch of brief documents, try using Scrivener, Ullysses or Dabble for rearranging large sections easily and building on your work-in-progress (WIP). Some people are more tactile and prefer to print it or move index cards around to play with reorganizing their content.
For ideas on structuring your non-fiction book, read this post: How to Structure a Non-Fiction Book: 9 Ways Readers Could Experience Your Message.
📌 If you want expert-level input here, consider investing in a Manuscript Review or developmental edit.
Step 3: Developmental Editing (The Deep Work)
This is the stage where your book gets its heart surgery.
A developmental editor (or coach like me!) will help you explore:
- What transformation is your reader seeking?
- Does each chapter pull them forward with curiosity or hope?
- Where does the tone shift or lose energy?
- Are your stories integrated and purposeful?
🛠️ Want expert-level help with this type of book editing?
Look for an editor who offers developmental editing as a service. They might also refer to this as substantive, structural or content editing. Some might consider these the same thing; others might focus on differentiating nuances, depending on the nature and topic of your non-fiction book.
🛠️ Want to try this yourself?
Ask 2–3 trusted beta readers to read a section and answer specific questions. Or, explore software like Fictionary or AutoCrit for structure analysis—even if you’re not writing fiction, it might help with story logic.
Step 4: Line Editing (Clarity + Consistency)
Once your structure is solid, it’s time to polish the paragraphs.
- Trim rambling thoughts.
- Replace overused words.
- Ditch cliches and bring your voice to life with fresher expressions.
- Smooth transitions, clarify your tone, and make it sound like you.
🧰 For help recognizing areas where you can tighten wordiness, catch passive phrasing, and clean up grammar, try one of these editing tools:
- Grammarly – for sentence clarity and tone
- Hemingway Editor – to tighten and simplify
- ProWritingAid – for repeated word checks, pacing, and more
👀 Pro tip: Read it aloud. You’ll instantly spot clunky phrasing or places where your voice doesn’t sound natural.
Step 5: Copyediting (The Details Matter)
This is where you zoom in really close. You’ll need to tackle this layer by layer. It can be time-consuming and brain-draining, but these details create a quality, professional reading experience that show you care about your reader and your message:
- Grammar, punctuation, spelling, consistency
- Check your Scripture formatting, citations, footnotes, and quote permissions
- Clean up em dashes, ellipses, heading styles, and double spaces
- Check that your page numbers match your table of contents
- Run your content through a plagiarism checker to make sure your words and phrases are your own
- Verifyyour facts and the interpretation of your facts; cite reputable sources
📏 To bring your work as far as you can on your won, use tools like:
- PerfectIt – great for style consistency
- Chicago Manual of Style (online or hard copy) or The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style (4th Edition, 2016 or 5th Edition releasing in 2026) – your go-to for non-fiction formatting
- For fact-checking where you haven’t cited your research, Snopes, PolitiFact and FactCheck are good places to start
- A detailed checklist or style sheet
Step 6: Proofreading (Final Polish)
You’re almost there! Of all the types of book editing, this is one you’re probably familiar with. But don’t skip those several final passes with an eagle eye, hunting for those elusive typos. Set the manuscript aside for a few days, then:
- Read it backwards or aloud again to catch what your eyes could easily pass over
- Have one specific focus for each read-through; this could be grammar, then spelling, then formatting, etc.
- Recruit a detail-loving friend who hasn’t read it yet to comb through it for a fresh perspective
- Expect to still find tiny errors (they hide well!)
✔️ To catch those sneaky little typos, you could use tools such as
- Track Changes + Accept All in the Review feature of MS Word — use carefully
- Read on a different device or font to catch typos
Ready for Your Next Step?
Don’t rush this editing stage. If you’re unsure what phase your manuscript is in or what kind of help you need, a Manuscript Review (also called a manuscript assessment) can provide the clarity you’re looking for. You’ll get big-picture feedback from a coach’s perspective—what’s working, what’s not quite landing, and what to focus on next.
If you’d like a kind-but-honest expert to walk through your draft and help you see its potential, my Manuscript Review service is a great next step. Whether your book is still messy or nearly done, you don’t have to guess your way through revision.
Let’s shape it into something you’re proud to release into the world.
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