How to Prepare Your Manuscript Before You Send It to an Editor

Finish the draft first

It is tempting to send the first few chapters to an editor while you are still writing. For most kinds of editing, it is better to wait. Many of the most useful editorial comments are about how the whole book works: whether the ending pays off the beginning, whether the middle sags, whether the argument builds.

An editor cannot comment on those things until the book exists from start to finish. If you are stuck partway through, ask about a manuscript review instead.

Let it rest, then read it through

Put the finished draft away for a few weeks if you can. When you come back, read it straight through, ideally in a different format: printed, or on an e-reader. Problems you could not see on screen often become obvious.

As you read, make notes rather than rewriting. Where did you lose interest? Where were you confused? Which chapters felt strongest? These notes are useful to you, and to your editor.

Consider early readers

Some authors share their draft with a few trusted readers before an edit. Choose people who read books like yours and who will be honest with you, and ask specific questions: Where did you lose interest? What confused you? Which parts do you still remember?

Early readers are not a substitute for an editor, but their reactions can help you fix obvious problems and give your editor a clearer starting point.

Decide what kind of help you need

Editing happens in layers, and each layer suits a different stage of a manuscript:

• Developmental editing looks at structure, pacing, argument, or plot.
• Line editing works on sentences: clarity, rhythm, and tone.
• Copyediting checks grammar, spelling, punctuation, and consistency.
• Proofreading catches the last errors on the designed pages before publication.

Paying for a copyedit on a draft that still needs structural work usually means paying twice, because the sentences change again after the bigger revisions. If you are not sure which you need, a manuscript review can tell you.

Do your own clean-up pass

Before you send the manuscript, fix what you can yourself. Run a spell check. Search for words you know you overuse. Check that names, places, and dates are consistent. Remove notes to yourself, or mark them clearly.

This is not about making the draft perfect; that is the editor’s job. It is about making sure the editor’s time goes on the things you cannot do alone.

Know the length

Know your manuscript’s word count and how it compares with similar books. Being far outside the usual range for your kind of book is not automatically a problem, but it is worth discussing with your editor, because it can affect the editing your book needs and the cost.

Format the file simply

Editors work most easily with a plain, consistent file. For most books that means:

• a single Microsoft Word file (.docx) for the whole manuscript;
• a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, at 12 point;
• double line spacing and page numbers;
• each chapter starting on a new page, with a consistent chapter heading;
• no decorative fonts, text boxes, or complicated layout.

Design comes later. Keeping the file simple now makes tracked changes much easier to read.

Write a short note for your editor

A page of background helps an editor read your manuscript the way you intend. Include:

• the kind of book, the readers you have in mind, and the approximate word count;
• what you think is working, and what worries you;
• any style choices that are deliberate, such as dialect or unusual punctuation;
• your plans for publishing and any dates that matter.

Know what to expect back

Depending on the edit, you may receive a written report, comments in the margins, tracked changes throughout the text, or all three. It can feel like a lot. Read everything once without reacting, then come back to it a day or two later.

Remember that suggestions are suggestions. A good editor explains the reasons behind bigger changes and expects you to make the final decisions. If something is not clear, ask.

Finally, leave yourself time to revise. A developmental edit can lead to weeks or months of rewriting, and that is normal. Build that time into your plans before you set a publishing date.