Create an Editing Plan that Works

Everyone’s least favorite thing in the writing world is editing. It’s a love/hate relationship we have with the most necessary part of the writing process. The worst part? There are SO many editing steps! Sometimes going through 8+ rounds of edits before being satisfied with the finished product. It’s difficult, yes, but I’ve created an editing plan to help ease the stress that editing usually brings up in us writers.

You see, editing can be fun. Tedious, but fun. Knowing your next steps and how you’re going to accomplish each one and more importantly budget for them is important. That’s what this editing plan strives to do.

In this 7-page Editing Plan Guide, I help you through the decisions required throughout the editing process. The guide is available on the Bound to Writing Etsy Shop for $2.99 USD. If you have the Book Marketing Planner, then you will find a basic layout of what to look for during the editing process. It’s time to make some decisions about the next steps for your book so why not keep them organized in one place?

What’s in the Editing Plan?

Types of Services

Developmental Edits

Line Edits

Copy Editing

Proofreading

Alpha Readers

Beta Readers

Each of these have a unique feature when it comes to editing. This is unfortunately another post entirely and I will definitely circle back and discuss these in the future. These are the most common editing services offered.

Budgeting

I’ve discussed this before and will say it again, budgeting is important. In every aspect of the writing process, but especially for editing. Editing can be very costly. Knowing how much you’re willing to spend and where you want to spend your money is very important. Don’t go over budget just because you didn’t think about all the editing expenses.

Alpha Reader Questions

These first readers are reading a VERY rough draft of your book. You want to focus your questions on big picture aspects that can be finessed through edits.

Beta Reader Questions

Being that these readers are reading a more polished version of your book, you will want to ask them more specific questions. This can give you insights into how different readers perceive the text of your book.

Keywords

We all use words in our writing that probably shouldn’t be used as frequently as we use them. For example, one keyword for me is “just”. I tend to use it WAY more than is appropriate. Therefore this is on my keyword list. This list allows me to keep track of my frequently used words or phrases so I know what to look out for during edits.

Timeline

It’s good to think about the time it will take during the various stages of editing. You don’t want to promise your readers your book will be released in December if the edits (and potential holdups) take you until February of the next year. Being practical about the time it can take to move through the editing stages will cause less stress.

Why Do You Need the Plan?

You may think that you have all the information about editing, but you may not. This plan allows you to write/type out all of your editing plans in a single space. It will keep you organized. Being that it is already nicely typed up, you won’t have dozens of small pieces of paper scribbled on with your editing plan. (We’ve all been there.)

This plan takes the organization work out of it for you. You just need to download and formulate your editing plan.

By covering the various steps of the editing process, this plan allows you to access your needs for each individual book you write. It’s been a big help for me and I know you will find use in it as well.

Go ahead and check out the 7-page Editing Plan Guide available on the Bound to Writing Etsy Shop. The plan is full of information that can sometimes slip through the cracks when you’re doing all that multitasking with writing a book and all. I look forward to your feedback. If you’re looking for a complete guide to marketing, check out the Book Marketing Planner available as a paperback or digital download in the Bound to Writing Shop or as a paperback on Amazon.