It’s often said that a writer is only as good as their editor. Here at Ballast Books, we say that a writer is just as good as their editor—but it takes an expert editor to take a writer from good to great.
Our vetted editorial team is here to help you publish the book you’ve always dreamed of. Our editors’ love of red ink and fact-checking will ensure that your manuscript meets the publishing industry’s (and your readers’) standards. Their fresh, unbiased perspective will allow them to edit your manuscript in a way that takes it to the next level while retaining your individual style as an author.
But how exactly do they do it? Here’s a look at our five-step editing process.
Based on the starting shape of your manuscript, we’ll suggest one or multiple of the following options:
Manuscript evaluation: A professional writer and editor will take an even closer look at your manuscript. They’ll write a letter indicating its strong points while also outlining areas that can be improved, with supporting examples straight from your manuscript.
Developmental editing: This level of editing will support you in making changes to your story as a whole. Our editors will look at how your content is structured, flesh out your characters, catch plot holes, and make sure that your message is coming across.
Line editing: Once any big-picture issues are solved, line editing will ensure each line of your manuscript makes sense and is important to the story. Your editor will note if any phrases or words take them out of the scene or confuse them as readers, helping improve clarity and narrative flow.
Copy editing: Creative writing doesn’t abide by the rules, but we do. Copy editing checks the grammar, spelling, and punctuation of your manuscript. Your editor will ensure your writing adheres to The Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster as well as provide any additional feedback to get your story ready for publication.
Proofreading: Proofreading identifies any final glaring spelling and grammatical errors. This is generally performed as the last line of defense before your book is published.
Each of our editors is guided by a simple mantra: It’s your book, not theirs. Their job isn’t to rewrite your words or slash your manuscript apart; it’s to make you sound like the best version of yourself! Regardless of which level of editing your manuscript needs, your editor will make sure each comma, character, and chapter helps your unique voice shine through.
Our editors record their edits through the Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word. You’ll be able to see every change your editor makes, from deleting extra spaces to restructuring paragraphs, underlined and colored red in the All Markup view. To see the edited document as a whole (sans red ink), switch to the Simple Markup view.
Your editor will also leave comments throughout the document as needed. These comments may explain the reasoning behind an edit, suggest ways to improve a sentence, or ask for your clarification about a particular word or detail.
We acknowledge that your manuscript is ultimately yours; therefore, you get the final say on which edits and suggestions you’d like to incorporate. The Track Changes feature doesn’t actually change your document; instead, each edit is marked as a suggestion. You, as the author, have the power to accept or reject each change.
However, we strongly recommend that you accept every change or leave a comment instead of outright rejecting an edit. Remember, your editor is here to make your manuscript the best it can be, and they wouldn’t have edited something unless they felt it was necessary. If you disagree with an edit, speak to your editor so that you can come to a compromise that satisfies both of you.
You’re nearly at the finish line. Your cover design is eye-catching, and each page has been meticulously laid out. Your manuscript finally feels like a real book! But before we wave the checkered flag and send your book into the real world, our editorial team will make one final pit stop to ensure it’s 100 percent perfect. There are two parts to our quality control process:
Grammarly: Each chapter of your manuscript is reviewed with two fresh sets of eyes. A different editor than the one who initially edited your manuscript will be responsible for running your manuscript through Grammarly to catch any tiny errors that may have been overlooked in the production process. They will evaluate each suggested change before applying it to ensure its accuracy and necessity to your manuscript.
Interior review: Your manuscript will be in excellent shape by this point, but at Ballast Books, we strive for more than excellence. That’s why our editorial team takes the time to review each and every page of your manuscript before it goes to print. They’ll check for any odd formatting, page number inconsistencies, cut-off images or words, and, of course, spelling or punctuation errors before clearing it for printing.
We know it takes a leap of faith to share your words with us and with the world. We’re here to help you take that leap with full confidence. All it takes is trust in yourself—and your editor.