A man looks into a camera, as if looking for the answer to the question: What does a book editor do?

You’ve realized you need a professional editor to whip your manuscript into shape. Now, you’re ready to hire one. You just have one question: What does a book editor do?

Keep reading to find out.

A Book Editor Finds Holes in Your Story

One thing that a book editor can do for you is hunt down big-picture problems with your book. Also known as developmental editing, this service identifies all sorts of issues, such as the following:

  • Inconsistencies in how a character speaks or acts
  • Problems with timelines or historic accuracy
  • Plot holes that need to be filled

Hire a Book Editor to Improve Your Story’s Flow

All of the elements are in your story, but the sentences don’t flow. Fortunately, one thing that a book editor can do is improve your story’s flow. This type of editing is known as line editing, and it strengthens your sentences so that readers keep going, one page after another.

Line editing focuses on improving the following:

  • Clarity
  • Flow
  • Style

The Final Thing a Book Editor Can Do: Zap Spelling and Grammar Mistakes

This is often what people think of when they ask, What does a book editor can do? Also known as proofreading, this is the final stage of editing a book.

During this type of editing, the editor corrects problems with the following:

  • Formatting
  • Grammar
  • Punctuation
  • Spelling

Does your book need help with any of the above editing services? I’m here to serve. Check out my book editing services to get started.