 Fiction writers often don’t know the difference between the different types of editing services and cannot recognise what type of editing service their manuscript really needs. In this blog article, we will go through the different types of editing services (beta reading, developmental editing, manuscript critique, line editing, copyediting, proofreading) to help writers distinguish them and make informed decisions about the type of editing service their story really needs at a particular stage of the writing process. Beta reading Developmental editing Manuscript critique Line editing Copyediting Proofreading Beta reading Beta reading is a reader’s reaction to the story. Writers should seek beta readers after self-editing their manuscript but before giving it to professional editors. Beta readers are avid readers and are familiar with the rules and tropes of a particular genre, and they tell writers how a future reader might understand their story. They provide honest and constructive feedback from the perspective of the intended reader about the potential big-picture storytelling elements of a manuscript, such as character development, plot and structure, point of view, pacing, and genre conventions, in a reader’s report. (Although beta reading is strictly not an editing service, it is included here because it is a part of the editing process and helps writers improve their stories.) Developmental editing Developmental editing is the first type of editing authors should look for after they have self-edited their story. The developmental editor addresses the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses and provides constructive feedback on the following big-picture storytelling elements:
Most editors (especially line editors, copy editors and proofreaders) offer free sample edits. However, it is difficult for developmental editors to offer free sample edits because the big-picture issues of a manuscript can cover several pages or chapters. Some developmental editors provide free sample edits to assess the author’s writing style, identify potential big-picture storytelling issues and ensure that their editing style aligns with what the author is looking for. Developmental editors provide a marked-up manuscript with margin suggestions (comments) and an editorial report full of constructive and honest feedback to further guide the author. Manuscript critique Manuscript critique (also known as manuscript evaluation) is a less intensive version of the developmental editing service. The developmental editor reads the manuscript and provides constructive and honest feedback on the same big-picture storytelling elements as the developmental editing service. The main difference between the two services is that in the manuscript critique service, the developmental editor provides feedback only in an editorial report. Line editing While developmental editing focuses on the big-picture storytelling elements of a manuscript, line editing focuses on the sentence-level errors. Line editors carefully read the manuscript and go through it line-by-line to ensure that the language remains sharp and clear throughout the story. Line editors provide a marked-up manuscript with margin suggestions. A line editor is concerned about the:
Copyediting While line editing focuses on sentence-level errors, copy editing focuses more on individual words rather than whole sentences or paragraphs. Copy editors provide a marked-up manuscript and a style guide to ensure consistency within the manuscript e.g the names of characters and locations are spelt consistently. A copy editor is concerned about:
Proofreading Proofreading comes after the other rounds of editing (beta reading, developmental editing, line editing, copyediting) and typesetting and is the final step of the editing process. Proofreaders analyse the manuscript and catch any errors that slipped through the previous editing rounds to ensure that the manuscript is error-free and looks professional. Proofreaders provide a marked-up manuscript with margin suggestions. A proofreader is concerned about:
Conclusion Editors help writers improve their manuscripts and achieve their writing goals through the various types of editing services: beta reading, developmental editing, manuscript critique, line editing, copy editing and proofreading. Professional editing services are necessary for writers who wish to publish their stories. Writers should be familiar with the different types of editing services and be able to recognise the right type of editing service their manuscript needs at a particular stage of the writing process. Additional resources What is the beta reading service? What is the developmental editing service? What is the manuscript critique service? Why do you need a developmental editor for your fiction story How to find the right editor for your story 9 questions editors ask authors before working with them About the authorMaria Georgiou is a professional developmental editor and beta reader for romance authors. She specialises in editing contemporary romance, YA romance, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, paranormal romance and romantasy. She is a member of the EFA, ClubEdFreelancers and ALLi. Learn more about the author: About me Get in touch: Facebook, LinkedIn, Bluesky Learn about fiction editing: Resources Library and Blog Get a quote for your writing project: Get in touch with me form
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November 2025
About the authorMaria Georgiou is a professional developmental editor and beta reader for romance authors. She specialises in editing contemporary romance, YA romance, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, fantasy romance and romantasy stories. She is a member of the EFA, ClubEdFreelancers and ALLi. |
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