According to The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th Edition, there are four main types of editing: developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading.1 In short, developmental editing focuses on fixing the big-picture issues of a manuscript. It does not involve editing at the “sentence or word level.”2 In American publishing departments, the terms “developmental editing” and “substantive editing” can sometimes be used interchangeably. In other countries, such as Canada, developmental editing can involve a lot more hands-on writing and planning with the author.3 In fact, some developmental editors work alongside the author before writing has even started!4
From my experience, I have practiced CMOS’s version of developmental editing in my job as a fiction editor.5 One critical element that developmental editors must pay attention to is consistency within characters. For longer novels, it can be difficult to remember all the nuanced details about a character, especially when they are a side character. Therefore, a good editor will make a style sheet that includes specific details about each character to reference for consistency purposes.6 Recording each character’s motives, goals, appearance, behaviors, and other critical details can help editors quickly reference the character for consistency without having to browse through an entire 400-page book.
In one fiction novel I edited, I recognized that the main character started out timid, shy, and lacking in self-confidence around other characters. Then halfway through the story, the character was suddenly filled with confidence, which was illustrated by charismatic flirting and cocky sarcasm. This sudden shift between behaviors was jarring to the reader’s point of view, and I suggested that the author do one of two things: (1) build the main character’s confidence up to that point in the story, or (2) rewrite the confident scenes to match the character’s original nature.
Next, fictional stories sometimes require extensive line editing. According to CMOS, line editing “focuses on word choice, phrases, and other matters of writing style at the sentence level.”7 In my experience, I have had to focus on the four C’s of editing found in Amy Einsohn and Marilyn Schwartz’s book The Copyeditor’s Handbook: “clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness.”8 Sometimes, fiction authors write very flowery paragraphs, but their writing or word usage can become too archaic or poetic to match the text around it, making the text inconsistent and incoherent. Other times, fiction authors may think that they explained a concept in their world-building with enough detail, but on paper they missed critical details that clarify for the reader. Finally, fiction authors, especially within the sci-fi genre, may incorrectly reference a scientific fact. The editor must then double-check the correctness of the author’s claim in the book.
Additionally, fictional stories require copyediting, which is the process of “preparing a final manuscript for publication” by double-checking that every word, punctuation, and grammar is properly used.9 This requires meticulous attention to detail, and editors benefit from adding certain specifics to their editing style sheet.10 For example, in one novel I edited, I noticed that there were two versions of the same past tense verb that could be used. The author used both versions interchangeably, often in proximity with one another. So I asked the author which version of the verb they preferred and made a note of it in my style sheet. Then I applied consistency to the novel by changing all versions of the verb to the author’s preference.
Proofreading is the final type of editing. According to CMOS, proofreading means reading through the manuscript after formatting has been done to ensure that no mistakes were missed.11 In fiction writing, errors can appear in spacing between chapters, indentations, or even in orphans and widows. Going through and making sure that everything has been edited and formatted correctly is critical for both the author and other editors who might have missed obvious details.
Editing in a fictional genre can be super fun, but it is an organized process as well. As freelance editors, you may be required to do every step of editing. Therefore, it is essential to edit in the organized order: developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading. By following this order and creating a style sheet for yourself, you will be able to accomplish great things in the fiction genre!
Footnotes:
1 “2.53: Levels of editing and who is responsible,” The Chicago Manual of Style Online, accessed September 4, 2025, https://www-chicagomanualofstyle-org.byu.idm.oclc.org/book/ed18/part1/ch02/psec053.html.
2 Ibid.
3 Andrew Hodges, “Substantive Editing Versus Developmental Editing,” The Editors’ Weekly, October 30, 2025, https://blog.editors.ca/substantive-editing-versus-developmental-editing/.
4 Ibid.
5 “2.53: Levels of editing and who is responsible,” The Chicago Manual of Style Online, accessed September 4, 2025, https://www-chicagomanualofstyle-org.byu.idm.oclc.org/book/ed18/part1/ch02/psec053.html.
6 “2.61: Keeping an editorial style sheet,” The Chicago Manual of Style Online, accessed September 4, 2025, https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/book/ed18/part1/ch02/psec061.html.
7 “2.53: Levels of editing and who is responsible,” The Chicago Manual of Style Online, accessed September 4, 2025, https://www-chicagomanualofstyle-org.byu.idm.oclc.org/book/ed18/part1/ch02/psec053.html.
8 Einsohn, Amy, and Marilyn Schwartz. The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications, 4th ed. (University of California Press, 2019), 3.
9 “2.53: Levels of editing and who is responsible,” The Chicago Manual of Style Online, accessed September 4, 2025, https://www-chicagomanualofstyle-org.byu.idm.oclc.org/book/ed18/part1/ch02/psec053.html.
10 “2.61: Keeping an editorial style sheet,” The Chicago Manual of Style Online, accessed September 4, 2025, https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/book/ed18/part1/ch02/psec061.html.
11 “2.53: Levels of editing and who is responsible,” The Chicago Manual of Style Online, accessed September 4, 2025, https://www-chicagomanualofstyle-org.byu.idm.oclc.org/book/ed18/part1/ch02/psec053.html.