The Writer's Guide to
Editing & Publishing.

What does a book editor do?

A book editor helps a manuscript become the best version of itself—first by judging whether the story works, then by refining how it's told, line by line. In practice the work splits into distinct stages: developmental editing for the big picture, line editing for the prose, copy editing for correctness, and proofreading for the final sweep.

A good editor doesn't impose their own voice. The job is to listen to what the book is trying to do and clear the way for it—which is exactly what the editor's mark stet means: let it stand.

What is developmental editing?

Developmental editing—also called substantive or structural editing—is the big-picture stage. It examines the architecture of the book: structure, plot, pacing, character, point of view, theme, and whether the whole thing earns its ending.

It's the deepest, most transformative edit, and it comes before any sentence-level polish—there's no sense perfecting prose you may end up cutting.

→ This is the heart of stet's Developmental Edit: a full structural read with in-text marginalia and follow-up calls.

What is line editing?

Line editing works at the level of the paragraph and sentence—rhythm, clarity, word choice, tone, and the texture of your voice. It's about how the prose reads, not whether it's technically correct.

Line editing sharpens the music of the writing while keeping it unmistakably yours. It often overlaps with developmental and copy work, which is why “line” and “copy” editing are frequently bundled together.

What is copy editing?

Copy editing is the meticulous correctness pass: grammar, spelling, punctuation, and consistency of names, timelines, and facts. A copy editor builds a style sheet—a record of every editorial decision—so the manuscript stays internally consistent from first page to last.

It comes after the structure and prose are settled, when the book is nearly ready to submit.

What's the difference between copy editing and proofreading?

Proofreading is the final read for surface errors—typos, stray punctuation, formatting slips—once everything else is locked.

The simplest way to remember it: copy editing improves the text; proofreading catches what slipped through. Proofreading is the last set of eyes before a manuscript goes out into the world.

What is an editorial assessment, or manuscript critique?

An editorial assessment—also called a manuscript critique or evaluation—is a professional read of your whole manuscript that results in an honest diagnosis: what's working, what isn't, and what to do about it—without marking up the text itself.

It's the most efficient way to learn where your book actually stands before you invest in a deeper edit or send it out. At stet, it's a full read of up to 80,000 words returned as a detailed editorial letter.

→ See the Editorial Assessment, from $475 CAD.

What is an editorial letter?

An editorial letter is the written report an editor delivers after reading your manuscript: a structured, candid account of the book's strengths and the problems worth solving, in priority order. A strong letter is specific and actionable—it doesn't just say something's off, it shows you where and why.

At stet, every letter follows a clear template, so you leave with a concrete revision roadmap rather than a vague impression:

Do I really need a professional editor?

If you intend to publish—traditionally or yourself—yes. Acquiring editors and readers can tell within a few pages whether a manuscript has had professional attention, and a polished submission stands out in a crowded slush pile.

Even strong writers are too close to their own work to see its blind spots. An editor is the trained outside reader who finds them before a publisher does.

When is my manuscript ready for an editor?

Your manuscript is ready when you've taken it as far as you can on your own—a complete draft you've revised at least once, not a first draft still finding its shape.

It doesn't need to be perfect; that's the editor's job. If you're unsure whether it's ready for a full edit, a low-risk first read will tell you.

→ Not sure it's ready? A first-chapter read is $150—an honest look at your opening pages before you commit to more.

How much does it cost to have a book edited?

Editing is priced by the depth of the work and the length of the manuscript. As a rough guide, a manuscript assessment runs in the few hundreds, while a full developmental edit of a novel runs into the low thousands—reflecting weeks of close reading.

At stet, assessments begin at $475 CAD and developmental edits at $1,600 CAD, deliberately set below typical market rates to keep careful editing within reach of debut authors.

→ Full pricing is on the Services page.

How long does editing take?

It depends on the depth of the edit and the length of the book. A manuscript assessment typically takes one to two weeks; a developmental edit of a full novel, three to four weeks; a copy edit, two to three.

Good editing can't be rushed—it's close, attentive reading—so it's worth booking a slot ahead of any submission deadline.

How do I prepare my manuscript before sending it to an editor?

Finish a complete draft and give it one honest revision first—fix what you already know is broken so the edit can focus on what you can't see.

Then format it simply: a standard font, double-spaced, with chapters clearly marked. Read it once more aloud if you can; your ear catches what your eye skims. The cleaner the draft, the further your editorial budget goes.

How does book publishing actually work?

Publishing a book moves through predictable stages: drafting, revision, professional editing, submission to publishers, and—if accepted—a production process of editing, design, and printing that typically takes a year or more before a book reaches shelves.

You can pursue this through a traditional publisher or publish independently. Either way, the editing happens before submission: it's what makes a manuscript competitive.

Traditional vs. self-publishing: which is right for me?

With traditional publishing, a publisher acquires your book, pays you, and handles editing, design, distribution, and marketing—in exchange for rights and a share of sales. With self-publishing, you keep control and a larger share of revenue but commission and fund the editing, design, and marketing yourself.

Neither is “better.” The right path depends on your goals, your timeline, and how much of the business you want to run. In both cases, a professionally edited manuscript is the foundation everything else stands on.

What should I do before submitting to a publisher?

Before you submit, make sure the manuscript is genuinely finished and professionally edited—most rejections are simply books that went out too early. Here's the pre-submission checklist I give my own clients:

Submitting before these are in place is the most common—and most avoidable—reason good books get passed over.

How do I submit a manuscript to a publisher in Canada?

In Canada, many respected publishers accept submissions directly from authors, without an agent—so your manuscript and a strong covering description often go straight to the publisher's submissions inbox.

Read each publisher's guidelines carefully and follow them exactly, and submit only to houses whose catalogue genuinely fits your book. Agents play a larger role in the US and UK markets, but in Canada a polished, well-targeted direct submission is frequently the most realistic route.

What should I do if my manuscript gets rejected?

A rejection is information, not a verdict—even celebrated books were turned down many times before finding their home.

Don't send the same manuscript straight back out. Instead: look for patterns in any feedback, give the book another honest revision—an editorial assessment can show you exactly what to fix—and re-target publishers whose list fits more precisely. Persistence paired with genuine revision is what separates published books from abandoned ones.

How long should my book be?

Length depends on genre. These are conventions, not laws—but a manuscript far outside the range for its genre is a flag to publishers, and worth addressing before you submit.