5 Types of Editing Every Writer Should Know
- Angela Heiser
- Mar 13
- 3 min read
As writers, we all know that editing is necessary, though some of us may be more fond of it than others. The editing and revision process elevates our writing and ensures we don’t hit submit too soon on an embarrassingly sloppy 3 a.m. first draft. Anyone else do their best editing after hitting send? Just me? Ok.
There are almost as many different types of editing as there are writing. And, depending on the piece you’re working on, its audience, and how far along you are in the writing process, there are various tools you can use to make your writing the strongest it can be. Let’s take a tour of the key types of editing and how they enhance your work.
What Are the Key Types of Editing?
In general, there are five main types of editing in the writing world: developmental, line, copy, proofreading, fact-checking, and revising.
Developmental Editing
An editor looking for developmental issues is going to be the person to catch details like inconsistencies with character’s names or attributes. They will point out areas the plot needs to be strengthened, dialogue that could be improved, and overall items needing attention.
Organization is another key focus area for developmental edits. Sometimes chapters or sections need to be relocated in order to enhance clarity and flow for the readers. If your novel is undergoing a developmental edit, expect to receive comments on each chapter that will push you toward a more solid work.
Line Editing
As the name suggests, the idea behind line editing is that the elements of each line are being examined for clarity, impact, and cohesion. When editing poetry, this often focuses on things like enjambment, line breaks, or even stanza breaks. For prose, it might look more like analyzing which word choices are working and which aren’t. I think of it as putting your writing under the microscope and zooming in to the tiniest details to make sure even the smallest particles of your work are sound and strong.
Copyediting
The terms line editing and copyediting are often used interchangeably. By definition, copyediting is the check done by a professional editor to catch any grammatical or spelling errors ahead of publication. It may also examine word choice to see if there is a better fit.
Proofreading
I’m sure you remember proofreading lessons from your time in school. Basically, this involves doing a quick check for mistakes. These can range from issues with spelling, punctuation, and grammar, to finding areas where the text contradicts itself. The example given for this most often is making sure that the character you introduce to readers as a red-headed ballerina is still rocking red hair and frequenting the dance studio throughout the entirety of the text. Proofreading ensures consistency and clarity that will elevate your work.
Fact-Checking
Fact-checking refers to going over a text to ensure that details are accurate and consistent across the draft. This becomes especially important for creative non-fiction, biography, memoir, or historical fiction.
Imagine, for example, that you’re basing a book in the Blue Lagoon of Iceland and want to name characters Icelandic names. You’ll be grateful for a fact-checking round of edits that identifies names you’ve chosen as Swedish instead, so you can change them ahead of the final copy.
Revision
You have probably heard this one before, and I doubt it’s your favorite stage of writing (we often become a little too Gollum-esque with our work). Revision refers to the nitty gritty dirty work of taking all those thorough and thought-provoking line edits, fact checks, and developmental edits and implementing them until your piece is the strongest you can make it. Most pieces undergo multiple rounds of revisions before making it to print.
Free Editing Tools for Writers
While many writers prefer to edit on their own, you don’t have to! There’s a plethora of free tools you can use to help you get the job done. Some may use AI—*gasp*—so be careful with the features you use, and take any suggestions with a grain of salt. The final say should come from you or a professional editor, not an editing tool.
Grammarly (free and paid versions available)
Reedsy Studio (free and paid versions available)
Google Docs built-in editing tools
ProWritingAid (free and paid versions available)
The Bottom Line
Once you have done your proofreading, editing, and revision, submit your work to Ink & Oak. Got something that’s almost done? Share it with your critique group and get to revising so you can submit to us ahead of our monthly deadline to be considered for our latest issue.
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