Stella’s Reviews > Always a Bridesmaid > Status Update

Glad you're liking it! I was the editor on this one (though not the acquiring editor -- just the lackey). ;)

Yep, when I started the book I saw your name at the beginning, so I was hoping I will like it ;-) Oh, I didn't know there were separate kinds of editors for a book.

As I have really no idea, how long does it take usually to edit a full-length novel? Or do you have specific time allotted, e.g. you can't spend more than 3 weeks on a manuscript, etc? Or how does it work? I'm curious :-)

Well, there are more senior and more junior editors. At the time I got this one, I'd just joined Entangled, so I was being passed books acquired by others. Now, I've acquired some of my own, but they won't be coming out until the fall.

Timelines vary, but every book gets at least three rounds of editing, then copyediting and proofreading (which involve different editors). The three rounds (all back and forth with the author) generally take a couple of months, and I do the scheduling myself (with author input). The most time-intensive part is the line editing, which is a 10-20 hour job on most books.

Thank you for the explanation Ruthie, might I ask more? (sorry I'm really curious and fascinated by the job of editors)

What is excatly line editing?

Line editing is the part where you're making changes sentence-by-sentence -- making verbs stronger, weeding out passive voice, fixing grammar and punctuation, that sort of thing. It's the slow pass through a book. But that's not where you start -- you start with big-picture stuff, like "the conflict needs to be stronger" or "the heroine seems whiny" or "the hero has no goals," etc. Then after the big-picture revisions are done, you do more of a scene-by-scene edit, like, "This scene seems to start in the wrong place," or "Why aren't they talking about X?" or "I don't like where you leave this conversation -- can we see her say something about such-and-such?" Both of those levels would happen before the line editing, so that by the time you get to line editing, the story should all be in good shape. Then, after it leaves the main editor, it will go to a copyeditor, who will do all the fussy, perfectionistic editing, and also ask things like, "Does she ever put her shirt back on?" :-)

You should read Aleah Barley's TOO HOT TO HANDLE, which just came out this month. I edited that one, too. It's her debut, very funny and quirky and fast-paced. I think you'll like it.

P.S. No need to apologize. Maybe after About Last Night is out and my blog tour is over, I can come visit your site and talk about editing. I think lots of readers are curious about it!

That would be great Ruthie, thank you! :-)