Working with an editor for the first time doesn’t have to be intimidating. When you find a good editor, you’ve found a collaborator, a partner in improving your manuscript.
During the editing process, collaboration is key. So, your manuscript isn’t going to be perfectly polished and ready for submission when it’s returned. Instead, it’s going to be marked up and filled with line edits and constructive comments that you’ll need to incorporate into the document during the revision process.
Follow these tips when tackling that revision.
Incorporate tracked changes.
I use tracked changes to document every change to the document. Whether a comma is added to an introductory clause or a sentence is restructured for clarity, you’ll see this change tracked in the document. These changes don’t require any work on your end––simply review them and incorporate them with a click.
Review and respond to comments
Comments do need your input, and they’re going to require the most time during the revision process. Comments address larger issue with your manuscript. You’ll see recommendations for restructuring or rephrasing. You might see some questions from me requesting clarification. There’s no need to respond directly to the comments since in most cases, I won’t see the document again. However, you can incorporate the suggestions and then delete the comments.
Check formatting
Formatting is always checked during your edit, but it’s possible that something shifts during revisions. Perhaps a page break drops down a page, creating unnecessary white space, or headings are shifted, which requires updating the table of contents. Give your document a quick format scan and let me know if anything needs a final update before submission.