What Does A Book Editor Actually Do?

Gary Smailes
Gary Smailes | 17 November 2025
What Does a Book Editor Actually Do?

An Editor’s Core Responsibilities

Editors wear four hats. Reader advocate. Structure steward. Voice guardian. Consistency cop. These roles overlap, yet each serves a clear promise to your book and your reader.

Reader advocacy

Your reader bought a promise. A thrill. A tender love story. A sharp argument that solves a nagging problem. An editor keeps that promise front and center.

Questions an editor asks on page one:

Small things trip readers. A pronoun with no clear referent. A buried lead. A joke that punches down. The advocate flags those, then offers plain fixes. Swap a vague opener for a concrete one. Move up a crucial definition. Trim a scene that repeats work done two chapters earlier.

Try this: write a one-sentence promise line. “By the end, a first-time manager knows how to run one-on-ones.” Or “Chapter by chapter, the detective learns who killed the pastor.” Tape that sentence above your desk. An editor will hold every choice against that promise.

Structure stewardship

Great pages still fail if the frame drags. An editor scans structure like a contractor walking a house.

For fiction:

For nonfiction:

A quick, brutal tool helps here. A scene or chapter map. One line per unit: purpose, outcome, word count, tension score from 1 to 5. Now step back. Long gray stretches without change signal a sag. Two chapters doing the same work signal a cut or a merge. A climax that resolves offstage signals a missing scene.

Structure work often means shuffling. The steward proposes a new order, writes a transition, or recommends a cut. No guesswork. Every move ties to the promise and to genre norms readers expect.

Voice protection

Voice sells books. Voice keeps readers up past midnight. A line editor sharpens voice without sanding off soul.

The goal: clarity, rhythm, flow, and tone, while the writer still sounds like the writer.

Before and after, with comments:

Why this works: fewer hedges, stronger verbs, sentence rhythm matches fear.

Why this works: concrete words, no corporate fog, same authority.

Voice protection involves choices. Keep dialect in dialogue, clean narration so the reader does not fatigue. Preserve a poet’s long lines, but trim filler so images land. Hold the writer’s intent. If a risky phrase serves character or humor, the editor flags the concern, then suggests a lighter tweak, or a keep-with-warning note. Final call stays with the author.

Consistency control

Readers forgive a typo. They do not forgive a broken world or a mangled timeline. Consistency work prevents both.

The tools:

Practical wins:

An editor runs consistency scans, then reads for sense. Figures match callouts. Numbered steps run in order. Cross-references link to the right pages. All this work fades into the background when done well. When missed, readers notice.

Action step: the editorial brief

Before any edit begins, share a one-page brief. Short, blunt, and priceless. Use this template, then tweak as needed.

Share the brief with your editor. Invite one or two questions to sharpen scope. Then both parties edit to the same north star.

That is the core of editorial work. Serve the reader, steady the frame, honor the voice, and keep the world consistent. Do this, and the book holds together under real weight.

Types of Book Editing: What Each Stage Covers

Four stages. Start wide, finish tight. Skip a stage, pay for repairs later.

Developmental editing

Developmental work looks at the book as a system. Story logic, character arcs, world rules, argument flow, theme, stakes. The goal is coherence and momentum from start to finish.

Fiction example:

Nonfiction example:

Deliverables often include an editorial letter, plus an annotated manuscript. Expect a chapter map, risks, and a revision plan with priorities. Expect specific asks. Combine two minor characters. Bring the antagonist onstage earlier. Replace three long case studies with one sharp one.

Test for yourself. List every chapter or scene on one line. Purpose, change, word count. If purpose repeats, merge. If no change, cut or rework. If word counts spike where nothing turns, expect reader fatigue.

Line editing

Line work moves through the book sentence by sentence. Clarity, rhythm, word choice, imagery, transitions. The voice stays yours, only cleaner and more deliberate.

Before and after, with notes:

Reason, fewer hedges, one strong verb, cleaner rhythm.

Reason, plain words, no fluff, same intent.

Reason, fewer words, image remains.

Transitions also get attention. If paragraphs end without a handoff, add a phrase which points forward. If repetition muddies a point, choose one image and commit. If humor punches down, aim up or aim inward.

A quick exercise. Read a page aloud. Mark every stumble, breathless run, or vague phrase. Tighten one thing per line. Swap “started to” for the verb itself. Move heavy nouns into verbs. Trade abstractions for concrete detail.

Copyediting

Copyeditors chase correctness and consistency. Grammar, punctuation, usage, capitalization, hyphenation, references. Work aligns to Chicago style and a chosen dictionary. Decisions live on a style sheet so rules stay stable.

What gets fixed:

Example fixes:

Copyediting also guards continuity at the surface level. Character names, place spellings, time references, math in examples, figure callouts. A style sheet records these choices, plus voice quirks worth preserving.

Proofreading

Proofreading happens on designed pages, often PDF galleys. This is a quality check on layout and lingering errors.

What gets flagged:

Proofreading protects the reading experience. No heavy rewrites here. Small tweaks only, plus fixes which avoid reflow chaos. Late structural changes risk new errors, and bills.

A quick self-check before proofs go out helps. Print two pages, read with a ruler under each line. Slow eyes catch more.

Action step: pick the right stage

Match the job to the problem.

Two tests help with triage:

One more tool. Make a one-page list of primary issues. Structure, style, mechanics, layout. Rank by pain. Share this with your editor, then agree on scope. Right stage, right time, stronger book.

What Book Editors Deliver, Tangibly

You hire an editor. Your inbox should fill with tools, not vibes. You receive documents you use to revise with confidence. Here is what to expect.

Editorial letter

An editorial letter gives you a clear route from draft to stronger draft. Expect three parts.

Many letters include chapter-by-chapter notes. Short entries, one per chapter. Purpose, turning point, risks, and specific line calls. For nonfiction, expect an argument map. Question per chapter, promise to the reader, proof types, and gaps where evidence runs thin.

Use this letter like a blueprint. Read once without markup. Read again with a highlighter. Draft a one-page revision plan in your own words, then confirm scope with your editor. Fewer surprises, faster progress.

Mini-exercise:

Tracked changes and margin queries

Editors mark files in Word or Google Docs. You see additions and deletions in the text, plus comments in the margin. Those notes do more than fix lines. They teach choices.

Expect three kinds of edits.

Before: "I began to start thinking perhaps we were slightly off track."
After: "I thought we were off track."
Why: fewer hedges, one clear beat.

Examples:
"Whose point of view runs through this scene?"
"Earlier, Lena was 34. Here, 32. Which age holds?"
"Do you want a comma for pace here, or a clean line?"
"Sentence repeats a point from page 47. Trim or add new angle?"

Examples:
"Two independent clauses joined with a comma. Try a period or a conjunction."
"Abstraction over detail. Swap 'support' for a specific action."
"Passive voice softens agency here. Name the actor."

Reply in the margin when a choice feels risky. Offer options. "Keep A for voice, accept B for clarity, or split in two lines." Shared judgment beats silent acceptance.

Style sheet

A style sheet records decisions big and small, so consistency holds across chapters and revisions. Expect four sections.

Examples: email, not e-mail. Healthcare, not health care. Copyedit, not copy edit. Toward, not towards.

Examples: one through one hundred spelled out in narrative, numerals for science sections. 1990s, not 1990's. 9 a.m., not 9am.

Examples: Board of Directors on first reference for a formal body, board on later mentions. Chapter 4, lowercase chapter when generic. Italics for internal thoughts in limited doses.

Examples:
Character list: Aaliyah Hassan, goes by Ali. Mother died in 2005. Birthday in March.
Places: Harborview, one word. The South Side, caps on both words when referring to the Chicago district.
Terms: Magic system uses "weave," "bind," "break," no "cast."
Dialogue: single space after punctuation. Em dashes avoided in dialogue breaks, prefer commas or periods.

Editors update this sheet as work progresses. You review and agree. Future volumes in a series rely on the same decisions, which saves time and headaches later.

Mini-exercise:

Checklists and reports

Behind polished prose sits quiet tracking. Your editor supplies checklists and logs so nothing slips.

Expect items like these:

A short production report sometimes joins the pack. File format, fonts embedded, front matter present, back matter present, images in CMYK for print. That prep reduces hiccups during typesetting.

Use these checklists during your final pass. Cross out resolved items. Leave notes for your editor on any blockers.

Action step: request sample deliverables

Before hiring, ask to see examples. A past editorial letter, a redacted style sheet, and one or two pages of edits. Look for three signals.

Questions to ask during review:

A good match gives you a roadmap, not a lecture. You should feel guided, not steamrolled. Strong deliverables build trust, save time, and raise the book's ceiling.

How Editors Work With Authors

You do not hire a judge. You hire a partner. The work goes smoother when both of you know the route, the pace, and the finish line.

Start with a diagnosis

Most editors begin with a quick look under the hood. Think manuscript assessment or a sample edit on 5 to 20 pages. The goal is simple. Confirm scope and pick the right level of intervention.

What you might receive:

Example from my files. Mina sent an 85,000-word thriller and asked for a proofread. A 10-page sample told a different story. Tense shifts, missing pressure in the midpoint, two characters serving the same function. We paused the proofread idea. We agreed on a developmental pass first, then a line edit later. Money spent once, progress twice as fast.

If you feel unsure where to begin, request a sample edit with tracked changes and two paragraphs of notes. You will see how the editor reads your prose, and whether the comments land with you.

Mini-exercise:

Work in loops, not marathons

Healthy process moves in short loops. Editor edits. You revise. Both sides trade questions. Then on to the next loop.

A typical cycle for a developmental pass:

  1. Editor sends an editorial letter, plus chapter notes where needed.
  2. You confirm priorities and share a brief revision plan.
  3. You revise in four weeks, then submit v2 with a few questions.
  4. Editor answers those questions in writing, or on a short call.
  5. Both sides agree the next stage is line work, or one more structural tweak.

A typical cycle for line or copy work:

  1. Editor sends 2 to 3 sample chapters with tracked changes.
  2. You review, accept or adjust choices, and confirm approach.
  3. Editor completes the rest in batches. You review each batch within a set window.
  4. A final sweep cleans up stragglers.

Scope creep loves vague handoffs. Stop it with clear criteria:

Label files with dates and versions. Example, Smith_Memoir_v2_2025-03-10.docx. Everyone sleeps better.

Set a communication cadence

No one thrives on guesswork. Agree on a rhythm before page one.

Keep a shared query log. A simple spreadsheet does the job:

This log saves time during later passes, and helps the proofreader see past decisions.

Protect the voice

Voice drives the bond with your reader. An editor’s job is to sharpen it, not to replace it. Good editors flag heavy rewrites, explain risk, and offer options.

A fiction example:

Draft line: “Lila was kind of unsure about calling her father.”

Edit option A, tighter: “Lila hesitated before calling her father.”

Edit option B, more voice: “Lila stared at the phone. The number knew her better than she did.”

Rationale: hedge words drain energy. Choice A serves pace. Choice B leans into mood. You pick, based on scene intent.

A nonfiction example:

Draft line: “There are a bunch of factors that can affect sleep quality.”

Edit option A, precise: “Three factors affect sleep quality in this study, light, noise, and temperature.”

Edit option B, reader-first: “Sleep quality rides on three things, light, noise, and temperature. Here is how to fix each one.”

Rationale: vague nouns hide weak claims. Specifics build trust.

When an edit risks tone shift, you should see a query first. “Proposed cut trims repetition, though the cadence loses some warmth. Prefer to keep or adjust?” You accept, tweak, or reject. No ego bruises. Only book-first choices.

Mini-exercise:

Action step: set collaboration norms

Write a one-page working agreement with your editor and share it before the edit begins.

Include:

Clear norms free you to focus on the sentences. They also keep trust intact when stress climbs. Editing is intimate work, and a little structure keeps it kind.

Behind-the-Scenes Quality Controls Editors Manage

You see the polished manuscript. You do not see the spreadsheets, the cross-checks, or the fifteen browser tabs open to verify one historical date. Professional editors run systems you never notice, which is exactly the point.

Standards and tools keep chaos at bay

Every editor worth hiring follows a style guide. Most use The Chicago Manual of Style for books, paired with Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. These are not suggestions. They are the guardrails that prevent a manuscript from looking amateur.

Chicago tells us whether to write "five percent" or "5%" or "5 percent." Whether chapter titles get quotation marks or italics. Whether we spell out numbers under ten or under one hundred. The guide runs 1,200 pages because readers notice inconsistency, even when they do not name it.

Here is what happens behind the scenes:

Style sheets. Your editor creates a live document that records every choice. How you spell "email" versus "e-mail." Whether your protagonist is "blonde" or "blond." Whether you use the serial comma. The sheet grows as decisions arise, and the editor checks it before making similar choices later.

Editorial checklists. Professional editors work from lists. Did the copyright page match the title page? Do all chapter numbers align with the table of contents? Are footnote numbers consecutive? Lists prevent human memory from failing at hour six of a copyedit.

Macros and scans. Smart editors use Microsoft Word macros to highlight repeated phrases, flag potential errors, and standardize formatting. A macro that scans for "lay" versus "lie" catches mistakes faster than reading every sentence twice.

Example from my files. Romance novel, 75,000 words. The heroine's eye color changed from green in chapter two to hazel in chapter fifteen. A Word search for "eyes" plus "green" plus "hazel" caught the error. The author fixed it in revision. The reader never sees a continuity slip.

Continuity and accuracy checks run deep

Fiction editors track character details, timelines, and world rules. Nonfiction editors verify claims, sources, and data. Both keep logs that prevent mistakes from multiplying.

Character and setting trackers. A spreadsheet with character names, ages, physical descriptions, relationships, and key dates. Changes get updated across all chapters. Same process for locations, weather, and world rules.

Timeline verification. If your story spans six months, every scene needs to land on the right day. Editors track seasons, holidays, character ages, and plot beats to catch impossible sequences.

Fact-checking coordination. Copyeditors spot-check obvious claims but flag complex research for dedicated fact-checkers. "The Battle of Hastings was in 1066" gets verified in-house. "Studies show meditation reduces cortisol by 23%" gets referred to a fact-checker with access to academic databases.

Citation and source tracking. Footnotes, endnotes, bibliographies, and in-text references get cross-checked for format and accuracy. Missing page numbers, broken URLs, and inconsistent citation styles all get flagged and fixed.

Real-world example. Historical fiction set in 1920s New York. Author mentioned electric streetlights, prohibition raids, and the subway system. All accurate for the period. But she also referenced a character reading The Great Gatsby in 1923. The book was published in 1925. The editor caught it, suggested an alternative title, and the anachronism disappeared.

Production support bridges writing and printing

Editors prepare manuscripts for the next stage, whether that is indie publishing or traditional print. Clean files prevent expensive corrections later.

File preparation. Remove tracked changes, resolve all comments, standardize formatting, and embed or outline fonts. Apply proper heading styles for automatic table of contents generation. Name files with version dates.

Front and back matter verification. Copyright page, acknowledgments, dedication, table of contents, index, and about-the-author sections all get proofed for accuracy and format. Page numbers match actual placement.

Preflight checks before proofing. Once pages are designed, editors review PDF galleys for layout errors, missing text, broken cross-references, and formatting glitches. This happens before the final proofread to avoid last-minute panics.

Here is why this matters. You submit a "final" manuscript to your designer. Three weeks later, you get back a PDF with weird spacing, missing italics, and a table of contents that shows wrong page numbers. Without preflight checks, these become expensive corrections during the proofread phase.

Series consistency spans multiple books

If you write sequels, prequels, or companion books, your editor maintains a master style sheet and series bible. Readers notice when character names change spelling between books one and three.

Master style sheet updates. Every decision from book one gets recorded and applied to future volumes. Character descriptions, place names, magic system rules, historical details, and author preferences all stay consistent.

Series continuity tracking. Character development arcs, timeline progression, and world-building details get tracked across volumes. If your protagonist mentions her father died when she was twelve in book one, he better not show up alive in book four without explanation.

Voice and tone consistency. First-person narrators need the same speech patterns across books. Technical writing needs the same level of jargon and explanation. The editor ensures each book feels part of the same universe while standing alone for new readers.

Mini-exercise for series authors:

Action step: Ask about tools and reporting

When you interview editors, ask specific questions about their quality controls:

Which style guide and dictionary do they use? Chicago Manual and Merriam-Webster are industry standard for most books. If they use AP Style or other guides, ask why and whether it fits your genre.

What tools do they use for consistency? Look for mention of style sheets, editorial checklists, and Word macros. Basic consistency scans or software tools show they take accuracy seriously.

How do they track and report issues? Professional editors keep logs of continuity problems, fact-check needs, and permission flags. They should show you examples of how they report these back.

What do their deliverables include? Beyond the edited manuscript, you should receive a style sheet, any continuity logs, and a list of items for the proofreader to double-check.

How do they handle series work? If you plan multiple books, ask about master style sheets and series bibles. These tools prevent expensive corrections later.

Sample questions for your interview:

"How do you track character details across chapters?"

"What happens if you find a potential factual error?"

"How do you prepare the final file for my designer?"

"Do you use any software tools for consistency checking?"

Professional editors love these questions because they show you understand the depth of the work. Amateurs get nervous because they wing it. You want the pro who keeps spreadsheets you never see, runs checks you never think about, and delivers a manuscript that looks effortless because the effort was invisible.

What Editors Don't Do (and When You Need Someone Else)

Editors are not miracle workers. They are not ghostwriters, legal advisors, or research assistants. Understanding what falls outside their wheelhouse saves you time, money, and frustration.

Editors refine, not rewrite

An editor takes your words and makes them better. A ghostwriter takes your ideas and writes the book for you. These are different skills requiring different agreements and payment structures.

Not extensive rewriting. If your manuscript needs entire chapters added, major scenes rewritten, or substantial new content created, you need a book coach or ghostwriter. Editors will flag these needs in a developmental editing, but the heavy lifting of creation falls to you.

Not filling content gaps. Missing transitions, underdeveloped characters, and weak arguments get diagnosed by editors. Solutions come from you. An editor might suggest "Add a scene showing Maria's childhood trauma" but will not write that scene.

Not idea generation. Stuck on how your protagonist escapes the burning building? Need three more plot twists for your thriller? Editors identify story problems and suggest directions, but brainstorming new content exceeds their scope.

Real example from my files. Mystery novel came in with a great premise but thin execution. The detective had no personality, the murder weapon made no sense, and the final revelation fell flat. My editorial letter diagnosed these issues and suggested approaches for fixing them. The author spent three months rewriting before sending the revised manuscript back. I edited what she wrote. I did not write it for her.

When you need more than editing:

Timeline boundaries exist for good reasons

Once your book enters production, changes become expensive and risky. Editors enforce deadlines to protect your budget and schedule.

Proofreading is not editing. The proofread happens on designed pages after layout is complete. This stage catches typos, formatting errors, and layout problems. Adding new paragraphs, changing character names, or restructuring chapters at this point costs money and time.

Late changes create cascading problems. Change one sentence on page 15 and the text reflows. Page breaks shift. Cross-references break. Index entries become wrong. Your designer charges for these corrections, and your publication date slips.

Scope creep hurts everyone. Authors who keep revising during copyediting or add new chapters during proofreading turn profitable projects into loss-makers. Editors protect their boundaries to stay in business and keep rates reasonable for other clients.

Here is how smart authors handle the temptation to make late changes:

  1. Accept that good enough is better than perfect. Published and imperfect beats unpublished and flawless.
  2. Save new ideas for the next book. Keep a running list of improvements for future projects.
  3. Budget for limited changes. If you must make late revisions, discuss costs upfront and limit yourself to truly critical fixes.

Author story. Memoir author decided during copyediting that she wanted to add a new chapter about her grandmother. The chapter was lovely but would have required renumbering all subsequent chapters, updating cross-references, and reformatting the table of contents. We discussed options. She saved the chapter for her next book and published on schedule. Both books became bestsellers.

Legal risks need legal experts

Editors are trained to spot potential legal issues but not to provide legal advice. When red flags appear, you need an intellectual property or media attorney.

Permission and fair use questions. Using song lyrics, extensive quotes, or copyrighted images in your book triggers permission requirements. Editors flag these needs but do not determine fair use limits or negotiate rights.

Libel and defamation risks. Writing about real people, especially in negative contexts, creates legal exposure. Editors identify risky passages and suggest protective language, but legal review determines actual risk levels.

Privacy and disclosure concerns. Memoirs, true crime, and business books often involve living people who did not consent to appear in print. Legal counsel advises on disclosure requirements and protective strategies.

Contract and rights issues. Publishing agreements, work-for-hire arrangements, and subsidiary rights negotiations require legal expertise beyond editorial scope.

Example from publishing. Business book author included detailed case studies of his former employer's mistakes. The stories were accurate but potentially damaging to the company's reputation. I flagged the risk and suggested consulting an attorney. The lawyer recommended anonymizing company names and changing identifying details. The book published safely. Had we ignored the risk, lawsuits might have followed.

When to call a lawyer:

Research depth has limits

Copyeditors verify basic facts and catch obvious errors. Complex fact-checking requires specialized skills and tools most editors do not possess.

Spot-checking versus deep research. An editor will verify that Chicago has a population of 2.7 million and the Battle of Hastings was in 1066. Research claims like "meditation reduces cortisol levels by 23%" requires access to academic databases and training in scientific methodology.

Source verification limits. Copyeditors check that your footnotes match your claims and that URLs work. They do not verify the credibility of your sources or the accuracy of the data within them.

Specialized knowledge gaps. Medical claims, legal precedents, scientific data, and financial information often exceed editorial expertise. Fact-checkers with relevant backgrounds handle these verifications.

Language and cultural accuracy. Editors catch obvious errors in foreign words or cultural references but do not replace sensitivity readers or cultural consultants for nuanced accuracy.

Story from the trenches. Health book author claimed a specific supplement "increased energy levels by 40% in clinical trials." The footnote led to a real study, but the study actually showed no significant energy improvements. A fact-checker caught the error. The editor had verified the citation format and confirmed the study existed. The fact-checker read the study and caught the misrepresentation.

When you need a fact-checker:

Action step: Map your publishing team

Before you hire anyone, identify all the roles your book needs. Different projects require different specialists, and clarity prevents costly gaps or overlaps.

Editorial roles:

Specialized roles: