Author Editor Communication: Setting Expectations Early

Gary Smailes | 5 November 2025

Align Goals and Success Criteria

Misaligned expectations sink projects. You think we are fixing plot holes. I think we are polishing sentences. Three weeks later, we both feel whiplash. Let’s dodge that by getting precise at the start.

Start with the reader. Who is this book for, and what do they want on the page?

• Age band and subgenre. YA contemporary romance. Adult cozy mystery. Middle grade adventure.
• Heat level. Closed door. Fade to black. On-page explicit.
• Violence level. None. Implied. On-page. Graphic.
• Pacing. Rapid-fire scenes. Moderate build. Slow burn.
• Mood. Dark and tense. Witty and warm. Quiet and reflective.

Mini exercise, five minutes. Write one line that names the promise to the reader. Example: “A light, small-town romance with closed-door heat and lots of banter for readers of Abby Jimenez.” Or: “A propulsive legal thriller with on-page stakes and a skeptical hero in the Grisham vein.”

Now pick comps. Two or three published books that share audience and tone. Not your all-time favorites. Books that sit near yours on a shelf.

• Use comps to calibrate. You want the humor level of Dial A for Aunties. You want the dread of The Silent Patient. State that plainly.
• Name what you will not do. “No graphic on-page violence.” “No cliffhanger.”
• Add any format expectations. Epigraphs. Text-message threads. Recipes at chapter ends.

Define success for this round. One round, one mission. If you ask for everything, you get mush.

Possible focus areas:

• Stronger character arcs.
• Tighter narrative drive and clearer stakes.
• Cleaner prose and consistent voice.
• Submission readiness for an agent.
• Production readiness for indie launch.

Pick one or two primary outcomes. Then pick secondary goals only if they support the primary. For example, if the mission is structure, style tweaks wait. If the mission is line work, no new subplots sneak in.

Write a one-sentence success statement. Examples:

• “By the end of this round, the protagonist’s goal and stakes read clearly by page 30, with a midpoint turn that forces a hard choice.”
• “By the end of this round, sentences read clean and voice-forward, with dialogue tags trimmed and metaphors aligned to setting.”
• “By the end of this round, the manuscript meets agent submission standards, with a tight query package and a first chapter that hooks.”

Agree on a definition of done for each stage. Vague finish lines breed scope creep.

Developmental edit done means:

• Structure supports the genre promise.
• Main and secondary arcs complete and pay off on page.
• Timeline and logic hold under pressure.
• Scene list matches the outline, or the new outline is approved.
• No unresolved big-picture queries remain.

Line edit done means:

• Voice and diction stay consistent per POV.
• Sentences carry load without clutter.
• Dialogue reads clear, with beats that reveal motive or move plot.
• Exposition lands where needed, not in lumps.
• Repetitions and echoes reduced.

Copyedit done means:

• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation align with the agreed dictionary and style guide.
• Hyphenation, numbers, capitalization, and italics follow the style sheet.
• Continuity on names, places, and timelines holds.
• Queries resolved in the file.

Proofreading done means:

• Text matches layout on the designed pages.
• Typos, missing words, and spacing glitches fixed.
• Page references, headers, and running elements correct.
• No new wording introduced.

Surface constraints now, not midstream. Otherwise, every decision drifts.

• Deadlines. Hard dates for delivery, review, and final sign-off.
• Word-count targets. Cut to 90k. Hold under 75k. Expand to 60k for series norms.
• Platform requirements. Agent submission needs a clean first 50 pages, synopsis, and query. Indie release needs a production-ready file for print and ebook.
• Sensitivity or fact-check needs. Topics, labels, and who will review them.
• Non-negotiables. No present tense. Keep first-person POV. Keep the seaside setting.

Use a one-page project brief to pull this together. Short, sharp, and shared before page one gets marked.

Project brief template:

• Working title and genre
• Target reader and mood
• Heat and violence levels
• Comps and what they imply
• Primary goal for this round
• Secondary goals, if any
• Definition of done for this round
• Constraints and deadlines
• Top five concerns
• Success risks to watch

Filled example:

• Title and genre: Firebreak Court, adult romantic suspense
• Target reader and mood: Readers who like tension-forward romance with competent leads and a hopeful ending
• Heat and violence: Open-door heat. On-page violence, not graphic
• Comps: The Hating Game for banter cadence. Nora Roberts’ The Witness for suspense tone. Want the banter energy, not the workplace setting
• Primary goal: Strengthen midpoint and third act so the relationship and case pressure each other
• Secondary goals: Reduce exposition in chapters 2 to 4. Sharpen antagonist presence across acts
• Definition of done: Each scene has goal, conflict, outcome. Stakes escalate each act. The antagonist influence shows up in at least one beat per chapter after the midpoint. No line-level rewrites outside flagged sections
• Constraints: Agent request due June 1. Target 95k words, down from 110k. Keep dual POV
• Top five concerns: Saggy Act 2. Too many suspects. Repetitive internal monologue. The first kiss feels late. Courtroom scenes feel thin
• Risks: Cutting suspects might collapse red herrings. Banter revision might flatten voice

A quick calibration chat helps, then get this brief in writing. Keep it to one page. Use bullet points. No essays. Both parties initial it, or reply with “approved, no changes.” Store it with the manuscript.

Two small habits keep alignment strong:

• Start each round with a one-sentence mission and the definition of done pasted at the top of the working document.
• End each call with a recap. Who does what by when. One owner. One date.

You are not locking your book in stone. You are choosing a path through the draft. Clear goals give you speed. Clear success criteria give you an exit. And a finished round beats a perfect plan every time.

Set Scope, Deliverables, and Boundaries

Scope is the box your edit lives in. Without a box, work expands, budget swells, and nerves fray. Decide the box together, then write it down.

Start with what you get. Be specific.

Included services, with examples:

• Editorial letter: length range, format, and focus. Example: 8 to 12 pages in a PDF, covering structure, character, stakes, and pacing, with page references.
• In‑manuscript margin queries: comments inside the file, tied to sentences and scenes. Example: one to three comments per page, heavier in early chapters.
• Track Changes: on for line and copy work. For a developmental pass, comment-only unless you request small line samples.
• Style sheet: a starter in round one, updates in later rounds. Include spelling, hyphenation, numbers, capitalization, character names, and place names.
• Number of passes: one full pass per round. Say if a spot check on revised pages follows. Example: one full pass plus a second look at 10 revised pages.

Now name what you do not get. Clarity here saves friendships.

Common exclusions:

• Substantial rewrites. No writing new scenes, no full dialogue rewrites, no ghostwriting.
• Fact‑checking. No legal, medical, or historical verification.
• Sensitivity reads. Separate specialist service.
• Formatting. No print or ebook layout, no styles setup, no Vellum or InDesign output.
• Pitch support. No query letter, synopsis, or agent list, unless quoted as an add‑on.
• Proofreading on designed pages. That is a separate pass.
• Indexing. Entirely separate service.

If you want an add‑on, define how quotes work. Keep a simple path. You email a request. The editor replies with scope, price, and timeline. You approve in writing. Work starts when the deposit lands. No stealth extras.

Set word limits so scope matches reality. Name the cap and say how overages work.

Word count controls:

• Put a hard cap in the agreement. Example: up to 90,000 words, counted from the file delivered at handoff.
• Price overages by the thousand. State the rate and rounding. Example: $30 per 1,000 words, rounded up to the next thousand.
• Extend timelines for longer files. Example: add one business day per extra 5,000 words.

A quick math story helps. You book a line edit at 80,000 words. You deliver 92,400. Overage is 13,000, billed as 13 units. Timeline extends by two to three days, based on the agreed rule. No panic, no surprises.

Debrief cadence keeps momentum. Decide how you will talk, and when.

Typical rhythm:

• One live call per round. Length range, platform, agenda. Example: 45 minutes on Zoom, with a shared screen to walk through the top issues.
• A Q&A window after delivery. Example: 14 days for follow‑up by email, with replies within two business days.
• Limits on micro consults. Quick pings rack up time. Cap them. Example: two 15‑minute micro calls inside the Q&A window, then hourly billing.

Micro items fit best in batches. Ask to group questions. You get better answers, and fewer context switches.

Want a short sample edit before the full pass? Smart. A sample shows how the editor hears your voice.

How to use a sample:

• Pick 5 to 10 pages with scene work, dialogue, and a bit of exposition.
• Send one paragraph of voice goals. Example: warmer, less snark, or tighter sentences with fewer qualifiers.
• Ask the editor to mark choices and leave notes on rationale. You want to see thinking, not only changes.
• Review fit with your gut and your goals. If the sample trims sarcasm you love, say so now.

Samples take time. Expect a small fee or a narrow scope. Better to pay a little now than rebuild trust mid‑project.

Boundaries keep editors helpful and sane, and keep you supported without drift. Scope boundaries are one part. Communication boundaries live in the next section. For now, tie scope to time and quality. No drive‑by rewrites. No bonus rounds hiding under “one more quick look.”

Mini exercise, ten minutes:

• Open a fresh doc. Title it Scope Summary.
• Add two headers: Included and Excluded.
• Fill each with five bullets based on your needs and the notes above.
• Share it with your editor before you sign anything.

Put the whole thing in writing. Short beats clever. Bullets beat paragraphs. Both parties initial the scope summary and store it with the contract.

Scope summary example, ready to copy and tailor:

• Project: Line edit, romantic suspense, up to 95,000 words
• Included:
  • One full pass in Word with Track Changes
  • Editorial letter, 6 to 10 pages, covering voice, flow, dialogue, and scene clarity
  • Margin queries across the manuscript, heavier attention in chapters 1 to 5
  • Style sheet update with spelling, hyphenation, and character details
  • One 45‑minute debrief call within 7 days of delivery
  • Q&A by email for 14 days after delivery
• Excluded:
  • New scenes, rewrites longer than two lines, and ghostwriting
  • Fact‑checking and sensitivity review
  • Query letter, synopsis, and agent outreach
  • Formatting for print or ebook
  • Proofreading on designed pages
• Word count and overages:
  • Scope covers up to 95,000 words based on the handoff file
  • Overages billed at $35 per 1,000 words, rounded up
  • Timeline extends by one business day per extra 5,000 words
• Micro consult limits:
  • Up to two 15‑minute micro calls during the Q&A window
  • Extra consults billed at the standard hourly rate
• Sample edit:
  • Optional 7 pages for a flat fee
  • Includes Track Changes and margin notes on approach
• Change requests:
  • All add‑ons quoted in writing with price and timing
  • Work begins after written approval and deposit

Last thing. Hold each other to the scope with kindness and firmness. If new needs pop up, name them, price them, and schedule them. You protect your budget and your energy. Your editor protects focus. The work stays sharp.

Communication Protocols and Decision-Making

Clear communication keeps the edit calm. Guesswork burns time. Pick rules, write them down, and stick to them.

Start with channels. One place for decisions. One place for line notes. One place for scheduling.

• Email for commitments and summaries. Subject lines with tags help. Use [DECISION], [BLOCKER], or [QUESTION].
• Google Docs comments for shared drafts, or MS Word margin queries for tracked files. Keep the conversation next to the line.
• A shared folder for source files, letters, and the style sheet. Name everything with version and date.

Set response times on both sides. Promise what you will meet.

• Routine replies within two business days.
• Blockers acknowledged within one business day.
• If silence hits the deadline, the editor proceeds on small choices and parks big ones. Define small and big. Small equals comma choices, synonym swaps, and light trims. Big equals scene cuts, POV shifts, and new plot beats.

Schedule touchpoints before work begins.

• Kickoff call. Thirty to forty five minutes. Align goals, risks, and measures of success. Confirm word count, scope, and files. Decide where questions will live.
• Midpoint check in for long projects. Ten to twenty minutes. Flag any structural risks. Agree on what to trial. Reset dates if the manuscript size changed.
• Post delivery debrief. Forty five minutes. Prioritize revisions by impact. Note what to roll into the next pass. Assign owners to open questions.

Use a decision log so context does not vanish between drafts. Keep it simple.

• Columns: Date, Topic, Decision, Rationale, Owner, Status, Next step.
• One line per call outcome or email agreement.
• Link to evidence, like a page number or a style guide rule.

A quick example of a log entry:

• 2025 02 12, Dialogue tags, Use comma before said for American style when the tag follows the quote, CMOS 6.40, Editor, Closed, Update style sheet.

Now the sticky part. How to disagree without bruises. Start with the reader. Ask three questions.

• Would a typical reader feel clearer, faster, or more engaged with this change.
• Does the choice fit genre norms and age band.
• Does the choice serve the character on the page, not the writer at the desk.

Try a small experiment before pushing a global change. One scene. Two versions. Share a short rationale for each. Pick criteria in advance, such as clarity of action, emotional tone, and pacing. Agree on who decides after the trial. Author, editor, or a tie breaker, like two trusted beta readers.

Here is a quick script for a productive no.

• Author: I see the cut on chapter 4. I am worried about losing the mentor's promise. Reader impact looks high. Let us keep the beat and move the exposition into dialogue. I will draft a leaner version.
• Editor: Agreed on the goal. Please trial it on scenes 4 and 12. We will compare on clarity and pace. If the test works, we roll it out.

Now availability. Name time zones and office hours upfront. Set weekend and holiday rules. Offer one path for urgent issues, and another for routine questions.

• Office hours example: Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 in Pacific time. No weekends. No late nights.
• Urgent equals blocker to progress within 24 hours. Use subject tag [BLOCKER], and send one line on impact and deadline.
• Non urgent equals everything else. Batch those into one email twice a week, or drop them as comments in the doc.

A few ground rules that save energy:

• No DM-style pinging across multiple platforms.
• No voice notes unless requested. Transcripts get lost, quotes get fuzzy.
• One thread per topic. Reply in thread, not a new chain.

Give feedback in the format you want to receive. Short, specific, and anchored to the page. Quotes help. Page numbers help. Screenshots often confuse.

When in doubt, default to the style sheet. If a choice affects voice or world rules, log it and update the sheet. If a choice is a one-off, resolve it in margin comments and move on.

Mini exercise, eight minutes:

• Open the manuscript in your main tool. Add a comment on the title page labeled "Communication."
• Write three lines:
  1. Where questions go, email or comments, and how often you will send them.
  2. Your reply time promise, and your editor's reply time promise.
  3. What counts as a blocker for you.
• Copy those lines into your kickoff agenda.

A few helpful conventions worth stealing:

• Tag comments with [AUTHOR] or [EDITOR] at the start, so roles are clear on long threads.
• Use short codes. [CLARITY], [VOICE], [CONTINUITY], [FACT], [STYLE]. You sort comments faster when the purpose sits at the front.
• End each comment with a proposal. Not only a problem. For example, "Suggestion: switch to present tense here for immediacy" or "Suggestion: move this reveal to the end of the scene."

Close the loop after each meeting. One of you sends a recap within 24 hours. Three bullets on decisions made. Three bullets on open items. Link to the decision log. No transcripts.

Here is a one paragraph communication charter you can copy and adjust:

Communication charter: We will use email for decisions and weekly summaries, and Google Docs comments or Word margin queries for line notes. Routine replies land within two business days. Blockers get an acknowledgment within one business day with a plan. Meetings include a 30 to 45 minute kickoff, a 15 minute midpoint check in if the pass exceeds two weeks, and a 45 minute debrief within seven days of delivery. Office hours run Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, Pacific. Use [BLOCKER] in the subject line for urgent issues, and batch everything else twice a week. All decisions and rationales live in a shared log at link-to-decisions-doc, updated after each touchpoint.

Send this after the kickoff. Pin it where you both work. When pressure rises, you will be glad it is there.

Align on Style, Voice, and Quality Standards

Standards save drafts. Lock them in before one edit lands, and you avoid churn later.

Start with language rules. Pick an English variant and stop the wobble.

• US, UK, CA, or Aus. Name it.
• Choose a dictionary. Merriam-Webster or Oxford work well.
• Choose a style guide. Chicago Manual of Style with a house layer is common for books.

Write what wins when rules clash. If the dictionary and style guide disagree, note the tie breaker. If house style trumps Chicago on numbers or italics, say so. Put it in the style sheet where both of you will see it.

A quick example set:

• Variant: US English.
• Dictionary: Merriam-Webster, online.
• Style: Chicago 17. House style overrides on en dashes to hyphens for number ranges. Serial comma stays.

Now to voice. Build a voice deck, a short pack of examples that sound like the book you want. Three to five paragraphs is enough.

• Include one excerpt from your manuscript that feels right. Mark why. Rhythm, sentence length, diction, mood.
• Include one excerpt that misses. Mark what drifts. Too ornate, too flat, too jokey, too stiff.
• Add one or two comps. Point to tone and pacing. Be precise. “Snappy first person with clean interiority,” not “funny.”
• List hard noes. No em dash stacks. No authorial wink in third person. No archaic diction for teens. No filter verbs in tight POV.

A simple voice deck entry might read:

• Keep: “She tightened her grip on the mug. Heat bled into cold fingers. He was late.” Notes: short beats, concrete images, minimal modifiers.
• Avoid: “She felt as though the mug was the only anchor in a storming sea, while the clock mocked her.” Notes: abstract image, filter verb, mixed metaphors.

Create a series bible or continuity sheet. It prevents headaches and mea culpas. A simple spreadsheet works.

• Tabs for characters, settings, timeline, world rules.
• Characters: name, age, eye and hair, voice tics, goals, secrets, relationships, arc notes.
• Settings: location, season, layout, sensory details tied to scenes.
• Timeline: calendar dates, time of day, gaps between scenes.
• World rules: tech level, magic limits, legal facts that bind the plot.

Tiny example of a save: Chapter 3 says a brother is twenty-one. Chapter 14 says he toasts to turning twenty-two in the same month. The sheet catches it before the line edit.

Decide how to handle sensitive content and facts before the work begins. Name topics that need care and who holds the pen on guidance.

• Sensitivity scope: labels to use, terms to avoid, community resources, a note on who reviews. Add these to the style sheet under Usage.
• Fact scope: what needs checking, who checks, and what counts as a source. A style line might read, “Medical details require a textbook or journal source, no wiki. Log sources in the decisions doc with page numbers.”

Now the living style sheet. Keep it brief, clear, and in play. Update it with each pass. Key sections to include:

• Spelling and word list. toward or towards. e-mail or email. copyedit or copy edit.
• Hyphenation. high school student, no hyphen. long term as adjective hyphenated, long-term plan. as noun open.
• Capitalization. Internet lower case. Government lower case unless full formal body.
• Numbers. Spell out one through one hundred. Use numerals for measurements. Follow Chicago for centuries, the twenty-first century.
• Italics. Internal thoughts in Roman with no quotes. Foreign terms italic on first instance, Roman after.
• Dialogue punctuation. Commas with speech tags. Periods with action beats. House rule on interrupting speech with ellipses versus em dashes, pick one, show examples.
• Formatting. Scene breaks with one centered asterisk. Chapter titles in Title Case. First paragraph flush left, others indented.

Sample entries help both of you move faster.

• Dialogue tag: “I know,” she said. Not “I know.”, she said.
• Interrupted speech: “If you walk out, I will not…” She closed the door.
• Thoughts: He had one job. Do not call her. No italics, tight third.

If a decision affects many pages, add it to the style sheet and the decision log. If it touches one line, fix it and move on. That little rule keeps the sheet lean, and the work focused.

A few small habits keep voice sharp through revisions:

• Read one anchor page before each session, a paragraph from the voice deck that nails tone. It resets your ear.
• Tag editorial comments by type. [VOICE], [STYLE], [CONTINUITY], [FACT]. Sorting gets easier.
• When you flag a voice drift, offer a line edit that shows the target rhythm. Not a paragraph of theory.

Here is a quick exercise to get a starter style sheet into shape in ten minutes.

• Open a blank doc. Title it Style Sheet, Book Title, v0.
• Add headings: Spelling, Hyphenation, Capitalization, Numbers, Italics, Dialogue, Usage, World.
• Fill five decisions you feel sure about. Examples: toward, email, copyedit, serial comma, numerals for ages.
• Paste one voice deck Keep paragraph and one Avoid paragraph at the end with labels.
• Share the doc link with your editor. Invite edits and comments, not direct changes, until you both agree.

If you write a series, treat the bible like a lab book. After each round, update ages, timelines, and wounds. If a character breaks a rule, mark whether it is a one-time slip or a story reveal. Future you will send flowers.

A note on borrowed language. If your book uses dialect, slang, or historical terms, write guidance. Give a phonetic sample for key lines. Set a limit on eye dialect. State whether to preserve period spellings, or modernize with a note.

Quality standards do not kill voice. They protect it. You set the bounds, then both of you steer within them. A shared sheet lowers noise, which leaves more energy for the sentences that matter.

Action for both parties:

• Exchange a starter style sheet and a voice deck before the first page is edited.
• Confirm the dictionary, style guide, and any house rules in the header.
• Pin the links where you work. Update after each pass. Keep version numbers clear.

Timeline, Milestones, and Budget

Dates reduce friction. Set them early, then work to those beats.

Start with a simple map. One row per milestone, with a date and an owner.

• Manuscript handoff. You deliver the file, the brief, and any supporting notes.
• Developmental edit delivery. Editor returns an editorial letter and an annotated manuscript.
• Author revision window. You revise, respond to queries, and log decisions.
• Optional second pass. Shorter cycle to confirm big fixes and nail voice.
• Line edit. Once structure holds steady.
• Copyedit. After prose and structure are stable.
• Proofreading. Final quality check on pages.
• Production dates. Formatting, ARC window, uploads, marketing hooks.

A quick sample timeline for a 90,000-word novel:

• Handoff: 1 March.
• Dev edit delivery: 22 March.
• Author revision window: 23 March to 12 April.
• Second pass delivery: 26 April.
• Line edit: 29 April to 17 May.
• Copyedit: 27 May to 7 June.
• Proofreading: 17 June to 24 June.
• Final files to production: 28 June.
• Release planning starts: 1 July.

Notice the gaps. Buffers matter. Life happens. Edits run long when big plot moves shift late in the game. Build breathing room between rounds. Do not book a copyeditor until structural work feels solid and the line edit plan looks clear. I have watched authors double pay when a late plot change broke the copyedit. Money gone. Morale gone too.

Set turnaround expectations in writing.

• Editor turnaround for each pass. State dates, not ranges.
• Author response time on queries. A rule like 3 business days for blocking questions, 10 for non-urgent notes.
• How to flag blockers versus background queries. Use labels like [BLOCKER] in comments and batch the rest.

Agree on acceptance criteria for each milestone. What counts as done should be boring and specific.

• Dev edit done when the editorial letter arrives with a page count target, the annotated file is in the folder, and a debrief call is booked.
• Author revision done when responses to all margin queries exist, decisions are logged, and new scenes carry the same file naming.
• Line edit done when Track Changes are resolved to a clean state, lingering questions are in a short list, and the style sheet shows updates.
• Copyedit done when style decisions from the line edit hold, spelling and punctuation align with the sheet, and a list of global changes is included.

Version control keeps the machine from eating pages. Pick a naming scheme and stick to it.

• File naming: Title_MS_DEV_v1, Title_MS_DEV_v2, Title_MS_LINE_v1, and so on.
• Use dates at the end if that helps sorting. Title_MS_DEV_v1_2025-03-22.
• Keep one master folder with read-only past versions. Add a Versions.txt file that lists what changed.
• Decide when to accept Track Changes. For example, accept all in the dev pass after the debrief. Then start the line pass fresh.

Backups save heartbreak. Store files in two places at least. Cloud plus local works. If internet access drops, a local copy keeps the work moving. If your editor works in Google Docs, export a Word file at each milestone and park it with the same naming.

Money ties to dates. Put terms in the contract so there is no surprise.

• Deposit amount and due date before work starts.
• Payment schedule by milestone, not by vibe. For example, 40 percent at kickoff, 40 percent on delivery of the edit, 20 percent at debrief.
• Kill fee if the project stops midstream. A flat amount or a percentage of the remaining balance.
• Reschedule fees for slipped handoffs. Editors juggle calendars. Missed starts ripple.
• Rush fees for accelerated work. Define what counts as rush. For example, less than two weeks for a dev pass on a 90,000-word novel.
• Confidentiality or NDA terms. State who holds access to files and how long files stay on the editor’s drive.
• IP ownership. You own the text. Editor owns process documents. License as needed for promotional snippets.
• Testimonial permission. Decide if the editor may quote praise on a site. Decide on credit wording.

Two quick gotchas worth heading off.

• Holidays and time zones. Mark them on the timeline. A Tuesday for you might be a Wednesday for your editor.
• External vendors. Formatters, narrators, cover designers. Their slots book fast. Share your planned production month with them early, then sync the edit schedule to their windows.

A mini exercise to build a realistic schedule in fifteen minutes:

• Open a spreadsheet. List the milestones above in column A.
• In column B, add target dates. Start with your release or submission goal, then work backward with buffers.
• In column C, write the owner. You or the editor.
• In column D, write acceptance criteria for each milestone. Short and concrete.
• In column E, add payment tied to that milestone.
• Share the sheet and invite one pass of comments. Lock it once both parties agree.

How to keep the schedule honest once work starts:

• Hold a 15-minute midpoint check-in for longer passes. Confirm risks, adjust dates if needed, and log decisions.
• Color code any slip and add a new date next to the old one. Leave the old date visible, so drift stays visible.
• Move any new feature request into a parking lot. Revisit at the debrief and quote a new pass if needed.

Your future self will thank you for writing the obvious. Dates, owners, and definitions of done sound dull. They protect momentum, quality, and budget.

Action:

• Create a shared timeline with dates, ownership, and acceptance criteria.
• Attach it to the contract or work order.
• Update the sheet at each milestone and version the filename.

Onboarding Assets and Handoff Expectations

Smooth onboarding saves a week of back and forth. You bring context. Your editor brings process. Together you set the stage for clean passes and fewer surprises.

What the author provides

Send a single folder with clear names. Include:

• Latest manuscript in the agreed format. Word or Google Docs, not PDF.
• Synopsis or outline. One page for high level, plus a beat list if you have one.
• Character list with ages, roles, and standout traits.
• Timeline map. A simple grid of dates and major events works.
• Comparable titles with notes on tone, pacing, and heat or violence levels.
• Prior feedback. Beta notes, agent comments, or old editorial letters.
• Top five concerns. Short bullets. Example: “Act 2 sag,” “Love interest reads flat,” “Magic rules feel fuzzy,” “Openings run long,” “Villain motive not landing.”

Aim for clarity over volume. Fewer, labeled files beat a dump of drafts.

What the editor provides

Expect a small welcome kit that sets the rhythm:

• Welcome packet with process overview and dates.
• Workflow map from kickoff to final files.
• Sample editorial letter so you know the depth and layout.
• One or two example pages with margin notes that show tone.
• Starter style sheet. Baseline entries for spelling, hyphenation, numbers, dialogue formatting, and house choices.

If any document surprises you, ask for a quick walk‑through. Five minutes now avoids friction later.

The handoff package for each round

Each round ends with a tidy bundle. No mystery files. No hunting for context.

• Clean manuscript with Track Changes on. One file. No side versions.
• Updated style sheet. Add new names, new terms, and any settled conventions.
• Cover note. A short memo that frames the work and points to hot spots.

A cover note template you can copy:

• Intent for this round. Example: “Strengthen protagonist arc and tighten midpoint.”
• New word count and target audience.
• Problem areas to watch. Example: “Chapter 14 timeline,” “Scene with Aunt Rosa reads expository.”
• Non‑negotiables. Example: “Keep past tense,” “No present‑day slang.”
• Risks. Example: “New subplot added in Act 1, check ripple effects.”
• Questions for the editor. Top three only, with page numbers.

Example entry:

• Intent: lock structure before line work.
• Word count: 92,300.
• Watch: Chapter 7, pages 88 to 101, pacing drag.
• Non‑negotiable: hero remains 17, no aging up.
• Risk: new clue in Chapter 3 might break alibi in Chapter 20.
• Questions: Does the breakup scene earn the choice on page 212. Do flashbacks in Chapters 5 and 9 feel redundant.

Query etiquette that keeps focus

Questions fuel progress when they live close to the text.

• Ask inline in comments. Quote the phrase if context feels tight.
• Reference page and line numbers or a stable locator. Scene headers work too.
• Label blockers with a clear tag at the start of the comment. Example: [BLOCKER].
• Batch non‑urgent items in a weekly note. One email beats twenty pings.
• Use one thread per topic. New topic, new comment.
• Close the loop. Reply “Resolved” or “Logged for next round” once a decision lands.

A quick example of a good query:

• “[BLOCKER] Chapter 14, page 176, para 3. The train leaves at 4 p.m., yet the hero reaches the cabin before sunset two counties away. Adjust timeline or transport.”

Readiness to move to the next stage

Do not jump to the next service until the current goal holds steady. Use these checks.

Ready for a line edit when:

• Structural notes from the developmental pass are addressed.
• Scene order is locked.
• Character motivations read consistent.
• No planned new chapters.

Ready for copyediting when:

• Voice and phrasing feel stable across chapters.
• Repetitions and filler lines are trimmed.
• Style sheet reflects real choices in the text.
• Only small line fixes remain.

Ready for proofreading when:

• All Track Changes are accepted or cleanly shown.
• No rewording planned beyond punctuation and spacing.
• Layout or ebook conversion has produced pages to review.

Bring beta or sensitivity readers in at two points:

• After major structural fixes, before line work, to test clarity and representation.
• After copyedit, before proof, for a final read on harm, stereotype, or context.

A one‑page checklist for every exchange

Build a single page and reuse for every handoff. Print or pin to the top of the shared folder.

Header

• Project title:
• Draft label:
• Date:

Files included

• Manuscript filename:
• Style sheet filename:
• Cover note filename:
• Extras: outline, timeline, character list, prior feedback.

Round goal

• Primary goal:
• Secondary goal:

Status and risks

• Open issues from last round:
• New risks this round:

Questions

• Top three questions with page references:

Logistics

• Next meeting date and time zone:
• Response window for blockers:
• Response window for non‑urgent items:

Sign‑off

• Author name and date:
• Editor name and date:

Mini exercise, ten minutes:

• Open a new doc. Paste the checklist. Fill in fields for the current draft. Save as Title_HandoffChecklist_DEV_2025‑02‑10. Share with your editor and ask for one gap check.

Good onboarding lowers anxiety on both sides. Clean assets, predictable handoffs, and disciplined queries free up attention for the work that moves the book forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

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