Sending your manuscript to an editor is a big moment. A little preparation beforehand means your editor can spend their time on your words instead of cleaning up your file.
Here’s the checklist we’d hand any author before they hit send. None of it is complicated, and all of it helps.
Get the Writing Ready
1. Finish the full draft.
Send a complete manuscript, from the first page to the last. An editor can’t judge pacing, structure or flow from half a book, and a draft that’s still changing underneath them costs everyone time.
If you’re still adding chapters, you’re not ready yet. That’s okay. Finish first.
2. Do a self-edit pass.
Read the whole thing once more, start to finish. Fix the typos you can see, tighten the sentences that wander and cut the paragraph you’ve already said three times. You’re not trying to make it perfect. You’re trying to hand over your best version so your editor can help with what you can’t see.
If you need a place to start, our post on seven simple ways to self-edit your own work walks through it.
Get the File Ready
3. Make the formatting consistent.
Most editors work in Microsoft Word, so that’s what we recommend you use. Keep the formatting plain:
- One standard font and size throughout.
- Paragraph indents set with Word’s paragraph settings, not the tab key or a row of spaces.
- Chapter titles marked with Word’s built-in heading styles.
- A page break between chapters instead of pressing Enter until you reach a new page.
Skip the fancy layout, text boxes and decorative fonts. Design happens later, and a plain file is easier to edit.
4. Clear out track changes.
Track Changes is the Word feature that shows every edit as a colored mark. Before you send your file, accept or reject every change you’ve made, delete any leftover comments to yourself, and turn Track Changes off. Your editor can turn it back on when they begin.
A clean file gives them a clear starting point. Otherwise they can’t tell which marks are yours and which are theirs.
5. Send one file.
Combine the whole manuscript into a single document, with the title page first and chapters in order. Skip the folder of twenty chapter files, and skip the version called “final-FINAL-2.”
Name it something simple, like your title and the date. Keep a backup copy of exactly what you sent so you always know what your editor started with.
6. Note your word count.
Word shows it in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. Round it and share it with your editor. Word count affects scheduling and the scope of the work, and it tells your editor right away whether the book is the length you think it is.
7. Write a short list of style notes.
One page is plenty. Include the things your editor would otherwise have to guess:
- Names and spellings that are intentional, such as a character, a place or a business term.
- Your Bible version, if you quote Scripture, and how you format citations.
- Capitalization choices, like pronouns for God or a word you always capitalize.
- Anything you’ve decided on purpose, like sentence fragments or a conversational tone.
It saves back-and-forth and helps your editor protect your voice instead of smoothing it out.
If You’re Publishing on Your Own
Fully independent authors handle the whole handoff. You find an editor, decide which type of edit your book needs (our post on the three main types of edits explains the differences), and send the file. Then you track versions as the manuscript passes from one person to the next, such as a developmental editor, a copy editor and a proofreader.
It’s doable, and plenty of authors do it well. The risk is losing track of which file is current. Keep one master copy and a simple log of what was sent and when.
If You Partner with a Publisher Like Us
A partner publisher manages that handoff for you. At Market Refined Publishing, the process starts with a developmental review, followed by developmental edits, copy and line edits, and a proofread. We coordinate each stage, so you aren’t passing files between strangers or wondering which version is the latest.
Your checklist still matters. A clean, complete, well-labeled manuscript makes every stage go more smoothly, no matter who’s managing it.
If you’re weighing publishers, here are a few questions worth asking any of them:
- Which types of editing are included, and in what order?
- What file format and formatting do you want from me?
- How many rounds of revisions do I get?
- Who makes the final call on style choices?
Your Next Step
Open your manuscript today and save a copy named with your title and the date. Then check it against the list above, one item at a time. Our rule of thumb? Send your editor the file you’d want to receive.
Not sure which path fits your book? We’re glad to talk it through. Contact us today.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our full affiliate disclosure here.
