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What Is Editing ?

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Editing is the process that involves reviewing, organizing, correcting grammar and spelling, and formatting a piece of content.

Distinct from the content writing process, editing takes place after the content is drafted.

There are 4 main types of editing:

• Developmental, which focuses on the correctness and arguments of the writing to make sure the piece accomplishes its goals. Often there is a round of revision by the writer after this step. This step is best handled in-house by a subject-matter expert (SME).
• Line editing, which looks at each line of content and edits it for conciseness and clarity so that each sentence is as impactful as possible.
• Copy editing, which looks at the technical aspects of writing to make sure the piece aligns with the style and editorial guidelines given. Copy editing also looks at proper usage of words, readability, and grammar.
• Proofreading, which is the final step of editing yet should not be overlooked as it often catches the final errors and mistakes that can kill conversions.

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What Is The Typical Editing Process?

Great editing starts before a piece of content is even written. A writer should be given a brief that includes the topic, keywords that are being targeted (if the content is meant for SEO), the company style guide, and anything that needs to be included in the article (such as a call to action at the end or specific headings).

Once the article is returned, the real editing process begins. 

A Sample Editing Process, Outlined

First, an editor, usually an in-house subject matter expert, conducts developmental editing and reviews the piece for correctness and following the brief. They may have stylistic as well as substantive content edits to make, and the draft will usually go back to the writer for those changes before it is ready for line editing.

Next up in the process is in fact line editing . Line editing is where an editor, either an in-house expert or an outside provider, reads the piece of content in-depth and works the writing so that it does its job as well as possible. They look for conciseness, word choice, clarity of thought and argument, and more. This is the editing that makes a piece of content perform.

After line editing is  copy editing , which is the practice of technically editing a piece of content for adherence to brand guidelines, adherence to the grammar style of choice, and more. The copy editor, usually an outsourced person, makes sure that the content across a brand is consistent.

Finally, the piece is  proofread . Proofreading is the practice of reading a final draft before it is published. Coming from the world of traditional publishing and typesetting where it was very expensive to change the actual type letters once in progress, proofreading does a final review of the copy to catch any final typos or grammar errors before it goes to print (or before the Publish button is clicked on the internet). It is worth noting that some companies like proofreading to be done before developmental and line editing so that those higher-paid editors are not distracted.

Why and Does my content need editing?

Every piece of content needs editing. Whether you’ve been publishing on the internet for decades or are brand new to it, every piece of content needs to be reviewed before publishing because no writer is perfect.

Editors exist to help writers make their writing as good as can be so it accomplishes the writer’s goal.

Whether the writer is looking to generate an audience, capture leads, or simply educate their audience, an editor takes the written content and uses the levels of developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading to make that content stronger and to adhere to brand editorial guidelines.

What is editing (simple answer)?

Editing is the practice of revising text by looking for correctness of facts, clarity of argument, correctness of style and grammar, and review for typos and final errors before publication.

Is Editing A Trained Profession?

Yes, editing is a trained profession! While there are many “editors” in the marketplace who are not professionally trained, there are many who are professionally trained and have their MFA or an advanced degree to prove it.

These editors have studied for years and honed their craft so they can edit a piece of content correctly and confidently and return a top-of-the-line document.

Hiring Editors has changed.

The old way.

• Google around
• Research some platforms
• Research some editors
• Post a gig on a platform
• Respond to editors
• Speak with editors you found yourself
• Try a few out
• See deadlines slip
• Get a bill bigger than expected
• Decide “editing doesn’t work for my business”
• Wait a few months
• Repeat the process

The EditorNinja Way

• Find EditorNinja online
• See how we make editing easy
• Schedule a friendly demo
• Get your questions answered
• See when every document will be returned
• Publish better content

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What Is Editing?—Beyond Typos and Grammar

| Danielle McLeod

Danielle McLeod

Danielle McLeod is a highly qualified secondary English Language Arts Instructor who brings a diverse educational background to her classroom. With degrees in science, English, and literacy, she has worked to create cross-curricular materials to bridge learning gaps and help students focus on effective writing and speech techniques. Currently working as a dual credit technical writing instructor at a Career and Technical Education Center, her curriculum development surrounds student focus on effective communication for future career choices.

Editing is the process of revising and refining a written work to improve its clarity, coherence, effectiveness, and overall quality . Editing has been used since the written word first appeared and has evolved through the ages to embody the detailed structural and grammatical steps applied today.

It involves reviewing and changing various aspects of the writing process, such as its structure, content, language, style, grammar, and formatting. This application is a crucial first step to ensure your material is understandable to your audience. 

Keep reading to understand the importance of the editing process, what steps you can take to be successful with its applications, and even explore its evolution since ancient times. By the end of this article, you should fully understand why and how to apply editing for a clear and concise writing structure. 

Why Is Editing Important?

The primary goal of editing is to enhance the readability and impact of the written work, ensuring that it effectively communicates the intended message to the reader.

It is an essential step in the writing process that helps refine and polish how information is organized and shared. It addresses the overall structure to provide coherent, clear, and error-free information, making it more effective and engaging for its intended audience.

For people comfortable with writing, the editing process comes naturally and is usually ingrained into the material as it is being written. This step concerns the overall organization and how information is placed within context. But, even for the most experienced writer, taking the time to review the structure of the work, the reliability and use of information, and the overall flow is paramount.

As an experienced writer, I find myself from time to time questioning how I should best change my writing to make it clearer to my reader. Checking the accuracy of the information and basic grammar is never a step I ignore. 

For those new to the writing process, following the various editing steps is crucial to ensure your message is understandable. These steps are explained and defined below to help you put them into practice!

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What Are the Different Types of Editing?

The editing process includes different types of editing techniques that are used together in steps to review an entire document.

Structural Editing

Structural editing, also known as developmental editing or substantive editing, focuses on the overall structure, organization, and content of a written work. It involves assessing and improving the more significant elements of a manuscript, such as its narrative flow, logical coherence, and effectiveness in conveying the intended message. 

Structural editing is typically performed at the early stages of the editing process and may involve significant revisions and restructuring of the content.

Line Editing

Line editing involves a comprehensive writing review at the sentence and paragraph level. These changes focus on improving the prose’s flow, coherence, and readability. They may suggest revisions to enhance sentence structure, eliminate wordiness, improve transitions, and enhance the overall writing style. Line editing aims to refine the writing’s language, tone, and voice.

Copy Editing

Copy editing , also written as copyediting, focuses on the technical aspects of the writing, ensuring that the text conforms to language conventions and style guidelines. 

It involves a detailed review of the text for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style to correct errors and ensure consistency. It may also address issues related to sentence structure, word choice, and clarity. 

Content Editing

Content editing typically applies to nonfiction works such as articles, reports, or academic papers. It involves reviewing the content for accuracy, clarity, and effectiveness of communication. Content editors ensure the writing meets the intended purpose and target audience and provides valuable information or insights.

This also includes fact-checking and referencing to verify the accuracy and integrity of the information presented in the writing. Content editors usually cross-check facts, statistics, and references to ensure they are reliable and properly cited. 

What Are the Differences Between Substantive and Mechanical Editing?

Substantive editing and mechanical editing are two distinct types of editing that serve different purposes in the editing process. Substantive editing focuses on the larger elements of structure, content, and overall effectiveness of the writing. In contrast, mechanical editing concentrates on the technical aspects of the language, grammar, and formatting.

Below, I’ve outlined the key distinctions between substantive and mechanical editing:

Substantive Editing

• Focus: Overall structure, organization, and content of a written work.
• Purpose: Clarity, coherence, and effectiveness of the content. Evaluates narrative flow, logical progression of ideas, and overall message.
• Key aspects: Assessing the work’s structure, narrative flow, character development (in fiction), argument strength (in nonfiction), and overall readability.
• Requirement: Significant revisions, reordering of sections, or restructuring of the content to enhance its impact and engagement.
• Timing: Early stages of the editing process before focusing on more detailed aspects like grammar and punctuation.

Mechanical Editing

• Focus: Technical writing details, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, formatting, and adherence to style guidelines.
• Purpose: Accuracy, consistency, and correctness of the language and presentation. Involves checking for errors, improving sentence structure, eliminating inconsistencies, and adhering to language conventions.
• Key aspects: Reviewing the text for sentence clarity, grammar errors, spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, typography issues, and proper formatting.
• Requirement: Attention to technical aspects of the writing and ensuring that the work follows the appropriate style guide or formatting requirements.
• Timing: After completing substantive editing, the focus shifts to addressing the detailed elements of the writing. Mechanical editing typically occurs as the final stage before the document undergoes proofreading and publication.

How Has Editing Evolved Over Time?

The evolution of editing has undergone significant changes over time, driven by technological advancements, changing writing practices, and the growing demand for efficient and effective editing processes.

• Manual editing: Editing was primarily a manual process in the early stages. As early as 3200 BC, scribes and scholars copied and illustrated materials by hand and maintained texts. 
• Mass-produced editing: When the printing press came into use in the 1400s, editing became a critical process to ensure accuracy in mass-produced books and informational texts. Editing was done after printing sample pages by removing or changing the printing blocks. 
• Typewriters and mechanical editing: With the introduction of the typewriter in the 1800s, editing became somewhat easier and more accessible. Editors could now make changes and revisions directly on typewritten pages using correction fluid, strike-throughs, or retyping sections.
• Digital editing: The introduction of computers and word processing software in the late 20th century revolutionized the editing process. Digital editing tools allow editors to make changes, insertions, and deletions directly within the electronic document, significantly increasing efficiency.
• Grammar and spell checkers: Automated grammar and spell checkers became commonplace in word processing software shortly after the introduction of home computers. These tools helped identify and correct common errors, such as spelling mistakes, grammatical inconsistencies, and punctuation errors. 
• Online editing and remote collaboration: The rise of the internet and digital communication tools further transformed the editing landscape during the early 2000s. Online platforms facilitate real-time editing, feedback, and version control, making the editing process more efficient and accessible.
• AI-powered editing tools: Recent artificial intelligence (AI) advancements have introduced automated editing tools that can analyze and suggest edits. AI-powered tools can provide suggestions for grammar, style, and clarity and even detect inconsistencies or potential plagiarism. 

While technology has undoubtedly improved the editing process, human editors still play a crucial role in providing context and judgment and maintaining the writer’s unique voice.

What Is the Balance Between the Art and Science of Editing?

The art and science of editing encompass both the creative and technical aspects of the editing process. Even though authors should apply a rudimentary editing process to their materials, works that will be published are almost always edited by a separate person. This requires a basic understanding between the author and editor so that the author’s style and voice are not lost within these processes. 

Editing is often considered an art, so much so that books have been written about it.

Without going into too much detail, I’ve summarized what a professional editor is responsible for:

The Art of Editing

• Enhancing clarity and coherence: Editors may suggest rephrasing sentences, reorganizing paragraphs, or restructuring the content to improve its impact and readability.
• Maintaining voice and style: Editors strive to understand the writer’s intentions, tone, and target audience, offering suggestions that align with these factors. 
• Storytelling and narrative flow: Editors may provide feedback on plot holes, character inconsistencies, or pacing issues to elevate the storytelling experience.
• Emotional impact and engagement: Editors may suggest changes to improve the emotional resonance, such as enhancing descriptive language, adding vivid imagery, or adjusting the tone to elicit the intended response.

The Science of Editing

• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation: Editors identify and correct errors in sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, verb tenses, punctuation usage, and more. They also verify spelling and ensure adherence to specific style guidelines.
• Formatting and style consistency: Editors pay close attention to formatting and style consistency and follow specific style guides, such as APA or MLA, to ensure that the work adheres to the required standards. 
• Fact-checking and references : Editors verify facts, statistics, and references used in the writing to ensure accuracy, reliability, and proper attribution to original sources.
• Proofreading and error elimination: Editors carefully review the text for spelling mistakes, typographical errors, grammatical inconsistencies, and punctuation errors. 

What Constitutes the Editing Process?

When editing your work or someone else’s, consider the following steps to ensure the writing is refined, coherent, and error-free. Also, remember that the editing process is ongoing, and you will likely have to move through each step more than once. 

• Review the overall structure: Start by assessing the overall structure and organization of the writing. Ensure that the content is well-organized, with clear transitions between sections.
• Evaluate paragraphs and sentences: Examine each paragraph to ensure it focuses on a single idea and supports your thesis statement or main argument. 
• Assess word choice and language: Review word choices and language usage. Eliminate any repetitive or unnecessary words. 
• Check for consistency: Ensure consistency in style, tone, and formatting throughout the writing. Check for consistent use of headings, font, spacing, and citation style if applicable. 
• Verify facts and supporting evidence: If the writing includes facts, statistics, or references, fact-check them for accuracy and reliability. Make sure you provide proper citations for any external sources used.
• Review grammar, spelling, and punctuation: Carefully proofread the content for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Use grammar and spell-check tools, but you also have to review manually to catch any errors that automated tools may miss.
• Final proofreading: Conduct a final proofreading pass to catch any remaining errors or inconsistencies. Pay attention to minor details, such as formatting, capitalization, and punctuation.

Editing is not just about fixing typos and grammar mistakes; it’s about refining and enhancing your writing to make it clear, engaging, and effective.

Editing is an essential part of the writing process, and embracing it can significantly improve the quality of your work. Instead of viewing editing as a chore, see it as an opportunity to elevate your writing to new heights. By following the tips and techniques outlined in this article, you can develop a personalized editing process that suits your writing style and goals.

So, the next time you sit down to edit your work, approach it with enthusiasm and an open mind. Embrace the editing process as a creative endeavor that can lead to growth and improvement in your writing journey. And remember, no piece of writing is ever truly finished until it has been thoroughly edited and polished.

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• Writing Tips

What Is the Difference Between Editing and Proofreading?

7-minute read

• 14th February 2023

Have you finished writing your book or thesis and aren’t sure whether you need proofreading or editing for your next steps? Or maybe you’re looking into becoming an editor and want to learn more about the differences between proofreading and editing? In this article, you’ll get a detailed description of the editing and proofreading processes and how they differ.

What Is Proofreading?

Proofreading is the final step in the writing process and involves checking for mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and inconsistencies. It happens after the text has been written and edited and focuses on catching any remaining mistakes.

What Does a Proofreader Look for?

Proofreaders look for surface-level mistakes in the final draft of a manuscript or piece of writing. Their job is to make sure everything is consistent with things like spelling and formatting and to check for any missed grammar or punctuation mistakes.

Depending on the quality of the writing or editing, proofreaders may also catch mistakes or note organizational or structural issues. When this happens, they highlight the problem and leave a note to the writer. However, proofreaders do not make changes to the content, organization, or structure of a piece of writing. They look for mistakes and inconsistencies in:

●  Spelling

●  Grammar

●  Punctuation

●  Capitalization

●  Formatting

What Is Editing?

Editing is a broader term that encompasses a variety of tasks that improve the quality of written work. This happens before proofreading. It includes examining the content, structure, and style of the text.

It’s also important to note that there are different types of editing. This is especially important in the book publishing industry. If you look online, you’ll find several websites saying there are four, five, or even six types of editing. Regardless of how many types of editing exist, they all fall under two categories:

Substantive editing , also known as content or development editing, focuses on big-picture issues. This includes refining ideas in the text, reshaping narratives, and fixing inconsistencies in the plot or characters. This is when structure, content, and organizational changes are made.

Mechanical editing , which includes copy and line editing as well as proofreading aspects, focuses on polishing the text. After major issues in the text are corrected, editors can focus on other issues, such as smaller inconsistencies, sentence structure, and grammar issues.

If you’re editing a smaller piece of writing, such as an essay for a class assignment, you’ll most likely only need to edit one or two times. However, for larger manuscripts, such as novels or PhD theses, you may need to undergo many rounds of editing. Larger manuscripts may also need revising before editing , so be sure to evaluate your writing before starting any of these processes.

What Does an Editor Look for?

While proofreaders look for surface-level mistakes, editors are concerned with the bigger picture. Generally, editors will take a line-by-line approach to a piece of writing to ensure the meaning is clear, the content makes sense, and the overall flow of the document is smooth.

Additionally, editors can make substantial changes to a manuscript if there are major issues, such as plot or character inconsistencies, weak parts of the narrative, or organizational problems.

As mentioned in the previous section, mechanical editing also addresses grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting issues. However, editors are more focused on the overall coherence and cohesion of the piece, so some mistakes might be overlooked. This is why final proofreading is done after editing. Editors focus on:

●  Plot or character inconsistencies

●  Clarity and coherence

●  Structure and organization

●  Tone, style, and voice

●  Repetition and redundancy

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●  Sentence structure

●  Overall consistency

Differences Between Proofreading and Editing

While there is some overlap between proofreading and mechanical editing, such as checking for consistencies, grammar, and formatting, they are very different processes. Editing still focuses on the bigger picture of a text. For example, an editor will ask:

●  Are there plot holes?

●  Are character descriptions consistent?

●  Is the structure and organization of the text logical and easy to follow?

●  Is the tone, style, and voice of the text appropriate and consistent?

●  Is each sentence clear and easy to understand?

Proofreading focuses on making sure everything is consistent (these consistencies could be outlined in a style guide given to the proofreader) and checking for any grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and formatting mistakes. It’s the last step in the writing process.

Proofreaders may also catch mistakes missed in the editing process and leave notes for the writer if drastic alterations are still needed. Proofreaders ask:

●  Is everything consistent according to the writer’s specifications (e.g., style guide/referencing system)?

●  Is the text free of grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and formatting mistakes?

●  Do I see any lengthy, awkward, or unclear sentences I need to highlight for additional editing?

Why Both Are Important

Editing and proofreading are both integral parts of the writing process. They ensure that your writing is of the highest quality possible. It’ll be hard to get a book published that has character inconsistencies or plot holes. And journals aren’t going to publish research articles with grammar errors or missing punctuation. Editing and proofreading services ensure your writing gets to your intended audience.

The editing process is going to look different for different types of writing. For example, if you’re editing a literature paper for an English class, you’re looking for a strong thesis statement, topic sentences in body paragraphs, and supporting evidence from the text. However, book editing focuses on plot, characters, chapter organization, style, prose, and much more.

Editing and proofreading are different processes. Editing happens before proofreading and includes making content, structural, and organizational changes. Proofreading is the last stage in the writing process and happens before the writing is published or submitted. Proofreaders check for grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and formatting inconsistencies.

If you have an important text that you intend to share with a larger audience or submit to a class, editing and proofreading are essential. These processes will make sure your writing is of high quality and error-free.

How do proofreading and editing differ in terms of their processes and goals?

Proofreading is the last step in the writing process and focuses on surface-level mistakes, such as grammar, spelling, and formatting mistakes. Editing takes place before proofreading and focuses on big picture issues, such as content, structure, and organization.

How do you know if you need proofreading or editing services?

You need editing services if you just finished writing and have a first draft. However, if you’ve done some editing on your own and aren’t sure which service you need next, talk to a professional. They’ll evaluate your writing and give you suggestions.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a proofreading and editing service?

Proofreading and editing services result in high-quality and error-free writing from trained professionals. The disadvantage of proofreading and editing services is having to pay for them.

Are you in need of editing or proofreading services for your essay, novel, or business proposal ? Our experts are here to make sure your writing is error-free and ready for publication. Try our free trial today!

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Learning Objectives

By the time you complete this section, you will be able to:

• Distinguish between proofreading and editing

Editing and Proofreading

What do you know about proofreading and editing? Take this quiz to identify what type of editor you currently are. Then, continue on to learn more about editing and proofreading.

When you think of editing, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Many people view the main task of editing as finding and fixing grammar or spelling mistakes. However, editing is much more. Editing is a process that involves revising the content, organization, grammar, and presentation of a piece of writing. The purpose of editing is to ensure that your ideas are presented to your reader as clearly as possible. Proofreading focuses on checking for accuracy in smaller details of your work. It is a part of the overall editing process, and is best done as the final stage of editing. In the next section of the workshop, you will discover how to implement an editing process that moves from big picture concerns through to the final step of proofreading.

Reflection Questions

• What do you do now to  edit   your writing?
• What do you do now to  proofread   your writing?

Effective Editing Copyright © 2019 by Christina Page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How Do You Edit an Essay?

Correct errors and clear up clutter to polish your prose

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

Editing is a stage of the writing process in which a writer or editor strives to improve a draft by correcting errors and making words and sentences clearer, more precise, and as effective as possible. The process of editing involves adding, deleting, and rearranging words to cut the clutter and streamline overall structure.

The Importance of Editing

Whether you're working toward completing an assignment or hoping to get something published, tightening your writing and fixing mistakes can actually be a remarkably creative activity. Thoughtful revision of a work can lead to clarification of ideas, a reimagining of images , and sometimes, even a radical rethinking of the way you've approached your topic .

The Two Types of Editing

"There are two types of editing: the ongoing edit and the draft edit. Most of us edit as we write and write as we edit, and it's impossible to slice cleanly between the two. You're writing, you change a word in a sentence, write three sentences more, then back up a clause to change that semicolon to a dash; or you edit a sentence and a new idea suddenly spins out from a word change, so you write a new paragraph where until that moment nothing else was needed. That is the ongoing edit...

"For the draft edit, you stop writing, gather a number of pages together, read them, make notes on what works and doesn't, then rewrite. It is only in the draft edit that you gain a sense of the whole and view your work as a detached professional. It is the draft edit that makes us uneasy, and that arguably matters most." —From "The Artful Edit: The Practice of Editing Yourself" by Susan Bell

Editing Checkpoints

"The final step for the writer is to go back and clean up the rough edges... Here are some checkpoints: Facts: Make sure that what you've written is what happened; Spelling: Check and recheck names, titles, words with unusual spellings, your most frequently misspelled words, and everything else. Use a spell check but keep training your eye; Numbers: Recheck the digits, especially phone numbers. Check other numbers, make sure all math is correct, give thought to whether numbers (crowd estimates, salaries, etc.) seem logical; Grammar: Subjects and verbs must agree, pronouns need correct antecedents, modifiers must not dangle (make your English teacher proud); Style: When it comes to repairing your story, leave the copy desk feeling like the washing machine repair guy who has nothing to do." —From "The Effective Editor" by F. Davis

Editing in Class

"A large portion of everyday editing instruction can take place in the first few minutes of class... Starting every class period with invitations to notice, combine, imitate, or celebrate is an easy way to make sure editing and writing are done every day. I want to communicate with my instruction that editing is shaping and creating writing as much as it is something that refines and polishes it... I want to step away from all the energy spent on separating editing from the writing process, shoved off at the end of it all or forgotten about altogether." —From "Everyday Editing" by Jeff Anderson

Tinkering: The Essence of Writing Well

"Rewriting is the essence of writing well: it's where the game is won or lost... Most writers don't initially say what they want to say, or say it as well as they could. The newly hatched sentence almost always has something wrong with it. It's not clear. It's not logical. It's verbose. It's klunky. It's pretentious. It's boring. It's full of clutter. It's full of cliches. It lacks rhythm . It can be read in several different ways. It doesn't lead out of the previous sentence. It doesn't... The point is that clear writing is the result of a lot of tinkering." —From "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser

The Lighter Side of Editing

"I hate cross-outs. If I'm writing and I accidentally begin a word with the wrong letter, I actually use a word that does begin with that letter so I don't have to cross out. Hence the famous closing, 'Dye-dye for now.' A lot of my letters make no sense, but they are often very neat." —From "There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say" by Paula Poundstone

• Bell, Susan. "The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing Yourself." W.W. Norton, 2007
• Davis, F. "The Effective Editor." Poynter, 2000
• Anderson, Jeff. " Everyday Editing ." Stenhouse, 2007
• Zinsser, William. "On Writing Well." Harper, 2006
• Poundstone, Paula. "There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say." Three Rivers Press, 2006
• Were, We're, and Where: How to Choose the Right Word
• revision (composition)
• Explore and Evaluate Your Writing Process
• Tips to Cut the Clutter in Writing
• The Difference Between Revising and Editing
• What is Copyediting?
• The Drafting Stage of the Writing Process
• The Basic Characteristics of Effective Writing
• Editing and Proofreading Marks in Composition
• Overview of Baroque Style in English Prose and Poetry
• Definition and Examples of Correctness in Language
• Editing Exercise: Correcting Errors in Pronoun Reference
• Outlines for Every Type of Writing Composition
• 5 Ways to Cut the Clutter in Writing
• Learning to Edit News Stories Quickly
• Strategies for Writing a 20-Page Paper

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of editing in English

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• The manipulative editing of the show makes people appear to say things they don't actually mean .
• The book would have benefited from a close editing.
• Even more annoying is the sloppy editing.
• anthologist
• blue pencil
• bowdlerization
• bowdlerized
• post-editing
• proofreading

Translations of editing

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Word of the Day

height above sea level

Keeping up appearances (Talking about how things seem)

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Definition of edit

 (Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

Definition of edit  (Entry 2 of 2)

Examples of edit in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'edit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

back-formation from editor

1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

1917, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing edit

• edit oneself

Dictionary Entries Near edit

Edith Cavell, Mount

Cite this Entry

“Edit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/edit. Accessed 30 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of edit, more from merriam-webster on edit.

Nglish: Translation of edit for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of edit for Arabic Speakers

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• Editing Techniques
• Post-Production

What is Film Editing — Editing Principles & Techniques Explained

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S cene transitions, sudden sounds, quick cuts, off-screen voices, and narrative flow are just among the many terms associated with the “invisible art” known as film editing. Originally seen as a technical tool in the movie making process, film editing quickly evolved to become one of the most important creative aspects of filmmaking. But as its affectionate nickname implies, not everyone knows much about film editing or how it works. So what is film editing, what does a film editor do, where did it come from, and why is it so important?

Watch: Editing Techniques & Principles Explained

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Editing Definition FIlm

First, let's define editing in film.

While the basic definition of film editing is straightforward, there is still a lot that goes into it. But to understand everything else involved in editing, such as the editors themselves and how they collaborate with others, you must understand the basic core answer to “what is film editing?”

FILM EDITING DEFINITION

What is film editing.

Film editing is the art and craft of cutting and assembling finished film. This work is done by a film editor who helps complete the director's vision of the movie. The creative choices of an editor are usually a combination of what they think is best for the film and what the director (and producers) want for the finished project. Mostly done during post-production, aspects of film editing can involve physical strips of celluloid film, digital files, or both.

What does a film editor do:

• Cuts, splices, (re)arranges raw footage to create shots, scenes, and more.
• Makes choices that affect the film’s pace, atmosphere, narrative, music, etc.
• Works with the director and producers to make a final cut.

Editing Definition: Film History

All about film editing.

In the beginning of film, there was no editing. It was a single shot, taken from a single static camera. The fascination with a "moving image" was enough and using the medium to tell fictional stories was still a few years away. Even then, film editing simply involved cutting from one scene to the next. 

Today there are many editing techniques that have evolved over the years to create new forms of film language. As you saw in the video above, these techniques are simple to execute but can have profound effects in visual storytelling and how the audience receives information. 

Below you'll find a collection of these techniques assembled using StudioBinder's storyboard creator . Click the image to download the boards for future reference when editing your next project.

Ultimate Guide to Editing Techniques  •   Download Storyboard

In the old days, it was only when the power of cinematic editing could do to support the storytelling that film editing became a valued process. Let's look back at those early days to see where and how the purpose of editing in film really bloomed.

How It Began

The history of film editing isn’t too fancy, but it does have an early evolution that helped bring it to where it is now. In the early cinema days of the 1890s, the purpose of editing in film was simply a matter of putting frames together to create scenes (back when movies were shorter than 5 or 10 minutes).

During this brief era, very few movies used what would be called “continuity editing,” which meant having continuous scenes strung together seamlessly. Famed French filmmaker Georges Méliès was also experimenting with editing as a visual effect during this time.

With the 1900s, narrative features, like The Great Train Robbery , proved that editing could create the cinematic illusion of time and space. With the power of editing, you could make it look as though a group of robbers have boarded a train and are on the run. So not only can you “trick” the audience into believing what’s happening on-screen, but you create a true narrative, too.

What is film editing history?  •  Editing definition film

Pretty soon after, more filmmakers experimented with the principles of film editing, with some aiming to prove powerful points with it. The Soviet Montage movement emerged in the 1910s and ‘20s, with filmmaker Lev Kuleshov pioneering his famous Kuleshov Experiment .

It involved juxtaposing footage of a man with a bowl of soup, a child in a coffin, and an alluring woman; it would show his unchanging face and cut to one of the three. The idea was, with the power of editing, you could make the audience believe the man had certain feelings towards any one of these scenes.

The Process

Editing film used to literally be a cut-and-paste process, involving splicing and glue by hand. Splicing was the way film editors made their edits, working with copies of negatives and creating workprints. Later on came what were known as “flatbed” machines that made cutting up and splicing film strips much easier, quicker, and precise.

Decades later, digital film editing technology helped make the editing process easier than ever, removing the need to touch the film at all. Once processed, the digitized film strip would be made into a file that the editor (and their assistants) could digitally touch at will on their computers.

Known as non-linear digital editing, this is the way virtually everyone edits their movies today. And if they’re shooting digitally, then that’s one less step they have to take.

What is film editing through the years?

Whether with a splicing machine or a computer, editors still have to compile their “editor’s cut” of a movie. These are often the vision of the film as seen and looked over exclusively by the editor, along with possible notes and such from the director. Later, the director and editor will work more closely together to make a “director’s cut.” This is then followed by a “producer’s cut” or “final cut,” which will include the producer’s input. It’s this “final cut” that, in theory, goes out as the final film.

The Role of Women

Throughout the years, the role of editor has very frequently gone to women. While it has always been difficult for women to break into the role of a director or producer, being an editor was a job women had an easier time getting. This is because, at first, editing was not seen as a “creative” position; rather, it was seen as a “technical” job.

After all, was the purpose of editing in film not simply to put together the scenes compiled by the filmmaker? As a result, there has always been a sizable number of women editors. While appearing to be limiting, they proved that the role of editor can be equally as creative and important to the overall creation of a motion picture.

Related Posts

• What is a Rough Cut? →
• Best Video Editing Phone Apps →
• Guide to Film Editing Techniques →

Types of Film Editing

Editing techniques in film.

All those years of editing and playing around with what you can do with it lead to many film editing techniques we use today. Some of these film editing examples are extremely common while others are used less often.

Continuity Editing

One of the earliest forms of editing, this technique simply ensures that things remain the same from shot to shot. If a person is in the middle of drinking from a cup in one shot, and they’re in the very next shot, they should still be drinking from it, or at least be holding onto it.

Editing techniques in film  •  Jacksfilms meta example

If there’s ever a goof in the continuity, that’s famously known as a continuity error. These are probably among the biggest mistakes that audience members will notice during the course of a movie. Even though it can be fun to point out, it can also take an audience out of a movie if it’s too noticeable or jarring. Thus, keeping continuity is one of the big principles of film editing.

Cross Cutting

Types of film editing  •  cross cutting 

Cross cutting is an editing technique that involves showing two or more separate actions by cutting back to them one at a time. This can create the illusion of them happening all at once, or have the scenes serve as parallels of one another (regardless of when each respective scene is happening).

Editing techniques in film  •  Cutaway shot examples 

A cutaway shot is an abrupt cut from one thing to another. As the name might imply, it is meant to cut away from one thing to bring attention to another. This editing technique can be used for virtually any purpose, from a horror scare to a comedic punchline. In many cases, it is used to provide irony to a scene or to unsettle the audience in some way.

Types of film editing  •  The dissolve

One of the most common editing techniques is the dissolve, which has been in use for an extremely long time. It can be described as having the visuals of one scene overlapping with the visuals of the incoming one. It can be used for various purposes, such as if you want the audience to ruminate on what just happened in one scene before entering the new one. It can also be used for creating parallels or comparisons between the coming and going scenes, or if you want to allude to the passing of time.

Fades are fairly similar to dissolves, but they serve a much different purpose. With a fade, either to white or (most often) black, a scene comes to an end. Unlike a traditional cut, a fade slowly ends a scene definitively. Fades, like dissolves, were very common in the early days of talkies and the pre-Code era of the 1920s and ‘30s, as well as post-Code Hollywood. These days, they’re a little less common, but still used in all genres.

J & L Cut

Editing techniques in film  •  J and L Cut

Cut from the same thread, a J and L cut use sound and imagery to capture the attention of the audience. A J cut is when audio from the next scene infiltrates the current scene before we get to see where the sound is coming from. An L cut is sort of the reverse; the sound from a preceding scene is still with us as we enter the next scene. It is often used in conversation scenes to keep things interesting and less stilted.

Editing types in film  •  Jump cut examples

Popularized during the French New Wave , a jump cut is when there is no continuity between shots. They call them jump cuts because the shots seem to jump ahead in time during the same shot. This editing technique was mainly created to simply cut time off from a movie by eliminating needless seconds in a scene. However, it would soon become influential in the French New Wave scene and beyond.

Cinematic editing  •  Match cuts  •   Subscribe on YouTube

One of the more famous and popular editing techniques out there is the match cut. This is when a new scene carries over elements from the preceding scene. So if you have a scene of a donut in one shot, the very next scene could be of a bagel; same shape, different object. It could also be of a city skyline in the day, immediately cutting to that same skyline at night.

Montage is an interesting editing technique because it can mean different things depending on the context.

Editing types in film  •  Montage example

The most common understanding of a montage in film is when a movie puts together a series of shots and moments together into one scene. It’s pretty common in sports films where an athlete or team is training or preparing. Montages are also implied (or outright stated) to take place over a course of time; this makes the montage a compressed presentation of this time passing.

What is the basic building block of film editing?  •  Soviet montage theory

The other montage would be known as Soviet Montage (or Soviet montage theory), which came about during the 1920s. It exists primarily as a theory that encompasses many aspects related to filmmaking, audience expectations, and experience.

Shot/Reverse Shot

Cinematic editing   •   Subscribe on YouTube

It’s one of the most common editing techniques: shot/reverse shot. If there’s one editing technique (outside of a “cut”) that’s in almost anything, it’s this. Two people talking will almost always feature a shot/reverse shot, with a little bit of the 180 degree rule thrown in for balance. Two or more people don’t even have to be talking, as this technique can also be used to showcase reactions from one or more parties.

• Understanding Depth of Field →
• How the Film "1917" Was Made →
• Learn Editing Techniques from Star Wars →

Sound Editing vs Sound Mixing

Now that we’ve gone over “what is film editing”, what does a film editor do, and film editing terms, take a look at the audio focused side of post-production. We cover sound editing, tips, and examples, along with what differentiates from sound mixing.

Up Next: Sound Editing and Mixing →

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Guides • Understanding Publishing

Last updated on Apr 08, 2024

How Much Does an Editor Cost? What to Expect for Pro Services

Before you hire an editor (or team of editors) to polish your book, you'll want a sense of how much each editor will cost and what you’ll get out of a paid editing collaboration. The good news is, with a bit of research and prep on your part, you can make the most of your budget and forge an excellent relationship with your editor(s), which is honestly priceless if you intend to publish multiple books! 

So let’s dive right into what you can expect in terms of editing costs, then discuss the factors that can affect your final numbers.

What kind of editing does your book need?

Takes one minute!

Average costs of professional editing

Based on marketplace data Reedsy collected in 2024, it costs between $1,900 and $4,440 to hire an editor for an 80,000-word book . Editing costs depend on a number of factors, including the editor’s experience level, the type of service, and the length and genre of the project. For example, a copy editor may charge $0.020 per word, whereas a proofreader’s rates may be lower at $0.014 per word.

Here’s a more detailed table of editing costs for your book, with a wider range for each service (including all genres, some of which are more costly than others):

To put these figures in context, editing costs for a generic 80,000-word book would be:

• $1,830 for an editorial assessment
• $2,540 for a  developmental edit
• $1,900 for a copy edit
• $1,360 for a final proof

If it seems like the charges are racking up, don’t fret; you almost certainly won’t need all these types of editing for your book. And depending on a few other factors, your edits could end up costing much less. Here’s what to keep in mind as you begin this process.

Costs depends heavily on genre

One thing that impacts editing costs is  your book's genre . Nonfiction, for example, costs more to edit than fiction, as it’s often denser and may require fact-checking. Likewise, “heavier” prose in genres like experimental literary fiction typically costs more to edit, while “lighter” prose in genres like romance typically costs less.

Another crucial genre consideration: while you might expect a children’s book editor to be less expensive because children’s books are relatively short, that also means every single sentence has to be perfectly tuned — which makes the editing cost per word actually higher! However, note that if you’ve written a picture book, you may not be charged by the word at all, but rather asked to pay a flat fee for editing (usually $300-$500).

Wondering where your book falls on the cost spectrum? Enter your genre and word count here to receive an estimate for each type of editing. 

Pricing calculator

Calculate the average cost of editing services for your genre.

Editorial Assessment

Developmental Editing

Copy Editing

Proofreading

You can search for professional editors over on the Reedsy marketplace .

Note that while developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading are pretty consistent within each genre, editorial assessment costs are more variable, so read your calculations carefully to ensure there are no surprises later.

Longer manuscripts are more expensive to edit

It might sound obvious, but when budgeting for editing services, authors often forget to account for the length of their book. Even knowing editors’ standard by-the-word costs, it’s easy to underestimate the charges — you may  feel like your book is shorter than it is, or assume it’s polished enough not to require a “full” edit (alas, this is rarely the case).

This is why it’s useful to keep tabs on your word count and cut as much as possible before hiring an editor. True, for some authors, there’s nothing to cut; if your book works perfectly at its current length, don’t prune it for the sake of lowering costs! But for other authors, losing a few superfluous scenes here and there could save hundreds of dollars down the line. 

Great editors are worth the cost!

The thing about skilled, experienced editors is that they don’t come cheap — nor should they. We’ve given accurate estimates above based on Reedsy data, but if you’re seeking an editor with years or even decades of experience in your niche, they may indeed cost more.

Suppose you want the best possible editing job done on your book (we daresay most authors do). In that case, it’s worth shelling out a little extra — particularly for editing tasks that require a great deal of experience and genre familiarity to pull off, like a developmental edit or thoughtful editorial assessment. That doesn’t mean you can’t work with an amazing editor on a relatively low budget, only that you might have to look a little harder for the right person and/or figure out a payment plan over time.

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Fortunately, if an editor is truly passionate about your project, they’re often willing to meet you halfway. Again, you can ask to pay in installments, or you may be able to arrange a discount — especially if you’ll be working with them on multiple books.

Be respectful and honest in your communications, and you’ll surely find an editor who will work for you.

Head to the final part of this guide for tips to help you get the most out of your collaboration. 

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Table of Contents

Developmental Editing

Evaluation editing, content editing, line editing, copyediting, proofreading, what are the different types of editing.

Every book needs editing . The question is: what type of editing do you need for your book?

Well, it depends.

It gets confusing because there are many different types of editing, but no agreed-upon definitions for those different types in the editing process.

I’m going to fix that for you. I’ll lay out the common definitions of all the different types of editing , then explain when it’s appropriate to use each one.

(Also called: conceptual editing or manuscript appraisal.)

A developmental edit happens early in the writing process, often when an author has an idea for a book or a rough outline , but they need help bringing the pieces together.

A developmental editor looks at the big picture with your book, focusing on organization and structure more than word choice, punctuation, and grammar . They help ensure your arguments line up, reduce inconsistency, that your stories are in the right place, and that everything flows.

Are you leaving out any key details? Is there irrelevant material that needs to be cut?

These are the types of questions a developmental editor should answer for you, along with helping you fix what’s not working and amp up what’s working well in your book.

Keep in mind that developmental editors don’t do any writing or rewriting. They might make suggestions, but their job is to help you become a better writer by explaining how to organize your ideas, structure your book’s content, and transition smoothly between ideas.

They’ll help you see your book the way your readers will see it and provide feedback that is aimed at helping you craft a book people will enjoy reading.

If you’re a seasoned author or have confidence in the manuscript you’ve created, you likely don’t need to hire a developmental editor. But if you need help taking your ideas and forming them into a book, developmental editing can be a major help.

(In the Scribe Professional process, this is very similar to what you do in the Positioning and Roadmap phases.)

(Also called: manuscript critique or structural edit.)

With an evaluation edit, a professional editor looks at your manuscript to assess structure, flow, completeness, and overall quality. The editor will usually provide you with a short memo that summarizes their key points, areas of concern, and suggestions for your book.

They’ll also mark up your manuscript at a high level, making note of any structural concerns or questions they have. Similar to a developmental editor, they’re not as focused on the finer details of your writing, but rather any big picture issues.

If you receive a glowing evaluation, your book might be ready for copyediting and proofreading.

If the editor says your book’s organization and structure need serious work, you might need a developmental editor.

If the structure is sound but your writing needs work, you might need a line edit or content edit to strengthen your manuscript.

An evaluation edit is a safeguard that keeps you from paying for later stage edits (described below) or trying to publish your book before it’s ready.

There is some overlap between developmental editing and evaluation editing, with the key difference being that you need a finished manuscript for an evaluation edit.

You can come to a developmental editor with or without a book, but if you want an evaluation editor to assess your work, you need to have a finished manuscript to show them.

(Also called: substantive editing or full editing.)

Whereas developmental and evaluation edits look mainly at big picture issues, a content edit is the level at which an editor also starts to dig into the words on the page.

In addition to evaluating the structure of your book, a content editor reads and carefully edits the manuscript with an eye on the completeness, flow, and construction of ideas and stories, working paragraph by paragraph and chapter by chapter.

A content editor should provide you with a paragraph-level set of markups on your manuscript, offering corrections, pointing out incomplete sections, and offering advice on smoothing the flow and construction of your chapters, sections, and subsections.

A key focus for a content edit should also be the tone and voice of your manuscript. A content editor should be aware of your target audience to ensure that the way your content comes off (tone) is a good fit for that audience, and that the writing sounds like you (voice). They help refine your language for your intended audience.

The key difference between a content edit and a line edit (two terms that are often used interchangeably) is that a content edit is not as detailed as a line edit. It exists between the high-level view of a developmental or evaluation edit, and the ground-level view that a line editor takes as they work through each line of your manuscript.

A content editor won’t move your chapters around, but they will move sections or paragraphs around within your chapters, move content to different chapters, or delete content entirely.

Think of it this way: a developmental or evaluation editor helps you build the house (the book) and figure out which rooms (chapters) should go where.

With those rooms in place, the content editor’s job is to help you arrange the furniture (sections and paragraphs) inside those rooms in a way that’s appealing.

Unlike line editors, they’re not concerned with the decorations (sentences).

(Also called: stylistic edit or comprehensive edit.)

As the name implies, a line editor performs a line-by-line review of your manuscript. Up to this point, the editors have worked on your manuscript at a high level—either the macro level where they consider the entire book, or the chapter and paragraph level.

The line editor jumps into the manuscript with both feet, providing the most detailed edit you can get. Notice that I didn’t say “comprehensive.” A great line editor will make your prose sing, but if your content isn’t structured properly, it won’t matter.

That’s why it’s important not to jump in with line editing before your book has the proper structure and organization in place and your content is where it needs to be.

A line editor is down in the weeds, so they’re not looking at the big picture. They’re focusing on word choice and whether each sentence has the intended impact.

Like other editors, they focus on your book’s flow, but they’re more concerned with how each word in a sentence interacts with the others and how sentences flow into each other.

Line editors point out run-on sentences, sentence fragments, and clichés. They help you clarify meaning, eliminate jargon, and ensure that each sentence sounds right in the reader’s mind.

They also push back against the natural inclination many of us have toward wordiness by tightening your sentences and helping you say in five words what you initially said in fifteen.

A line editor is not as concerned with errors, but rather the words you use to communicate with your reader. They want your writing to be short, simple, concise, and about the reader—the essential writing principles of great non-fiction.

That said, a line editor may perform the duties of a copyeditor, but it’s not a given. If you want an editor who can provide this kind of all-in-one service, clarify that desire up front.

When you have a finished manuscript—and I mean completely finished, not one that’s close to done or has a few gaps to fill in—it’s time to hire a copyeditor.

A copyeditor will meticulously go through your book and find the spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes.

That’s right—no matter how confident you are that your manuscript is mistake free, there are mistakes in there.

When you read your book out loud (which all authors should do), you’ll catch the sloppy mistakes and wording issues, but you’ll miss the stuff that copyeditors search for: small grammatical rules that native English speakers often don’t even realize exist.

There is a lot of data on this, but average people only detect about 60 percent of errors, and even professionals usually only catch about 85 percent. That’s why copyediting and the next type of editing (proofreading) should be in tandem.

Copyeditors not only find mistakes, they also check that your book follows the style guide appropriate for your genre (most books use the Chicago Manual of Style ).

Even if you think having your neighbor read through your book is enough to find all the spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes (which it’s not), unless that neighbor is a professional copyeditor, they won’t know how to style your book correctly.

The kinds of mistakes copyeditors catch are not life threatening, but they make the difference between a professional book and one that comes across as amateur.

Although the terms “copyediting” and “proofreading” are often used interchangeably, they describe different processes that benefit your book in unique ways.

A proofreader takes the printed version of your book after it’s been designed and formatted (called a “proof) and gives it a final review before the book goes to print. Since it comes right before publication, proofreading is the last line of defense against errors.

You should always have your manuscript copyedited before it goes to layout, and then always have your book professionally formatted before it goes to a proofreader.

Here’s why: like a copyeditor, a proofreader looks for typos and misplaced punctuation, but also searches for layout issues like page numbering, consistency with headings, placement of tables of figures in the text, bad line or page breaks, and more.

A proofreader isn’t looking to fix your content—just correct any errors they see.

Because so much published writing lives online nowadays, many editorial teams don’t bother with proofreaders and just use copyeditors to get content ready for publication. However, many will still ask for the copy to be proofread before it’s published.

That’s why confusion exists about how copyediting and proofreading differ. If you want to break it down, here’s an easy way to remember the difference:

Copyeditors catch all the mistakes the author missed.

Proofreaders catch all the mistakes the copyeditor missed.

What Type of Editing Does Your Book Need?

Now that we’ve walked through the different types of editing, you should have a better idea which ones are appropriate for your book based on your needs as an author.

At the very least, you need to hire a professional copyeditor and proofreader to ensure readers can enjoy the book you worked hard to write without being distracted by dozens of typos.

The Scribe Crew

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Editing: evolution, principles, functions, practices, and techniques.

Published by Emil Abraham, September 24th, 2019

• To assemble material in a sequential fashion. The shooting order may differ from the running order

• To correct mistakes by editing them out or by covering them with other footage. 

• To create, enhance, embellish, and bring to life images and events that were once captured live. Tools such as visual effects, sound effects, and music can give the story more drama, thus more impact on the audience. 

• Sometimes the action is shot from start to finish, such as might occur if you are shooting someone who is blowing a glass vase.
• Only sections of the total action may be deliberately shot, omitting unwanted action. 

• The action may be repeated so that it can be shot from various positions. 

• All of the action at one location may be shot before going on to the next 
location, although the script may cut between them. 

• A series of similar subjects may be shot that have reached different 
stages. For example, shots of various newborn foals, yearlings, colts, and aging horses can be edited together to imply the life cycle of a specific horse. 

• Splicing - The original video edit technique included cutting and splicing segments of the videotape together. However, the edits were physically hard on the VCR’s delicate heads and did not look good on the television screen. This method was short-lived.

• Non-linear editing: Today almost all video and television programs are edited on a nonlinear editor. Nonlinear editing is the process whereby the recorded video is digitized (copied) onto a computer. Then the footage can be arranged or rearranged, special effects can be added, and the audio and graphics can be adjusted using editing software. Nonlinear editing systems make it easy to make changes, moving clips around until the director or client is happy. Hard disk and memory card cam- eras have allowed editors to begin editing much faster because they do not need to digitize all of the footage. Nonlinear systems cost a fraction of the price of a professional linear editing system. Once the edited project is complete, it can be output to whatever medium is desired: tape, Internet, iPod, CD, DVD, and so on.

• Linear off- and on-line editing: Linear off-line editing is done to give you a rough idea of how the intended shot sequence looks and feels. It is a sketch, not the final painting. Even skilled editors like to do an off-line edit to check the rhythm of the shot sequence, decide on various transitions and effects, and get some idea of the audio requirements. Linear off-line editing is usually done with low-end equipment. You could even use two VHS recorders for an off-line rough-cut: one feeds the source tapes, the other records the selected shots in the desired sequence (see figure 13.2). Never mind the sloppy transitions or audio—all you want to see is whether the sequences make sense, that is, tell the intended story. If you do a preliminary edit for a client, of course, the off-line edit should look as good as you can possibly make it, so VHS machines will no longer suffice. The most valuable by-product of off-line editing is a final edit decision list (EDL) that you can then use for on-line editing.
• Non-linear off- and on-line editing: In nonlinear editing off-line means that you capture the selected shots in low-resolution video and use them for your rough-cut. The reason for importing the video in low-resolution is to save storage space and processing time. Even though you can run the edited low-resolution version from beginning to end, your final aim is actually an accurate EDL. When editing the on-line version, you redigitize the selected clips in high resolution and sequence them according to the EDL. This procedure makes little sense if you're editing a relatively short piece. If you kept a fairly accurate VTR log, you can capture the selected clips in high-resolution without straining your hard drive. Then every time you try out a particular editing sequence, your editing is on-line even though your intentions may be to do just a rough-cut. As you can see, this is one of the huge advantages of nonlinear editing.
• Linear systems: Having to roll through all the preceding shots is a linear—one-after-the-other—process. To locate shot 25 on a videotape, you need to roll through the previous twenty-four shots before reaching shot 25. You cannot simply jump to shot 25, skipping all preceding shots. All tape-based editing systems are therefore called linear, regardless of whether the tapes contain analog or digital signals.
• Non-linear systems: When information is stored on a disk-based editing system, you can jump to shot 25 directly without rolling through the preceding twenty-four shots. Being able to access any specific shot or frame in random order is a nonlinear process. All disk-based systems are, therefore, called nonlinear. Because they are computer-driven, they can operate only with digital signals. In effect, the nonlinear editing system operates like a large ESS (electronic still store) system that allows you to identify and access each frame or frame sequence in a fraction of a second. Because the system is nonlinear, it can display any two or more frames side-by- side on a single computer screen so you can see how well the shots will edit together.
• Subject Identification: The viewer should be able to recognize a subject or an object from one shot to the next. Therefore, avoid editing between shots of extreme changes in distance, SEE13.24 If you cannot maintain visual continuity for identification, bridge the gap by telling the viewer that the shot is, indeed, the same person or thing. Despite what wasjust noted, trying to edit together shots that are too similar can lead to even worse trou­ ble—the jump cut. This occurs when you edit shots that are identical in subject yet slightly different in screen lo­ cation; the subject seems to jerk from one screen location to another as if pushed by an unseen force. To avoid a jump cut, try to find a succeeding shot that shows the object from a different angle or field of view, or insert a cutaway shot
• Mental map: Because television has a relatively small screen, we normally see little of a total scene in the on-screen space. Rather, the many close-ups suggest, or should
suggest, that the event continues in the off-screen space.
What you show in the on-screen space defines the off­
screen space as well. For example, if you show person A
looking screen-right in a close-up, obviously talking to an
off-screen person (B), the viewer would expect person B to
look screen-left on a subsequent close-up. What you have done—quite unconsciously—is help the viewer construct a mental map that outs people and place in a logical place regardless of whether they are on screen or off-screen space. Continuity editing is little more than using graphic, index, and motion vectors in the source mate­ rial to establish or maintain the viewer's mental map. If you were t o apply the vectors t o the example o f on-screen person A talking t o off-screen person B , the screen-right index vector of A needs to be edited to the screen-left index vector ofB.Although the index vectors of the two persons are converging in off-screen space, they indicate that A and B are talking with each other rather than away from each other. Maintaining screen positions is especially important in over-the-shoulder shots. If, for example, y o u show a reporter interviewing somebody in a n over-the-shoulder two-shot, the viewer's mental map expects the two people to remain in their relative screen positions and not switch places during a reverse-angle shot. One important aid in maintaining the viewer's mental map and keeping the subjects in the expected screen space in reverse-angle shooting is the vector line. The vector line (also called the line, the line of conversation and action, or the hundred eighty) is a n extension o f converging index vectors or of a motion vector in the direction of object travel. When doing reverse-angle switching from camera 1 to camera 2, you need to position the cameras o n the same side o f the vector line. Crossing the line with one of the two cameras will switch the subjects' screen positions and make them appear to be playing musical chairs, thus upsetting the mental map.

• Movement : When editing, or cutting a n action with a switcher, try to continue the action as much as possible from shot to shot. The following discussion covers some of the major points to keep in mind. To preserve motion continuity, cut during the motion of the subject, not before or after it. For example, if you have a close-up of a man preparing to rise from a chair, cut to a wider shot just after h e has started to rise but before he finishes the movement. Or, if you have the choice, you can let him almost finish the action on the close-up (even if he goes out of the frame temporarily) before cutting to the wider shot. But do not wait until he has finished get- ting up before going to the wider shot. If one shot contains a moving object, do not follow it with a shot that shows the object stationary. Similarly, if you follow a moving object in one shot with a camera pan, do not cut to a stationary camera in the next shot. Equally jarring would be a cut from a stationary object to a moving one. You need to have the subject or camera move in both the preceding and the subsequent shots.
• Colour : One of the most serious continuity problems occurs when colors in the same scene don't match. For example, if the script for an EFP calls for an exterior MS (medium shot) of a white building followed by an MS of somebody walking to the front of the same building, it should not suddenly turn blue. As obvious as such a discrepancy may be, colour continuity is not always easy to maintain, even if you are careful to white-balance the cameras for each new location and lighting situation. What can throw you off are lighting changes you may not notice in the fervour of production. For example, the temporary blocking of the sun by some clouds can drastically influ­ence the color temperature, as can the highly polished red paint of a car reflecting onto the white shirt of a person standing next to it. The more attention you pay to white-balancing the camera to the prevailing colour temperature of the lighting, the easier it is to maintain color continuity in postproduc­tion. As mentioned before, any type of color correction in postproduction is difficult and time-consuming.
• Sound: When editing dialogue or commentary, take extra care to preserve the general rhythm of the speech. The pauses between shots of a continuing conversation should be neither much shorter nor much longer than the ones in the unedited version. In an interview the cut (edit or switcher-activated) usually occurs at the end of a question or an answer. Reaction shots, however, are often smoother when they occur during, rather than at the end of, phrases or sentences. But note that action is generally a stronger motivation for a cut than dialogue. If somebody moves during the conversation, you must cut on the move, even if the other person is still in the middle of a statement. Ambient (background) sounds are very important in maintaining editing continu­ity. If the background noise acts as environmental sounds, which give clues to where the event takes place, you need to maintain these sounds throughout the scene, even if it was built from shots actually taken from different angles and at different times. You may have to supply this continu­ity by mixing in additional sounds in the postproduction sweetening sessions. When editing video to music, try to cut with the beat. Cuts determine the beat of the visual sequence and keep the action rhythmically tight, much as the bars measure divisions in music. If the general rhythm of the music is casual or flowing, dissolves are usually more appropriate than hard cuts. But do not be a slave to this convention. Cutting "around the beat" (slightly earlier or later than the beat) on occasion can make the cutting rhythm less mechanical and intensify the scene.
• Cut: The cut is the most common type of video transition. It simply means replacing one shot instantly with the next. When you shoot video footage on your camera, there is a cut between each shot, i.e. between when you stop recording and start recording the next shot. Although some cameras do offer built-in transitions, most recorded footage is separated by cuts. In video editing and live switching, cuts are fast and efficient. Once a scene has been established, cuts are the best way to keep the action rolling at a good pace. Other types of transition can slow the pace or even be distracting. Of course there are some situations where fancier transitions are in order. Certain genres of television, for example, rely on a variety of transitions. Even in these productions though, notice how many transitions are still simple cuts. A common mistake amongst amateurs is to shun the cut in favour of showiness, adding wipes and effects between every shot. Learn to avoid temptation and stick to the basics. The video shots are what the audience wants to see, not how many transitions your editing program can do.
• Dissolve: A dissolve overlaps two shots or scenes, gradually transitioning from one to the other. It’s usually used at the end of one scene and the beginning of the next and can show that two narratives or scenes are linked. They can be used to show time passing, or to move from one location to another. Quick dissolves might be used to show the scenes occur a few minutes or hours later, while a long dissolve might symbolize a longer duration of months or years between the scenes.
• Wipes: A wipe is when a shot travels from one side of the frame to the other, replacing the previous scene. Wipes are often used to transition between storylines taking place in different locations, and/or to establish tension or conflict.
• Fade In/Out: A fade is when the scene gradually turns to a single color — usually black or white — or when a scene gradually appears on screen. Fade-ins occur at the beginning of a film or scene, while fade-outs are at the end. A fade to black — the most common transition type — is a dramatic transition that often symbolizes the passage of time or signifies completion. Fading to black is used to move from a dramatic or emotional scene into another scene, or to the credits at the end of a film.
• Digital Effect Transitions: Most editing applications offer a large selection of digital transitions with various effects. There are too many to list here, but these effects include colour replacement, animated effects, pixelization, focus drops, lighting effects, etc. Many cameras also include digital effects, but if possible it is better to add these in post-production.
• Editing drama: When editing a drama, you're likely to be working from a script and sometimes a storyboard. The scenes will have a purpose, with fairly fixed action or dialogue. Your job is to look at what was actually filmed and see if you can make it work in the way it was intended. If it doesn't, forget about the script and make the best of what you have.
• Editing documentary: Usually with a documentary, the structure is not so fixed. Though there may be a basic structure, a voice-over or an outline, there will be lots of sequences that couldn't be planned. Don’t try to start at the beginning and continue to the end. Make up stand-alone sequences. This is where your scene cards really come into play. Then gradually put your separate sequences together to make sense of your story. You will also have to go through a lot of interviews. These are sometimes transcribed and printed for ease of reference. This allows you to do a paper edit, a little like using scene cards. Any tools like these can prove invaluable. Quite often you will use interviews to tell your story, but eventually will cover the interviewee shots with other footage that shows the subject better. But look out for any time that the interviewee expresses real emotion, as sometimes having these moments on screen can be very powerful, adding the ‘human’ element to the film. Sometimes there is up to one hundred times more footage than will appear in the final film. The key to working successfully on documentary is in the management of the footage. For ease of filing and finding, clips can be duplicated and live in more than one folder. For instance, a clip might be in the exterior house folder, but also be attached to a character’s folder. With a documentary film the editor functions as the shaper of the story as well as its visual style and sound design.
• Editing animation: Animation works in the opposite way to documentary: because it takes so long to create, very little will have been shot that doesn't end up in the film. Indeed, the problem with animation can be not having enough of anything. Be inventive, learn about loops, holds, and ping pongs, which can save your film. Frequently, the entire soundtrack is recorded before the animation, and the pictures are then created (and timed) to fit. The challenge is then to get the pictures perfectly aligned with the sound. If the pictures are recorded first, putting them together shouldn't take too long. The main challenge in this case is to fit the voices and effects to all the actions.
• Cutting commercials, promos, trailers, and PSAs: Cutting commercials editors work under pressure. Usually a day for a 30 to 60 sec clip. The goal is to put together such compelling images, text and stories in a small amount of time. The goal is to convince viewers to spend money or time on a product.
• In Reality TV there is a lot of useless footage. This becomes an issue because editors have to look through hours of footage for good moments. There is no room for slacking and and editors have to cut out bleeps. There is also cheating going on the shows from what is called "Frankenbites" (new lines pieced together over several lines. Why? Because the viewer is paying attention to the continuity of the story. In short, it condenses statements to make them quicker, cleaner and more concise. Editors can do a lot to dress up a scene with fancy wipes, split screens and speed-ups, it is the necessary play toy that keeps the attention of a viewer.

• Comedy: Example: cutting to reactions after the joke. When editing Multi-cam comedy use longest piece of audio. With synced cameras footage, you cut on the fly from one cam to the next. Remember to cut in laughs from the audience. When editing Single-cam comedy the editor has the ability to create timing, build character. Remember If you can cut comedy, you can cut anything because you understand timing, characters, reaction shots, and how to start, build, sustain, and end laughs/scenes.
• Cutting News: Download material (titles, footage, etc) for each for each story and cut it for the ordering of the show. With news, stories depend on framing from the camera and catching the atmosphere. Goal is to edit to bring understanding to a community.
• Music Videos: Goal when editing a music video is to make a promotional documentary of a song. Rhythm, beat, timing.
• A superimposition , or super for short, is a form of double exposure. The picture from one video source is elec­ tronically superimposed over the picture from another. More often supers are used for creating the effects of inner events—thoughts, dreams, or processes of imagina­ tion. The traditional (albeit overused) super of a dream sequence shows a close-up of a sleeping person, with im­ ages superimposed over his or her face. Sometimes supers are used to make an event more complex. For example, you may want to super a close-up of a dancer over a long shot of the same dancer. If the effect is done properly, we are given new insight into the dance. You are no longer photographing a dance but helping create it.
• Keying means using an electronic signal to cut out portions of a television picture and fill them in with various colors or portions of another image. The basic purpose of a key is to add titles to a background picture or to cut another picture (the image of a weathercaster) into the background pic­ ture (the satellite weather map). Lettering of the title is generally supplied by a character generator (CG)
• Chroma keying is a special effect that uses a specific color (chroma), usually blue or green, as the backdrop for the person or object that is to appear in front of the back­ ground scene. During the key the blue or green backdrop will be replaced by the background video source without affecting the foreground object. A typical example is the weathercaster standing in front of a weather map or a satellite picture. During the chroma key, the computer- generated weather map or satellite image replaces all blue or green areas—but not the weathercaster. The key effect makes the weathercaster appear to be standing in front of the weather map or satellite image,
• In a wipe, a second image in some geometric shape gradually replaces parts or all of the first (on-air) image. Although, technically, the second picture gradually overlaps the first in some geometric fashion, perceptually it looks as though the second image wipes the first image off the screen. The two simplest wipes are the vertical and the hori­ zontal. A vertical wipe gives the same effect as pulling down a window shade over the screen.
• The more common DVE used in production are prere­ corded manipulations of image size, shape, light, and color (shrinking and expanding, stretching, positioning and point of view, perspective, mosaic, and posterization and solarization); motion (slide and peel effects, snapshots, and rotation, bounce, fly, and cube-spin effects); and multi- images (secondary frame and echo effects).

Tags: Kujmcs3 , Itp

Definitions of Editing Services

There are many types and levels of services included under the name editing . To provide a standard resource and avoid confusion, The Christian PEN’s parent organization, Christian Editors Association , has compiled a list of the most common definitions of typical editing services.

Levels of Editing

Developmental Editing (aka Substantive Editing, Content Editing)

A developmental edit is a “big picture” edit, and is generally the first round of editing performed on a manuscript. Some line edits or copyedits may be included on the manuscript to show how to revise effectively. A developmental editor

• identifies problems with overall clarity or accuracy;
• seeks to achieve clarity of subject, logic, and consistency by identifying cloudy explanations, vague assumptions, and faulty logic;
• evaluates the order of the text and recommends ways to reorganize;
• identifies gaps in content, structure, and style;
• analyzes sentences for structure, syntax, and rhythm;
• suggests clearer explanations, anecdotes, analogies, or illustrations;
• proposes additions or deletions of headings;
• identifies outdated content and factual errors; and
• points out content that doesn’t adhere to the theme, tone, or marketing focus of the manuscript.

For a fiction manuscript, a content edit also identifies problems in pacing, plot, dialogue, point of view (POV), character development, setting, lack of conflict/tension, too much (or too little) description, showing and telling.

Note: The terms developmental editor , substantive editor , and content editor overlap and may be used interchangeably. When seeking an editor, the best practice is to ascertain what each editor includes in this type of edit.

Line Editing

Line editors work at the sentence or paragraph level of a manuscript, working on a line-by-line basis to check for clarity, flow, style, and tone. Basic line edits are often included in a developmental edit. Moderate and in-depth copyedits may also include a line edit.

*If you would like to get a line edit for your manuscript through Christian Editor Connection , request a copyedit and specify that you would like a heavy copyedit with line editing.

Copyediting

Copyeditors correct spelling, grammar, usage, and punctuation. A copyedit can be light, moderate, or heavy depending on the manuscript’s condition and the author’s preference. A copyeditor may also

• ensure material is logical and understandable;
• correct continuity problems;
• ensure sources are properly cited for all statistics and quotations; and
• flag inaccuracies and inconsistencies.

In a moderate copyedit, the editor may also look for

• redundancies;
• sentence clarity;
• word choice; and
• maintenance of tone/voice.

A heavy copyedit could also include some line editing, such as

• a review for consistency of style and mood or presentation of content;
• analysis of the point of view (fiction);
• cross-checking references, figures, tables, equations, etc. (nonfiction); and
• pointing out items that may require permission from the copyright holder.

Proofreading

This stage of editing generally follows developmental, line editing, and/or copyediting. Proofreaders review the text for

• typographical errors;
• misspelled/misused words;
• grammatical problems;
• punctuation mistakes (including abbreviations and capitalization);
• inconsistent format;
• spacing errors;
• specialized terms, character names (fiction), locations;
• numerical and alphabetical sequences;
• vertical and horizontal alignment of set-off text (including paragraph indents); and
• references to illustrations, tables, and figures within the text.

If a manuscript contains Scripture quotations, the proofreader may, upon request, verify that the quotations have been copied accurately and that the reference given is the correct one (including the Bible version being used).

Other Types of Editing

Manuscript Critique

A critique is an overall assessment of a manuscript, pinpointing its strengths and weaknesses. Specific problem areas are flagged and general suggestions for improvement are made. A professional opinion of the manuscript’s potential for acceptance by an agent and/or royalty-paying publisher may be given if offered/requested.

Beta Reading

Beta readers read a manuscript, often before the manuscript undergoes editing, and provide feedback to the author, usually at no cost. Some common issues addressed are plot holes, inconsistencies, and errors. While many beta readers are friends or acquaintances of the author, or avid readers who enjoy the author’s genre, some editors offer beta reading as a paid service. Typically, feedback from a beta reader is less in-depth than a manuscript critique.

Sensitivity Reading

Sensitivity readers review a manuscript with the goal of pointing out cultural inaccuracies, representation issues, bias, stereotypes, or problematic language. While many sensitivity readers are not editors, some editors offer sensitivity reading as an editing service.

Book Doctoring

Book doctors are generally considered developmental editors. However, in addition to providing editorial feedback, they also make changes to the manuscript by rewriting and reorganizing passages. They often work with an author from the initial concept, outline, and/or draft.

Mentoring/Coaching/Consulting

Mentors/coaches/consultants work with a client to develop, refine, and/or complete a manuscript. This can include everything from emotional support to practical advice. Coaching can begin at the start of the project to provide direction, or later if an author becomes “stuck” and needs assistance to complete the project. A consultant may also assist clients in navigating the steps involved in publishing their book.

Coauthoring/Collaborating

A coauthor/collaborator works with the author to write the book together. The collaborator may be listed as a coauthor of the book.

Ghostwriting

A ghostwriter uses text, notes, outlines, and/or transcriptions provided by the author to write the manuscript. New material is obtained from the author as needed. The author re­tains all rights and receives all royalties, and only the author is listed as author of the book.

View and download a printable PDF of Christian Editors Association’s editing definitions here .

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Introduction to saving service definitions

With ArcGIS Pro , you can create a service definition file ( .sd ) and use it to publish to an ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise portal or a stand-alone ArcGIS Server at a later time. A service definition is a portable file that contains all the information needed to publish a web layer or service, such as its properties, capabilities, and service type. It can also optionally include the data referenced by a GIS resource.

A service definition file is useful in the following or a combination of the following scenarios:

• If you are in a disconnected environment with limited or no access to the portal or server—for example, in a cloud environment or secure environment—you can create a service definition that can be shared with a server administrator for publishing when connected.
• If the work of sharing a GIS resource is divided between multiple people, a service definition allows you to split workflows into service preparation and publishing. You may be given the task of creating service definition files for another user to later publish as a web layer to a portal or service to a stand-alone server.
• If your organization maintains staging and production environments, you can create connection-neutral .sd files to conveniently deploy the same services in multiple environments.
• Create a service definition
• Web feature layer
• Web tile layer
• Map image layer
• Geodata service
• Map service
• Geocode service
• Geoprocessing service

Related topics

• Publish a service definition

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