I have been blessed to have editors of the Iconoclast series that are talented, knowledgeable and honest. Most recently, I have been blessed by a talented editor who is a content editor, copy editor, and line editor combined. The company is Inspire Publishing. If you have a manuscript and need an editor (and, to be honest, we all need an editor) This company has, by far, the best editor I have met. Here is the website: http://inspirepublishing.guru/ If you need further help contacting them, please send me a request in the comments and I will get you an answer.
Until recently, I did not know there are three types of editors and they all serve an important purpose. The following definitions from Novel Publicity http://www.novelpublicity.com/2011/11/finally-an-answer-heres-the-difference-between-line-copy-and-content-editing/ give a clear, concise idea of what each editor does.
The Copy Editor:
In journalism, a copy editor is essentially a fact checker and someone who protects the publication from libel. For our purposes a Copy Editor is more like a professional proof-reader. Someone who performs this task usually does minimal rewriting for the sake of efficiency of prose as opposed to stylistic choices. They check the manuscript for clarity and flow. In my experiences most copy editors will also do line editing as the two are tied closely together and work well as a two part process.
The Line Editor
This is your final defense, the last step, the difference between being a writer with a good idea and a professional author. The line editor generally isn’t there to discuss story arc or make sure you understand how to use a dialogue tag. Instead, they are there to make sure you are putting out the best quality product possible. Line editors will go over each sentence to make sure it is ready for publication. They check for grammar, punctuation, spelling, consistency and word usage (Is he your Principle or your PrinciPAL?) and can often assist with rewriting/rewording sections that need help.
The Content Editor
This is the professional eye which looks over your manuscript with a fine tooth comb. They will catch things like inconsistent character behavior/speech, style issues, thematic variances and readability. A content editor will be able to help you adjust your language by audience (lit fic vs. YA – there is a difference!), make sure everything makes sense, has believable dialogue and a plausible plotline. Many people skip this step, thinking their editor who fixes commas will do this as well. If you are lucky, they will, although the cost for editors who are that skilled is quite high and often times, even if the individual is capable, their attention to other issues in your manuscript might mean they miss something that could make the difference between an ok story and an epic novel.
Until Next Time,