The Line Edit Foothills

On your book journey, you exit the Range of Revision and ease into the Line Edit Foothills. After conquering the larger mountains of character and plot, now it’s time to cross the rolling hills of cadence and prose. When the sun hits them just right, these hills sing.^[1]Emperor’s New Groove reference 100 percent intended.

Foothills Are for Finesse

Line editing is a time to focus on voice, finesse, artistry, and efficiency. Before diving into the long trek of either traditional or self-publishing, make sure your gear—in this case, the words you’ve used to build your book—is lean and lively.

Ditch filler words, choose vibrant verbs, and zero in on the style and voice choices that best convey your characters, themes, and story.

Help Along the Way

There are no hard and fast rules in line editing, but that doesn’t mean it’s a rudderless art. You can prepare to line edit your own work by paying close attention to the prose of your favorite writers and by getting advice on phrasing and line editing from books, teachers, and line editors. If you’re ready for professional help, look for a line editor to add to your team.

• Books on wordcraft: Self-editing for Fiction Writers by Dave King and Renni Browne and Stein on Writing by Sol Stein are both excellent books to train your eye to prose-level opportunities. Self-editing has excellent chapters on proportion and rhythm, and Stein has lots of recommendations on how to trim the fat. (Check out Looseleaf’s recommended writing craft books here—affiliate link.)
• Line editors: If you’re ready for professional help, a line editor can be an excellent asset to your team. These word warriors specialize in fine-tuning phrasing, recommending judicious cuts, and cleaning up errors. (Learn more about line editing here.)

Where to Next?

The next destination on the Book Journey Map is actually a crossroads. After line editing, it’s time to decide where you’re taking this manuscript. Do you want to publish traditionally? Then hang a right to the Querying Sands and submit queries to agents and/or publishers. Do you want to self-publish? You’re on your way to splitting the party to tackle copyediting and design work. Is this a book that just isn’t something to publish right now? That’s okay too! Learn about heading back to the Draft Marshes after shelving a manuscript.