We all are aware of what revising a draft means and what it means to get your manuscript edited, but very few writers really know the real difference between the two. If you’ll ask around, the most common answer is that what we do ourselves is revising and what an editor does is editing. But you see how it doesn’t really answer the question?
As a writer, you can revise as well as edit your manuscript. In fact, as a golden rule of thumb, you should self-edit your manuscript before proceeding with withers hiring a professional editor or going for a professional critique or sending out your manuscript tot he agent or the publisher(s).
And you can do that once you know the difference between editing and revising. So, let’s go ahead and dive in.
Editing
Editing involves changes that polish your manuscript technically by focusing on the following:
- Paying attention to each and every sentence structure
- Correcting spelling mistakes & typos
- Correcting all grammatical errors
- Checking for composition for the narrative voice
- Checking the story for consistency issues related to the plot, characterisation, world-building, conflicts, backstories, sub-plots, point-of-views(s), timelines, scenes execution and chapter break-up
- Fact-checking and researching things to make sure nothing is portrayed wrongly in your book
- Developing the plot, characterisation, world, conflicts, etc. further if they have not been correctly developed
- Suggesting structures if the plot has not been structured properly
- Finding potential plot-holes, inconsistencies in narration and stylistic issues
In editing, the overall story remains the same. Editing focuses on fixing the already revised story and making slight adjustments to its structure to give it that beautiful gleam of a well-polished story that we all crave for, readers and writers alike.
Revising
Revising involves making major changes to your story to refine it mechanically by focusing on the following:
- Rewriting existing thoughts in a better way
- Adding new scenes, chapters or bits of text
- Adding new necessary details
- Deleting unnecessary details
- Refining the story flow
- Enhancing character development
- Using better words and phrases
- Rewriting paragraphs to make them sound better
- Clarifying and developing ideas
- Developing the plot further
In revising, the overall story changes, maybe a little or a lot, depending on how aggressively you revise. Revising focuses on rewriting and making major changes to the overall story that makes it a smooth readable version that makes complete sense.
So, it goes without saying that first revisions are done and once the revision process is over, editing is done.
VERBATIK MEDIA by Heena R. Pardeshi 
19 responses to “Editing Vs Revising”
Your links are so helpful. I like writing but I never wanted to share it. After a run in with a dodgy publisher I was forced to publish before they did. It’s odd but I don’t entirely regret what has happened to me because I know many have faced the same experience. Also I finally get to say I have a hobby, which is great. Have a nice weekend. 😊
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Thanks a lot, Teherah!
And that’s wrong, what happened to you! Did the published release that book? Or did you beat him to it?
Publishers can be real a**ho**s!
But I’m glad that you take it positively now. Good for you 🙂
You too have a great weekend!
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I beat them to it but it meant the editing was quick and revising nonexistent lol 🙈.
I hope to take my own sweet time next time. I contacted their local courthouse to get my money back. The threat of seeing me in court was luckily enough for them. Definitely a very annoying experience, I’m just glad it didn’t stop me from writing.
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This is such a great distinction, Heena. Revising certainly sounds like a lot more work than editing. But when it comes to writing a book and even blog posts, both need to be done. I am currently revising the draft of my first book – I am looking at putting in new ideas and anecdotes within the chapters. Along the way, I’m also picking up grammatical errors and typos…so in a way, editing and revising go hand in hand 🙂
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Thanks, Mabel! And I agree with you, both, editing and revising, go hand in hand. I also work on both the aspects together in one go while polishing my manuscript.
Thanks for reading this post 🙂
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That’s a helpful distinction. So many of these words are used interchangeably at times, that it’s hard to understand the differences between them.
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Thanks, Phoenix! To be honest, I feel the difference actually comes into play when the manuscript is sent to the editor, because they only edit. Otherwise, while one works on the book, both editing and revising are done together only. Without consciously knowing if it’s editing or revising.
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That’s true. But I’m a word-geek and like to know what each one means and where to apply it. 🙂
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Yeah, that’s always a good thing, especially for writers. Initially I was always confused in both these terms. But then curiosity took over and dug a little deeper and finally figured it out 🙂
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Curiosity. The writer’s best friend. 🙂
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This was all good to know, my Dear Heena! Especially the one that ‘Editors’ merely Edit. All the Best, and Love and Regards. 🙂
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Thanks a lot for your kind words and for visiting my blog 🙂
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🙂
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