Many authors know that copy-editing and proofreading their manuscript before publication is essential. Of course we all want our language to be polished and professional (and, let’s be honest, free of embarrassing typos). 

But when we at Fabled Planet mention content editing, we get quite a few blank looks. 

What is content editing? 

Put simply, a content edit is a report that helps authors improve the substance of their story. This includes plot, characterisation and character arcs, worldbuilding, and writing quality. It aims to help maximise the story’s strengths and improve on its weaknesses with craft-based explanations and actionable recommendations.

Writers then use the report as a guide from an objective, compassionate expert during the revision process.  

The ‘compassionate’ bit is important. Content editors aren’t here to pass judgment on manuscripts. They’re here to see the unique vision in the rough draft and help authors bring it out. 

Content editing is also called by other names, such as developmental editing, manuscript critique, or manuscript assessment – which no doubt only adds to the confusion!

After working with many dozens of manuscripts, our content editors have a wealth of writing craft and process wisdom to share. We’ve interviewed two of them, Louise Hare and Kahina Necaise, to share more about what they do for authors and to give insider tips. 

1. What’s the most common mistake you see writers make when you do a content edit for them? 

Louise:

Often, I get a few chapters into a novel and can’t work out where the story’s going or what the characters want. It’s super important to hook the reader in the opening chapters – every page should be giving them a reason to keep reading. Authors need to think about the plot and how to really kick start it early on – don’t wait! Also, sometimes I read a thrilling first chapter but then the next few chapters are full of backstory, and the pace draws to a halt. You don’t want a breakneck pace throughout, but you do need to manage it. Be brutal and minimise your exposition to keep the story flowing. 

If you think about your favourite SFF novels, they probably open strongly. In Dune, the novel starts with the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother, showing that Paul is special and destined for greatness. Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing ramps up the tension by killing off a minor character by the end of the first chapter. They create intrigue and a reason to not put the book down. 

Kahina:

One mistake that’s not often talked about is the lack of a clear turning point at the climax. The turning point is the moment that sharply changes the course of events in the climax so far, in a way that demonstrates that the protagonist(s) deserves to win (or lose, if that’s the kind of ending you want).

The presence of a turning point is often the difference between a satisfying story and a promising one that falls flat by failing to stick the landing. For example, let’s say a story ends with a big battle scene in which the protagonist finally duels with the antagonist. Without a turning point, this sort of climax typically looks like, ‘The character fights hard, and hey, somehow they beat this more powerful foe.’ Yay! Okay, but why did they win? What’s the takeaway there? Stories are about meaning-making; we need to know the why.

So let’s add a turning point. Maybe the protagonist is a kind-hearted person, and characters they were kind to earlier in the story rally to help them fight, and that’s why they win. Maybe they sacrifice something they’ve been clinging to the whole story, and that’s why they win. Maybe a hard-won lesson they learned in the story that seemed useless at the time turns out to be the key to their ultimate victory. The turning point needs to fit the story to pack a punch, but even a tangentially relevant turning point is better than none. 

When readers say an ending didn’t satisfy, this is very often what’s missing.

2. Tell us your favourite content editing success story. 

Louise:

I love doing revision critiques, where a writer submits their revised draft following my initial report. It’s always interesting to see what new ideas they’ve come up with, and how they’ve taken advice onboard. I’m painfully aware how difficult it can be to receive extensive feedback and work out how much to implement. 

Recently I read a new draft of a novel that I felt had a lot of potential but, as the first in a series, did need quite a lot of work to make it not only engage a reader for the length of the book, but also would give them the impetus to be hooked enough to read onto the next. I was really impressed by the way they’d set out to strengthen areas such as characterisation which I had felt was a key opportunity for improvement. The novel was so much better – the plot was tighter and I felt as though the questions that I’d asked in my report had been answered, while still feeling very true to the author’s vision. 

Kahina:

I have a client whose first book did really well, receiving many positive reader reviews as well as an exciting book award. The next volume in the series, though, was challenging. The author is skilled, so there was still a lot to work with. But it was a prequel, meaning the first book had ‘spoiled’ many of its plot points. Its premise didn’t have the same pull on the heartstrings, and it decentred the previous book’s most lovable character. It shifted the genre of the whole series, which could put readers off if not carefully done. And… we both knew the initial draft was structurally rough. 

Sophomore books are tough, especially when the first book is successful. There was some pressure to make this volume as good as the first – or even better. 

Over the course of a structural report and a revision critique, the author and I whipped the story into shape. We brainstormed ways to render the new protagonist more sympathetic and pull off twists that would surprise even readers of the first volume. We figured out how to present the genre shift in a way that helped it feel inevitable instead of out-of-nowhere. We conspired to make readers, in the author’s words, ‘ugly-cry.’  

The author was proud of the final product, and readers loved it, even praising the genre-blending! And it laid the groundwork for future books in the series in a way that the first book didn’t on its own, allowing the author to smoothly transition into exploring more of the wonderful universe they’ve created. 

3. What’s your top tip for the novel revision process that new writers might not think of themselves?

Louise: 

Time is not a factor. So many writers set themselves punishing schedules, targeting dates for publication or to submit to agents/publishers. Writing isn’t really like that unfortunately! To give yourself the best chance of success, whether you want to be traditionally published, have a plan to self-publish, or just want to share your work with friends, you should want your novel to be the best you can make it. The honest (brutal!) truth is that sometimes these things take longer than you’d like. Just ask George R. R. Martin if you don’t believe me. It will always be worth it to take your time than to rush and end up with a book that you later have to secretly admit isn’t as good as you’d hoped. 

Kahina:

The writers who are happiest with their final product are usually the ones open to making big changes to their story during revision. I know it’s hard, but try not to get too attached to any one version of anything. The more you experiment with making changes, the more your nervous system will learn that letting go means making room for something better. And the energising excitement of having a new and improved vision will see you through the process, even if it feels daunting at first.  

Thanks for the insights, Louise and Kahina!

Content editing is one of the most effective ways to strengthen your story – the aspect of your book that readers care about most – before publication. The process of thinking through and implementing your editor’s suggestions can also improve a writer’s skills for the long term. The revision process is often the toughest part of writing, and with a content editor, you don’t have to do it alone.