Helpful Editing Resources for Children's Book Authors

July 13, 2021

Helpful Editing Resources for Children’s Book Authors

Published in KidLit News by the SCBWI-LI on 7-2-2021

You’ve written a book for children, bounced it off your critique group, and revised it umpteen times, but the work isn’t yet where it needs to be. Let’s call this manuscript a lemon with potential. Is it time to ripen the fruit by broadening your editing support?

Fine options exist, including guidebooks, web applications, and live editors for hire.

1. Hit the Books:

Guidebooks are excellent tutors. Since rewrites are vital to the revision process, many how-to books blend craft guidance with editing advice. Others focus closely on the mechanics of language.

Here’s a solid list of self-editing books to consider:

Cover to Cover: What First Time Authors Need to Know About Editing by Sandra Wendel
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King
Real Revision: Authors’ Strategies to Share with Student Writers by Kate Messner
The Magic Words: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults by Cheryl Klein
Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers by Mary Kole
Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication by Anne Whitford Paul
The Secrets of Story: Innovative Tools for Perfecting Your Fiction and Captivating Readers by Matt Bird
Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron
The Best Punctuation Book, Period: A Comprehensive Guide for Every Writer, Student, Editor, and Business Person by June Casagrande
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation: An Easy to Use Guide with Clear Rules, Real World Examples, and Reproducible Quizzes by Lester Kaufman and Jane Straus
To Comma or Not to Comma: the Best Little Punctuation Book Ever! by Arlene Miller
The Elements of Style: Annotated Edition by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

2. Use Digital Solutions:

Technology can service your editing process too. Web platforms and applications have the power to search documents for errors, suggest and make changes, and let you listen to the words you’ve written.

Grammarly, suggests grammar, syntax, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation changes.
AutoCrit and ProWritingAid also scan for issues with overused words, sentence structure, paragraph transitions, consistency, and tone. Free plans are available, but the paid subscriptions are more robust.
Microsoft Word Speak converts your your text to speech. I click the Review Tab, select “Read Aloud,” pick Zira to read, then listen for any glitches and awkward phrasing. It’s amazing the mistakes your ears will catch.
Voice Recorder & Audio Editor is a nifty application that enables you to record manuscripts and store them on a smartphone. The free version is very serviceable. I listen to playbacks when weeding articles, poetry, and picture books. Android users can download at Google Play. Apple users search in the App Store.

3. Try an Editor for Hire:

Hiring a freelance editor makes sense if you crave high level feedback on a project in its entirety, feel ready to make significant changes, and can afford the cost of personal service. But what level of editing help might your project need? These are the more common servicing options:

Critiquing reports on the strengths and weaknesses of a manuscript;
Developmental editing assesses content more deeply and assists through rewrites;
Line editing examines writing at the sentence level: word choice, meaning, style, and voice;
Copy editing addresses spelling, grammar, punctuation, and fact checking; and
Proofreading combs for missed errors and formatting issues.

Early this year, I hired an editor to critique a middle grade novel. Why? I was overly attached to my story and hoped expert feedback would both loosen me up and target my efforts. That happened and more. In fact, my experience with editor Susan Korman proved so motivating, I requested her service for three picture books.

Each critique report I received answered key pertinent questions:

Is the project suitable for the intended audience?
Is the tone appropriate and sustained throughout?
Is the word count too slim or does it need a trim?
Does the opening grab the reader and set up the conflict?
Is the main character developed with a clear want?
Are there too many characters?
Are the actions motivated?
Is the plot logical with a strong climax?
Does the ending feel earned?
Is the title memorable?

If you’re ready to engage an editor in children’s book publishing, do your research to find a good fit. SCBWI profiles many professionals under its “Freelance Editors Directory” in THE BOOK: the Essential Guide to Publishing for Children 2021. (Membership to the organization is required.)

You should further assess fees, expertise, services, and style by visiting the provider websites and posing questions by email or phone.

To get you started, here’s a short list of freelancing kidlit editors:

Every writer should learn how to to edit themselves. Guidebooks and software provide editing instruction and support. But if you’re blinded by the love of the manuscripts you write or crave a live approach with an expert, a freelance editor can open your eyes, improve how you revise, and squeeze something better from your lemon with potential.

*Feature vector image from pxfuel