What Is Line Editing? Six Book Editors Show You the Process
- Adina Edelman
- Mar 15
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 16
What exactly is line editing? This stage in the book editing process can feel like a giant gray area for writers (and editors too). What does line editing look like? What’s the difference between line editing and copyediting? Do you need both?
Hang tight—this will be a quick post, as I have a special treat for you that will do most of the talking.
What Is Line Editing
Line editing is the artistic side of a sentence-level edit. It focuses on the sound and tone of a sentence, not just on whether it’s grammatically correct. It also acts as a sort of bridge between developmental editing and copyediting, and it can dip into either one depending on what the manuscript needs and how the editor edits.
The Editing Stages: A Brief Review
Developmental editing looks at the big picture, ensuring that the content in every chapter is needed, complete, and in the right place.
Line editing zooms in to ensure that whole paragraphs and sentences are clear, engaging, and maintain the author’s voice.
Copyediting zooms in further to address technical elements such as style and grammar, making everything look clean and professional.
Proofreading is the last sweep to remove stray crumbs and typos.
What a Line Editor Looks For
Including a full list here would be impossible, but here are some of the main things a line edit addresses:
Flow and Rhythm: How do the sentences sound? If there’s an abrupt feel, is that intentional? Are too many sentences in a row structured the same way? Is the paragraph too long or too short?
Clarity: Is this line phrased clearly? Do I have to reread it to understand the point? Is there a more concise way to say it? Should another line be added to complete the thought?
Repetition: Are there words or whole lines repeating a point already stated?
Dialogue: Is it realistic and true to character?
Showing vs. Telling: On a paragraph- and line-level, are there moments that should be shown rather than told? This includes filter words such as felt, heard, and saw.
Do you see how the above aren’t technical “comma splice” issues, but they’re also not in the realm of “add an entire scene here”? This is line editing. It’s making sure that what’s on the page is written in the best way possible for this story and its reader.
How Different Editors Edit
Okay, we’re getting to the fun stuff now. I recently took part in a line edit case study with five other fantastic editors. The amazing Jeanette Smith took the lead on this project, coordinating between the editors and formatting the line edit samples.
The goal was to show writers how each editor has their own process and style, and how when it comes to line editing, there’s very little “right or wrong.” Compared to copyediting, it’s a pretty subjective phase of editing. That’s why it’s important to get a sample edit from an editor to make sure you like their style and feel like they get your work.
In this case study, six editors answered questions about our line editing process, and then we all performed a line edit sample on one piece of writing. This is “show, don’t tell” at its finest! Instead of me blabbing on about line editing, you can see for yourself what this looks like!
Exhibit A, Your Honor. This is a screenshot of the beginning of my sample:
What was really interesting for me about this study was seeing the similarities and differences in what each editor commented on and how. I learned a lot from their answers in how to retain an author’s voice and in seeing the way they formulated their queries.
Sometimes editing can feel like working in a vacuum. I can’t compare my work to how another editor might tackle it, and therefore I can’t gather ideas on how to improve (you know, beyond asking my authors for feedback). This case study let me see into five other editors’ approaches and what aspects I might want to use for my own editing. That is such a gift. And now you can see it too on a real piece of writing.
Now for the questions you want answered most:
FAQs on Line Editing
What is the difference between line editing and copyediting?
Line editing is the more artistic side of a sentence-level edit. It addresses voice, flow, and word choice. In contrast, copyediting is more technical, addressing style consistency, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
There is overlap between the two, and some editors do combine them, but most keep them separate. Very often I will perform one round of line editing on a manuscript and then one round of copyediting following an author’s revisions.
Do I need both line editing and copyediting?
Most manuscripts need both since they cover different stages of the editing process. Copyediting will make your manuscript clean, but it doesn’t pay as much attention to how well it’s written. If a writer has a really strong voice and can self-edit their manuscript really well, then it’s highly possible they can skip the line edit stage and go straight to copyediting. A sample edit will be able to determine that.
Bottom line: At the very least, you need a copyedit. If your first chapter is riddled with obvious errors, readers will not buy the book.
How much does line editing cost?
This will vary from editor to editor. The sentence-level edit is one that takes me the longest, given its in-depth nature, so a line edit is my most expensive service. For a manuscript of about 50k words, I charge about $3,500 for two rounds of editing.
Of course, if your manuscript is cleaner (which can be done with self-editing!) then the professional edit will be cheaper. Feel free to reach out for a sample edit to get a quote.
Can I get a line edit sample?
Yes, you can! In a sentence-level sample, I’ll perform a line edit on the first five pages of your book and review up to 20 pages, leaving in-text comments.
The sample lets you see my editing on your work, and it lets me see if we’re a good fit. If we are, I can tell you how much the editing will cost and how long it will take.
About Adina
Adina Edelman is a book editor who works with authors of memoir and fiction, especially historical, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, literary, and middle-grade fiction. She’s all about mining your message, unearthing the gold in your story—not just the grammar errors.
Adina has worked on over 140 titles in the past five years (and published one of her own). She offers 30-minute coaching sessions alongside her editing services.
Find out more About Me
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