#243. What to Expect When Working with a Line Editor (With Two Birds Author Services)

What's in this episode

What does line editing actually involve, and is your manuscript ready for it? Here's everything you need to know. Line editing is a stage in the revision process that can feel really confusing, especially if you're not sure how it's different from developmental editing, copy editing, or proofreading. So in today's episode, I brought in two people who know this topic inside and out. Andrea and Michelle are the managing partners of Two Birds Author Services, and they've been editing fiction together since 2018. They've worked with many writers from my own community, and I've seen firsthand how their feedback helps authors not only polish their current manuscript but grow as writers for every book that comes after. They break down exactly what line editing is, how to know when your manuscript is ready for it, what to look for when you're searching for an editor, and what the process typically looks like from start to finish. We also get into the most common sentence-level mistakes they see—things like clarity issues, weak word choices, and inconsistent rhythm—and how you can start addressing those in your own writing before you even hire an editor. Here's what we cover: [04:30] What l