Table of Contents

How To Make Your Manuscript Shine

There are three essential phases in an author’s editing journey: story editing, copyediting and professional editing. Each stage plays an important role in turning a rough first draft into a publish-ready manuscript.

In this practical guide, learn how and why every author must perform an intensive story edit themselves to ensure that their story is as powerful, coherent and evocative as possible. Discover some of the most effective copyediting techniques to help tighten and strengthen your manuscript.

Find out the secret to building a strong and productive relationship with your editor.

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Get personal and professional service from our book editors

As an author, you are often just too close to your work to clearly see what needs to be done to take your book from good to great. After all, you’ve been living and breathing the subject matter and plot line for months if not years!

That’s where our professional book editing services come in. It’s our job to clean up and critique your work — not only to improve your manuscript but also to help you avoid future snags and to become a better author overall.

Client Reviews
“I appreciate the editing which caught several questions of why or made me support my research. It was a very helpful and professional editorial review.”
Cynthia Whitehouse, Texas, USA
“My editor gave great advice! He made a bunch of changes that made wordy sentences better without changing the tone of the character. I am still working through the changes, as some will affect the following books. I am excited to work with Michael on future projects.”
Taryn Kitchener, Canada
“I like the personal communication with my editor! It's been a couple of years since I had my first book edited through FirstEditing, and I'm glad I could use the same editor this time too!”
Vincent Osaka, USA
“Lee Ann was amazing. From the sample piece that she did to my full book, her feedback was so assuring and professional.”
Tiffany Sandy Ridge, USA
“Thank you very much for the valuable comments and suggestions. It helped me substantively improve the content of the document. ”
Christelle Sion, Switzerland