Editorial

news editors that are conducting developmental editing, such as the editor-in-chief or section editor, are ultimately in control of the vision for the writing. They function as gatekeepers for the content, tone, and even the piece itself—cutting an article from a newspaper entirely is always on the table. For book editors, the author is still the driving force behind the work’s purpose and voice, as they aren’t always held to the uniform standard of a cohesive newspaper.

How many times have you read a romance novel and wondered why the protagonist must be saved? Editing women in romance novels requires a lot of attention to detail to avoid cliches and overused plots. A developmental editor must be prepared to answer questions that authors may have about their suggestions. Editors should avoid stereotypes and approach romance manuscripts and female protagonists with empathy and understanding.

Every writer has heard the golden rule of writing a manuscript: write first, edit later. But when the first, second, and third drafts are done, when does the editing process actually conclude?