Editing lingo: What is a pass and what is a round?

If you’re talking to an editor about getting your manuscript edited, you’ll likely hear us talk about how many rounds of editing we provide and how many passes of your manuscript we’ll do. 

They’re not the same thing, so knowing the difference will help you understand what you’re getting for your money. 

What is a pass?

A pass is a single review of the manuscript where I do one task. Here are the typical passes I do during a copy edit:

• One pass to check Word styles. This helps me see the book’s structure and if there is anything funky going on with chapter titles or subheadings.
• One pass to work through the manuscript. This is my deep read, where I’m going into the sentence-level aspects of your story, making changes and leaving comments and suggestions. I leave notes to myself, as well as you, and I highlight words and passages to check during the next pass.
• One pass to review queries and comments. I review the comments and highlights I left during my deep read, resolving all sorts of queries I left for myself and making sure the comments I’ve left for you are clear and make sense.
• One pass to re-read the manuscript. I read the manuscript again, checking that my edits make sense and the story flows well. This pass is what I call the “reader’s experience” pass. I’m reading it more as a reader than an editor, but still making small edits where needed.
• One final pass to review my comments and suggestions. This is my final review of the comments I’ve left for you.

What is a round?

A round is the cycle of editing between you and me. Here’s what one round looks like: 

You send me your manuscript -> I edit it (by doing multiple passes) -> I send the edited manuscript back to you -> you work through my edits, comments, and suggestions.

Typically, when we work together, we do one round of editing. Within that round, I do multiple passes, like those listed above. 

If you work through my edits and suggestions, then send the manuscript back to me to review, that’s a second round. Usually that second round is much quicker (and therefore cheaper) than the first round. During a second round, I often only do one full pass of the manuscript and leave fewer comments. 

How many rounds of editing should you get?

How many rounds of editing you should get depends on how complex the first round of editing is. 

If you’ve done a lot of self-editing and revision before you send me your manuscript, then one round of copyediting may be all you need. Between my edits, comments, suggestions, and guidance in the editorial report, you’ll be able to make many changes yourself and feel confident moving to the next stage. 

However, if the edit is complex and I’ve made lots of suggestions, and you then make lots of changes, then I do suggest booking a second round of editing. This second round will allow me to check that your changes flow well and will give you peace of mind that your story is polished and clear.

Bonus round: proofreading

No matter how many rounds you book with me, I always, always, recommend proofreading. Proofreading is your last line of defence before you hit “publish”. A round of proofreading will help you pick up typos and issues that escaped the copyediting process.

If I’ve edited your manuscript, then I won’t proofread it: I’m too close to the text, so I’ll likely miss errors. But I can put you in touch with professional proofreaders who can do this work for you.

If you prefer to go the DIY route, then consider buying my Proofreading Checklist. It’s a comprehensive guide to all the passes you need to do if you proofread your own book (or if you get a friend to do it). This is the checklist I developed for myself, so you’re getting all my insider experience. 

Bonus: if you’ve booked me for copyediting, then you’ll get access to the Proofreading Checklist for free.

Why do I want you to know this?

Short answer: I want to make sure you understand what you’re getting for your money. 

Longer answer: Publishing and editing jargon can be confusing, especially when you’re a new writer navigating the self-publishing process. 

If you’re considering working with me, I want you to understand what I’ll be doing with your manuscript and what you’re getting for your money.

Summing up

• A pass is one review of the manuscript.
• A round is one cycle of editing between you and me.

So, now you know the difference between a pass and a round.

Book a free sample edit.

Check out the Proofreading Checklist.