Lunch & Learn #22: Essential Types of Editing in Book Publishing
This episode dives into the production editing phase—what happens after the story is finalized and the manuscript moves into the last stretch before publication. The team covers the three core stages (copyediting, proofreading, and cold reading), how Girl Friday manages the process through a mix of in-house editors and vetted freelancers, and what separates a great production editor from a merely good one.
Key takeaways:
Production editing is about polishing, not rewriting—the story is done; now it’s about adhering to professional standards.
Authors should expect the full process to take roughly 8–12 weeks from copyedit through cold read.
The Chicago Manual of Style is the industry standard—Girl Friday’s editors know it well.
AI tools aren’t a reliable substitute for human editors, especially when it comes to voice, tone, and nuance.
Extensive editorial markups are a sign of thoroughness, not criticism of an author’s writing.
