How many editing passes will my novel need?

 Consider an editor’s accuracy rate.

Most edited documents will have a 90% accuracy rate, meaning that for every 100 errors found, 10 of them have slipped through, uncaught. Take into consideration a 50,000-word novel. If an editor finds 5,000 errors on the first pass, that means at least 500 remain.

So if on the second pass 500 errors are found, then at least 50 will remain. After the third pass, approximately 5 errors will remain.

An author should have their novel edited until they are happy with the possible remaining number of errors.

Say your line edit yields 4,000 revisions. I recommend a second line edit pass, which may yield roughly 400 revisions. I would then recommend a copy edit. You may have more copy edits than the second line edit pass because the editor is looking at your sentences differently. The first pass might have 1100. A second line edit pass might yield 110 revisions. I would recommend a proofreading pass then, and depending of the number of revisions noted, I might recommend a second proofreading pass. That will usually find most of the remaining errors.

But that’s six edits, you say. Yes.

Emrys Pumpkin Press does a comprehensive edit—line, copy, and proofread all in one. (If we change the structure and grammar of a sentence, we will make sure punctuation is correct as well.)

An example of revisions we might find in a 50,000-word novel.

First pass (5,000)

Second pass (500)

Third pass (50)

Fourth pass (5)

That’s four passes. Better than six passes.

Remember. Editing styles differ from one editor to the next. One editor might be better at pointing out one type of revision than another editor. Editors may differ on comma placement. I often hear authors say, “My last editor didn’t find this many errors” or “My last editor didn’t flag that.” Different editors, different style guides, different emphasis. An author must take all these into consideration. Sometimes it pays to submit the same ten pages for a free edit to several editors to find the one whose editing style you prefer the best.

So what’s the answer to the question, how many editing passes will my novel need? As many as it takes, until you, the author, are happy with the possible remaining number of errors.

How Long Does it Take to Write a Novel?

If it was up to me, as a writer, I'd be stuck in revisions, obsessing over perfecting my novel. So last year I came up with a plan to write two novels in a year. The writing plan forces me to move on when I'm spending too much time in one section. Each month attacks a different step for each novel.

An explanation follows below, with a concise list afterward. While I am working on one step of novel 1, I am at a completely different spot with the novel 2. It doesn't matter how I divide my month. I might work for a week straight on novel 1, or alternate days. If I spend the first half of my month on only one novel, mid month I switch it up.

This way I am never bored, or driving myself nuts if I am sick of something.

1. & 2. Snowflake and outlining. I give myself a solid month to plan my novel. And even though it's a solid month, I'm also working on revisions for my second novel. I divide my time between the two. If I become tired of outlining, I have something else to break up the monotony.

3. While my other novel is out with beta readers, I have a month to write 50,000 words for the novel I just outlined. My own NaNo.

4,5,6 & 7. This step is filling in the gaps that my rough draft left. I read through the draft and compare to my outline. I expand scenes. I analyze the scenes to make sure they accomplish their goals.

8. I hate saving revisions until last. So I start tackling revisions as I go along. Alternating with months of analyzing my draft. I have my own personal list of revisions that I check off as I go.

9. I go back and compare everything to my notes again and expand descriptions, and even add scenes.

10. More revisions. Focusing on misused words and poor grammar.

11. Steps 4-7 again.

12. Finally time for beta readers! I give them a whole month with a very polished copy. I would hate to have them tripping over obvious typos.

13. Finish revisions list and work on suggestions from beta readers. Beta readers suggestions can be overwhelming so I allow a month to allow time to stew.

14. It's so important to edit your novel backward and even read it out loud. You will catch many mistakes.

15, 16, 17 & 18. This is the polishing. Sending to an editor. Type setting. You want to allow plenty of time for this if your editor doesn't have a fast turn around. My editor is usually done in two weeks, and I edit from her suggestions for about two weeks.

19, 20, 21 & 22. More polishing.
23. Publish. Allow a nice month to sit back and catch your breath. Implement promotion plan.

A Year’s Writing Plan at a Glance

1. Brainstorm with Snowflake and General Sketch.
2. Draft waypoints and outline.
3. Write rough draft.
4. Compare draft to outline and waypoints. Make adjustments to story arc.
5. Read through while scanning for mistakes and content.
6. Elaborate scene descriptions and emotions.
7. Analyze scenes for impact and importance.
8. Begin revisions list.
9. Repeat steps 4–7.
10. Continue revisions list.
11. Repeat 4–7.
12. Submit to beta readers. Let the novel rest.
13. Finish revisions list and beta readers’ suggestions.
14. Work through novel backward while line editing.
15. Send through a program such as ProWritingAid.
16. Read novel aloud or listen to novel aloud.
17. Send to editor. Make corrections.
18. Type set and format.
19. Read final version as a formatted PDF so it feels like a real book.
20. Order a proof copy. Proofread.
21. Create ebook files.
22. Scan through MOBI and EPUB files on an ereader with a brown or black background to check for formatting errors.
23. Publish and promote.

A chart to keep each month straight. Feel free to adjust the months based on what works for you. January and July are better NaNo months for me, so I built my calendar around those. The numbers correspond with the Year’s Writing Plan at a Glance.

Month	Book 1	Book 2
December	1 & 2	11
January	3	12
February	4, 5, 6 & 7	13
March	8	14, 15 & 16
April	9	17, 18 & 19
May	10	20, 21, 22 & 23
June	11	1 & 2
July	12	3
August	13	4, 5, 6 & 7
September	14, 15 & 16	8
October	17, 18 & 19	9
November	20, 21, 22 & 23	10

So how long does it take for me to write a novel? A year. Two novels in a year. This is working for 4 hours a day, five days a week.