5 Signs Your Romance Novel is Ready For an Editor
Congratulations on getting to The End on your romance novel! That’s a HUGE milestone! But before you email it to your editor, you need to make sure your draft is where it needs to be. Here are five signs to help you know if your romance manuscript is ready for professional editing:
1. You’ve Finished the Full Draft
Your editor needs the whole story—from meet-cute to happily ever after. A partial draft won’t give them enough context to do meaningful work.
2. You’ve Read It Through at Least Once
You should first give your manuscript a full read-through. Many authors also use the text-to-speech feature to help with this process. You want to be on the look out for inconsistencies, awkward sentences, or timeline glitches. If you created your own style sheet you can check those details (eye color, hair color, name spellings, etc.) for consistency. Your editor can also create a style sheet for you as part of their editing process.
3. Your Story Structure Is Solid
You don’t need a perfect plot, but you should have a solid premise:
Who your main characters are
Who are the love interests
Who are the antagonists
What’s keeping them apart
What changes by the end
How does it end
If you’re still unsure about your character arcs, pacing, or where your story is going, consider a developmental editor or beta reader before line editing.
4. You’ve Done Some Self-Editing
Basic clean-up helps your editor focus on higher-level issues. Look for:
Overused words (just, really, suddenly, so, of course)
Repetitive dialogue (you don’t need to keep explaining the same thing)
Unnecessary filler (keep your word count down=lower editing cost)
Overused punctuation (not every sentence is a !)
You don’t need to make it flawless—that’s what your editor is for—but showing some polish goes a long way.
5. You’re Open to Feedback
Editing isn’t just about grammar and punctuation—it’s about improving your story. If you’re emotionally ready to hear constructive feedback and make changes, you’re in the perfect mindset to work with an editor.
Ready to take the next step? If your romance novel ticks these boxes, it’s time to team up with an editor who loves love stories as much as you do.
Contact us at stoneproofsandedits@gmail.com where we love a good romance!
