Self-Editing School: How to Navigate the Four Stages of Editing with JoEllen Nordstrom

Editing isn’t one pass—it’s a sequence of distinct “levels,” and getting the order right is what lets writers improve their work without getting stuck in endless rewrites. The core takeaway is that structural (story) editing comes first, then line and copy editing, with proofreading saved for the formatting stage. That workflow matters because each level targets different problems: structure fixes what the story *is*, line editing fixes how it *sounds*, copy editing fixes the mechanics, and proofreading fixes what formatting and publishing platforms might break.

JoEllen Nordstrom frames editing as both a skill for self-editing and a way to collaborate effectively with professional editors. Understanding what each editor is responsible for helps authors ask better questions, evaluate the feedback they receive, and avoid paying for services they aren’t actually getting. She emphasizes that story engagement—keeping readers invested in the journey—outweighs isolated word choices, even though words are still necessary to deliver that experience.

At the highest level sits structural/story (also called content, developmental, or substantive) editing. This is where editors examine the overall story arc and the internal mechanics of scenes: beginning, inciting incident, conflict, resolution, and the placement of key elements throughout the manuscript. Structural editing also includes checking scene-by-scene balance, including word count per scene, and verifying that characters, plot, pacing, and settings support the narrative rather than distract from it. Nordstrom highlights a framework of “38 story elements” used to ensure nothing is overlooked, and she encourages writers to learn to locate these elements themselves—ideally with the help of software that can map them.

Once the story structure is sound, the process moves to line editing. Line editing focuses on tone, voice, mood, and consistency—reading line by line to ensure the writing stays aligned with the intended perspective and emotional beats. It’s also where pacing and transitions get refined, and where self-editing tools can generate reports that compare style and tone against genre expectations. Nordstrom recommends separating writing time from editing time to protect creative flow, then using reports and targeted revisions afterward.

Copy editing is the next stage, treated as the final pass before formatting and submission. It targets grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style-guide consistency across the entire manuscript. Nordstrom notes that copy editing is often well-suited to AI-assisted tools like ProWritingAid because the work is rule-based and can be checked systematically. After copy editing comes proofreading, which she distinguishes from editing: proofreading happens after formatting and upload, catching layout problems (like blank pages or misplaced text/images) and any last-minute typos introduced by publishing workflows.

In Q&A, she adds practical guidance: beta readers should generally be used after structural editing and during mid-to-late line editing, not before the manuscript is structurally ready or mechanically clean enough to avoid distracting “low-hanging fruit” feedback. She also stresses that different types of editing exist for different genres and even different kinds of non-fiction—academic manuscripts may require editors with subject-matter and peer-review experience. Overall, the message is clear: learn the stages, use the right tools at the right time, and demand specific capabilities from any editor hired—especially the ability to evaluate story arc, scene balance, and key elements with evidence.