Book Editing Book Editor Trainer 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A developmental editor is primarily responsible for which aspect of a manuscript?
- Big-picture structure, plot, and pacing (Correct answer)
- Comma placement and spelling
- Page layout and typesetting
- Final proof against the printer's blues
Correct answer: Big-picture structure, plot, and pacing
Developmental editing addresses high-level concerns like structure, narrative arc, and pacing rather than line-level mechanics.
Question 2: Which editing stage comes LAST in a typical professional workflow?
- Developmental edit
- Line edit
- Copyedit
- Proofread (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Proofread
Proofreading is the final quality check, performed after all other editing and often on the typeset proofs.
Question 3: A 'style sheet' in book editing is best described as a document that records:
- The author's biography and credits
- Spelling, hyphenation, and capitalization decisions for consistency (Correct answer)
- The publisher's marketing budget
- The book's cover design specifications
Correct answer: Spelling, hyphenation, and capitalization decisions for consistency
A style sheet logs editorial decisions so usage stays consistent throughout the manuscript.
Question 4: Which dictionary does The Chicago Manual of Style designate as its preferred spelling reference?
- Oxford English Dictionary
- Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Correct answer)
- American Heritage Dictionary
- Cambridge Dictionary
Correct answer: Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Chicago directs editors to Merriam-Webster as the default authority for spelling.
Question 5: An editor changing 'The decision was made by the committee' to 'The committee decided' is primarily improving:
- Subject-verb agreement
- Active versus passive voice (Correct answer)
- Parallel structure
- Verb tense consistency
Correct answer: Active versus passive voice
Converting the passive construction to an active one tightens the sentence and clarifies the actor.
Question 6: What does 'STET' instruct when written next to an editing mark?
- Delete the marked text
- Let the original stand; ignore the change (Correct answer)
- Move the text to a new location
- Set the text in italics
Correct answer: Let the original stand; ignore the change
STET (Latin for 'let it stand') tells the typesetter to keep the original wording.
Question 7: When should an editor use a query rather than make a direct change?
- When fixing an obvious typo
- When the intended meaning is unclear or a change affects the author's voice (Correct answer)
- When adding a missing period
- When correcting a misspelled common word
Correct answer: When the intended meaning is unclear or a change affects the author's voice
Queries flag ambiguities or substantive issues for the author to resolve instead of imposing a silent change.
Book Editing Book Editor Trainer 2
A developmental editor is primarily responsible for which aspect of a manuscript?