Ellie Phillips
A previously published nonfiction author wanted to transform and update her book about dental hygiene for a new edition. She needed developmental and line editing assistance in order to better integrate new research and reorganize her chapters before submitting the revised manuscript to her publisher.
Project Background
Ellie Phillips, a dentist and oral health educator based in Austin, Texas, is a powerful advocate for dental hygiene, particularly among women. She has shared her enthusiasm in her practice, in workshops, on her YouTube channel (350k+ followers), and in her books, with Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye originally published in 2010. With massive interest in a second edition, the author wanted to update the book’s content with new research and ensure that the text was written in a way that was more engaging for all audiences.
Flatpage has a background in editing academic work and studies, yet my energized and approachable editor clearly understood that the end user for my work was not an academic but someone with limited knowledge about science and the topics we wanted to explain.
Ellie Phillips
The author reached out to the team at Flatpage for developmental editing in order to help her reorganize the first edition and integrate new content. Additionally, she needed assistance from a line editor to knit together her new research so that it flowed seamlessly with the preexisting text.
The Collaboration
The author approached Flatpage with the manuscript of the book’s first edition and an outline of the book that she hoped to finish at the end of the collaboration. Our editor divided the project in two phases: first, they provided a developmental edit to address issues with the overall content and organization; then, they performed a line edit to address the flow of the writing.
After reading the manuscript and providing developmental feedback in the form of an editorial report and comments on the draft, the editor helped the author reorganize content from the preexisting chapters into new chapters based on her outline. At this stage, the editor suggested ways to improve the book’s narrative arc, including the overall message, contents of the chapters, and use of research.
The experience was a fulfilling one and this editorial help created a manuscript design that has allowed me to move forward.
Once the new chapters were in place and the author had some time to develop them on her own, the editor went back to the text to help her knit together the sentences and paragraphs. In the line edit, they addressed writing style and flow, making changes at the line level to elevate the text from a research “dump” into an engaging narrative.
The Outcome
The author is working on revisions and plans to publish the second edition at the end of 2024.
My need was to accurately translate scientific facts and studies into today’s popular language. My editor understood the project and fulfilled my needs. If you have a similar goal I recommend Flatpage editing as a valuable resource.