In the second part of this interview series, children’s author Stephanie Riley shares what she learned about the editing process, working with an editor, and preparing a children’s book for publication.
Stephanie Riley is a successful children’s author and the creator of the Adventure Squad series. She is a pediatric occupational therapist by trade and lives with her family in central Louisiana. You can learn more about Stephanie and the Adventure Squad at Amazon.com: Stephanie Riley: books, biography, latest update. She has graciously agreed to talk to me about her editing journey. You can read my first interview with Stephanie at https://morningstareditingllc.com/2026/01/05/interview-with-childrens-author-stephanie-riley/.
What Children’s Authors Should Know About the Editing Process
- What did you know about the editing process and working with an editor before you hired one for the first Adventure Squad book?
Absolutely nothing! Lol! I knew that I would have to do some of my own editing prior to sending it off and, based on my own research, I knew that there were these mythical creatures called “editors” who could turn my vision into a publishable manuscript. I only had a vague idea of how to go about finding an editor, so I was really starting from scratch here.
How to Find the Right Editor for a Children’s Book
- How did you find an editor to help you with your first Adventure Squad book? How long did it take?
I think I mentioned in my last interview that I am a subscribed Patreon member of the podcast, The Creative Penn. Joanna Penn is the host and a prolific thriller and horror novelist. I emailed her editor which in retrospect was pretty darn bold, I guess. But she turned out to be very gracious, and although she doesn’t edit children’s books, she was able to give me a few recommendations. I researched them individually and one stood out, mostly because of her experience, so I emailed her. The whole process took about two weeks until we spoke. I know that other authors sometimes go through a few editors before they find the right fit. I think that my experience is the exception and not the rule. I am lucky to have found someone that I click with on the first go, but authors should not be discouraged if it takes a few tries to find the right person. They should continue to reach out to editors until they find someone they’re comfortable communicating openly and honestly with.
- Did you discover anything in the editing process that you didn’t know? If so, what?
Yes. I researched what an editor does and the different types of editing that are available, so I wasn’t surprised with the type of feedback I ended up getting. However, I had never used the Track Changes feature of MS Word, which is how my editor submits manuscript revisions. That really threw me and it took a while to get comfortable using it. I highly recommend that you ask your editor what format your manuscript will be in when they return your revisions. It shouldn’t affect whether you use that editor, but you might want to do some research prior to getting your manuscript back if it is a system you are unfamiliar with. My editor told me that she uses Track Changes, but I neglected to do the research on how to use it before I got my revisions back. When you first get your manuscript back from your editor you are super excited to go through it so it can be super frustrating if you are unfamiliar with the format it’s in.
The Hardest Part of Working With an Editor
- What is the hardest part of the editing process and working with an editor?
Waiting! I am always on edge when I submit a manuscript to my editor thinking that she’s going to email me back any moment with a big X through the first page saying, “What were you thinking?” Lol! Thankfully, that has never actually happened. But honestly, for me, that’s it. I know there are authors who have had some really rough experiences with the editing process, but I think those boil down to not communicating well and not making sure in advance that they were working with someone they were comfortable with. As an author, doing your due diligence and building a relationship with your editor goes a long way toward removing most of the stress.
- How many revisions to your original manuscript were suggested because of editing? What kind of suggestions were they?
My editor provides one full revision to my manuscript, with all of her recommendations included. I haven’t needed any major developmental changes to my manuscript so one revision has been sufficient. If I ever have to go back and fix plot holes, time line issues, major character problems, etc.. I would need a second revision once those things had been corrected. Most of my issues are usually formatting problems, punctuation (I love commas. I think it drives my editor crazy!), and occasionally word use. I tend to get a little wordy and I have a tendency to use a few words above the reading level of the children that I am writing for.
- Did the suggestions surprise you? If so, why?
Not really. Some of the formatting stuff did – I still forget some of the formatting rules! In my other job I work with students that are the age of the kids I’m writing for, so I include words a little above their reading level to challenge them. When I get the recommendations back from my editor, I will sometimes leave those words in, but other times I use her recommendation and choose a similar, less complex word. I was surprised to find out that there is an entire book my editor uses that is dedicated to the reading level of unfamiliar words.
Advice for Authors Navigating the Editing Process
- Is there anything you’d like to add about the editing process and working with an editor?
Yes, a few things, actually. First, If you really want the best possible product you need to put on a thick skin before you review the recommended changes to your manuscript. You have to remember, it isn’t personal! You are paying an editor to make your story shine so that the readers have the best possible experience when they pick up your book. It sounds harsh but you can’t get your feelings hurt over every recommended change. It is literally your editor’s job to point out your shortcomings in the writing process. The good news is that if you really pay attention to what was lacking in your current manuscript, the next manuscript will be even better, and you will learn and grow as a writer!
Second, you do not have to accept every recommended change that your editor makes. My editor is phenomenal and I respect her expertise immensely. But sometimes a certain word or a pause in the narrative created by a comma is part of the story that I don’t want to change. And that’s OK! As the author it is my voice and if a change doesn’t reflect my voice in the story, I don’t make it. But the flip side is that authors are usually too close to their story to be objective. Editors have the advantage of looking at it from an outside perspective, with expertise specifically designed to make your manuscript better. You should carefully consider every change your editor recommends. I would say that most of the time they are correct. I accept about 90 percent to 95 percent of my editor’s recommended changes.
Finally, do as much of your own editing as possible prior to sub advicemitting it to your editor. If you can give them a mostly clean copy of your manuscript it allows them to focus on bigger issues rather than getting bogged down in all of the details of grammar and punctuation. I use editing software called Pro Writing Aid. I know that this touches on a very controversial topic, because all editing software now, including Pro Writing Aid, have embedded AI features. But editing software is only designed to edit. It will not write the story for you. I am also NOT suggesting that you use editing software in place of a professional editor. I guarantee that you will not get the level of expertise or the quality in your finished manuscript using only editing software that you will get with a human editor. My use of editing software enables me to submit the cleanest possible manuscript to my editor so that she can focus on the details that will make my story the best possible reading experience for my young readers.
I am having so much fun doing these interviews and I really appreciate the opportunity. I’d like to end this one with a relevant quote from Stephen King’s book, On Writing: “To write is human, but to edit is divine!”
Are you a children’s author navigating the editing process? What part is the most challenging for you? Share your experience and thoughts and send them to me using the Contact Us form. Or comment on the blog post itself.
With a solid manuscript and the editing process complete, the next big question for authors becomes: How do you get your book into the hands of readers? In the third and final interview in this series, Stephanie shifts the focus to marketing—sharing how she promotes her books, what strategies have worked for her, and what she’s learned along the way. Just like the previous interviews, her insights promise to be both practical and refreshingly honest, offering valuable guidance for authors navigating the business side of publishing.
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