A letter from your editor…

Five things editors wished new writers knew about book editing

Dear writers,

I’ve recently ranted a lot about common misconceptions of book editors and the editing process amongst the writing community. So, this time, I thought I’d list a few points which some of my clients had told me they wished they’d known earlier; commonly misunderstood by authors far and wide, the following ‘issues’ are those things which us editors tend to get all ‘het up’ about…

1. There are different kinds of editing (and we don’t all do every kind)

When you’re trawling freelancing platforms, twitter, or reddit, looking for an editor, please remember that there are different types of editing. For fiction books: there’s developmental editing which looks at ‘big picture’ issues with your plot; there’s line editing (sometimes called copyediting, although this is usually the non-fiction term) which looks at the stylistic elements of your sentence-level prose; and then there’s you’re standard proofreading for making sure all the ‘t’s have been crossed, ‘i’s dotted, that the spelling and punctuation has been corrected. Each type of editing involves different types and amounts of work. Make sure you know which kind of editing we offer, and more importantly, which kind of editing you want (if you’re uncertain, please just ask us; we’re more than happy to help, and many of us offer evaluation services to help you decide which is best for your manuscript).

2. Every editor works differently — there isn’t one ‘correct’ way to edit

Just as there are different types of editing, there are different ways to approach the editing process. Editors will often end up reading your manuscript multiple times. Some print them out and work with paper and a pen, others stare at their laptop for hours on end going square-eyed, and others can kick back and relax with a stylus and a tablet computer, lying comfortably their backs on their plush sofa drinking wine as they edit… (this isn’t me. I wish it was me). Some use style sheets, some don’t. Some editors are comfortable making suggestions for fixes, only highlighting the relevant scenes; others provide you with multiple examples and lists of suggestions in an editorial report as long as your left leg. What I’m saying is this: before you hire your editor, make sure you’re happy with their working style, and the expectations are clear on both sides. And if they’re not—ask! Your editor should be approachable, willing and able to answer any questions you have about their editing process. Be wary if their answers are vague or unclear, if they’re offering the world for a couple of cents, and don’t fall into the trap of assuming they will be a good editor simply because they’ve published a book—many authors are editors, and many editors are authors, but being able to do one does not automatically make you good at the other.

3. When you get your manuscript back covered in comments, it doesn’t mean your book is terrible

We know it can be devastating when you get your manuscript back and it’s covered in comments, in-text suggestions, and accompanied by a ten-page editorial report which seems to list issue after issue after issue. We know you were secretly hoping for a gold star, that we’d tell you your work was one of the best things we’d ever read, and that there wasn’t a single flaw… we also know, that you know, that’s not realistic. Everyone’s work needs editing. Whether a space opera, a non-fiction cook book for cucumbers, an academic paper, or a letter to Santa… there comes a point where you simply need another set of eyes. Please believe me when I say, just because we leave comments and suggestions on your work, it doesn’t mean you work is bad. It means we did our job. We’re there to catch the things you missed, and point them out to you, so you can hone the prose, and fix those plot holes.

Which leads me to my next point…

4. We don’t hate you or your book—if we did, we wouldn’t have agreed to edit your manuscript

You need to go into the editing process with an open mind and be willing to consider our suggestions, if you are going to benefit from the process. Editing is harsh— we know. It’s also very subjective. And just as every editor will have their own way of working, every author has their own individual voice and style. A good editor will work at retaining your unique voice and style, whilst helping you hone the prose, refine the structure, and really bring the story to life. We help you make your manuscript readable and (potentially) publishable. We make suggestions to help you make your manuscript shine. So, comments we make aren’t personal, or us just being ‘picky’. We don’t hate you, and we certainly don’t hate your book. we just want to help you make it better. Ultimately, if you disagree with our advice, you don’t have to take it… But, we hope you will.

5. Don’t give up after your first edit

We know that the editing process can feel overwhelming, especially when you receive your very first editorial report back and it seems like you may as well scrap the entire thing and start again…. please don’t do that. I’m serious—don’t. It’s really nowhere near as bad as you think. Editing is a really long process; not just for the editor, but also for you, the author. After you receive back your report and your marked-up manuscript, the editing process isn’t magically done. We don’t just ‘fix’ your manuscript. You have to go through our comments on your work, and you need to decide what to change and what to keep, what to move, cut, or re-write. Many of us include free video calls or a certain number of emails in our editing packages for this very reason, so you can ask us for help and guidance on what to do next. Just because your editor has completed your edit, it doesn’t mean the editing-author relationship is over. It’s usually only just beginning.