Q&A On Figuring Out What Editors Do and How to Hire One

I love the regular "Q & A a la Ann Landers" features I use in my #SharingwithWriters newsletter because I make it time-effective for me to spend time with authors who send me questions by recycling their questions and my answers as part of the monthly letter. I try to include something on editing in every issue and you can get the letter and a free e-book (editing! of course!) at http://howtodoitfrugally.com.  The subscribe window is in the upper right corner of most every page and you can read some back issues , too!

This question came from a reader who finds that editors often don't clearly define exactly what what their editing process includes and how they work.

QUESTION:

I just finished my first novel, historical fiction, and I’m finding different editors’ sites don’t give me much information and that no one seems to be speaking the same language in terms of definition when they toss around the editing terms. Copy editor? Proofreader? Etc.

ANSWER

If this is a first novel, I believe you need a full edit. Sometimes first novelists—even ones who have taken lots of classes—still don't have things like structure, motivation, setting, characterization down. It's not just our own punctuation or homonym errors we don't see! It would also be helpful if you tried to find an editor experienced specifically in historical novels—especially the specific period you are writing in. Your editor may even spot a historical inaccuracy or two.

You also might want to read the multi award-winning The Frugal Editor (http://bit.ly/FrugalEditor). It includes a battery of questions to ask editors to get what you need.

I know a full edit like this is expensive, but one of the things I say in my The Frugal Editor: Think of the money spend as the equivalent of three university classes at a top writing school in addition to the editing. If you get an editor who explains why she does things and what the alternative is, you'll come away from the editing process a much better writer—even if you are already a great writer. (-:

PS: The Frugal Editor also defines the terms of editing—at least for purposes of the book—so we’re all talking the same language. I sympathize with the confusion you expressed.

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 Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults, and speaks on issues of writing and publishing. Find her at http://howtodoitfrugally.com. Find the second edition of her multi award-winning The Frugal Editor: Do-it-yourself editing secrets for authors: From your query letter to final manuscript to the marketing of your bestseller. (HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for Writers). Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/writers_books.htm , where writers find lists and other helps including , Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips on the Resources for Writers page. She blogs on all things publishing (not just editing!) at her SharingingwithWriters blog. She tweets writers' resources at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo . Please tweet this post to your followers. We all need a little help with editing. (-:

What You Need to Know About Finding an Editor

Here's what first-time authors need to know about finding an editor before they publish. Maybe those who have already published and been embarrassed by poor editing can use these pointers, too! And, of course, you'll find tons of information about how to partner with good editors and poor editors (even how to act as your own editor!) in The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success (www.howtodoitfrugally.com ).

Just know that editing your own book is not recommended; having said that, most of us will need to self-edit some of our material at least some of the time. Like query letters. Every time you write one, you'll do it slightly differently and every time you'll need to be sure it's edited well. Obviously, hiring someone to do it for you could get expensive and time-consuming. There are some things you can do for yourself and some things you shouldn't. Just know that the more you know about editing, the better off you'll be.

Here are some basic tips:

You can't rely on the editor provided by your publisher. I've seen even the biggest publisher let boo-boos go through in books. And many small publishers hire inexperienced typo hunters, not real editors.

Most authors know less about editing than they think they do. They may know grammar and some (or many!) of the elements of fiction. But what about indexing? What about frontmatter and backmatter? What about tricky little formatting things like widows and orphans?

You can't rely on even the best editor you hire. You need to be a partner with your editor. If you know little or nothing about the process, how can you know what to accept or what to reject? How can you decide when you want to break a rule? When you want to consider what your editor is telling you, even if his or her advice goes against your established pattern or makes you uncomfortable? When you want to compromise? "Partner" is the keyword here. You want to be able to do that even if you're publishing with Harper's and your editor turns out to be a channeled Jacqueline Kennedy. (-:

Anyone who is publishing subsidy or self or POD or whatever term you're using for it, needs an editor before he or she goes to press. The Frugal Editor gives you guidelines for the way to find a good one. It's also there for people who have the best intentions and just don't follow them. We tend to make a thousand excuses to ourselves for not following our best instincts. Well, OK. I know I did with my first book. I had lots of excuses. One was, "My publisher assigned an editor. Why should I duplicate?" My most infamous excuse was, "I AM an editor!" Ahem!
People who are good grammarians or good typo hunters aren't necessarily good editors.

One pair of eyes is never as good as two. Two readers who got As in English or teach English are never as good as the one pair of eyes of a real, bona fide editor with years of both writing and publishing experience.

Good editors will be good grammarians, spellers and typo hunters but they bring a whole lot more to the table. So start saving your pennies for a good editor and in the meantime, read up on the process for yourself.

PS: When my first editor edited my novel, This Is the Place, she told me it was the "cleanest" copy she ever saw and raved on about it. OK. I'm an editor. But, I have to tell you. She missed so much! I'd love to go back, review it myself and then have another editor look at it again and then--and only then--republish. I probably won't do that. I believe authors should move on and not dwell on past works. But the story illustrates why I am so adamant about it.

Oh, another thing about that. We will all grow as we write more. As we read. As we take writing classes. So the fact that we would make changes if we were rewriting an old novel is only natural. I just don't think we need to be kicking ourselves over it. I think we need to be patting ourselves on the back that we have grown. (-:

I want to remind you that this blog at www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com is made for you to ask questions, contribute answers and learn. Use that little comment link at will.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits and consults on issues of publishing. Find her The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success on Amazon. Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com.