It can be a nerve-wracking experience working with an editor, particularly if it’s your first time. It has undertones of being back in school, handing in your homework and waiting nervously for the teacher to get out their red pen!
There really is no need to worry, though. Professional editors aren’t constantly poised to jump on your mistakes and cruelly slash all your carefully constructed sentences, laughing as they do so. Honestly, we’re not! Instead, we want to work with you to help make your work is the best it can be. And a good editor should strive to retain your voice and your style. Yes, of course they’re going to be making corrections – after all, that’s what you’re paying them for, right? – but you’ll also find them making helpful suggestions and raising queries.
And they may go further. When I’m working, I make a point of explaining the edits I make so that my clients can understand the reasoning behind them, and, more importantly, so they can learn and grow as a writer. I’m not here to gatekeep the grammar – we’re a team. I also make sure I highlight parts of the writing that I’ve really enjoyed, whether that’s a delightful turn of phrase, a clever piece of foreshadowing or a fabulous use of a semicolon! Whatever has put a smile on my face or made my day. That’s partly so you’ll feel more positive about the whole experience, but also so that you can appreciate the stuff you’ve done well!
Having said all that, there are some things you can do to help working with an editor go more smoothly and ensure you get the most out of the experience.
Make sure your book is finished
Don’t look to send it off immediately you’ve typed ‘The End’. Take time to revise it yourself and edit it carefully. Consider using beta readers. The cleaner the manuscript is, the more an editor can do for you. If they’re knee deep in typos it’s much more difficult to see the more detailed issues they could help with.
Familiarise yourself with the different types of editing
There are several different types of editing, and you’ll need to work out what you’re looking for. Read the editor’s website to learn what they offer. Unfortunately, there aren’t standard definitions of developmental editing, copyediting and so on, so each editor will have a different approach. It’s a bit of a pain, but it does mean that if you take your time and do some research, you can find one who’s offering exactly what you need. And if you’re not sure what you need, ask! Editors will be more than happy to explain and help you decide, and many, including myself, offer sample edits.
Make sure you know your book and what you want for it
By that, I mean know what genre you’ve written in, who your target audience is, and what you’re thinking of in terms of publishing options. This will help the editor tailor their advice and edits to be just what you need.
Book your editing in advance
… so the editor can schedule it in. Editors are often juggling several projects and booking into the future, so you’ll want to secure your slot.
Give an accurate word count
A hundred extra words won’t make much difference, but a couple of thousand extra may mean that the edit will take longer than the time allocated, which will have a knock-on effect for cost and schedules. If you realise your manuscript is going to be longer than you thought, contact your editor as far ahead of time as possible so they have time to rejig things. Similarly if it’s going to be shorter. This won’t cause such issues for you, but your editor will appreciate knowing so they can update their schedule.
Think about how you format your manuscript
Check with your editor for any specific formatting they require. The standard is to use Microsoft Word, set your manuscript at A4 (or letter size if you’re in the US), use a standard, no-frills typeface such as Times New Roman or Calibri, and double space the lines.
Familiarise yourself with Word’s Track Changes function
Your editor will almost certainly Track Changes to carry out the edits, and while they’ll be happy to help you get to grips with it, you’ll find it much easier if you know how it works before you get your manuscript back. There are plenty of YouTube videos that take you through it – just find one you like.
Deliver your completed manuscript on time
Your editor will be expecting it and will be ready to go. If something’s happened to delay you, contact your editor as far in advance as possible. They may well be able to move things around in their schedule to accommodate.
Resist the urge to make any further changes to your manuscript once you’ve delivered it to your editor
This is very important! Make sure you’ve made all the edits you want to BEFORE you send it off and then LEAVE IT ALONE!
Give your editor time to work
If you haven’t heard anything after a couple of weeks and you’re absolutely bursting, it’s OK to send a brief ‘How’s it going?’ query, but editing is a long process. Patience, patience!
Respond to any queries your editor has in a timely fashion
… so they can keep on track to deliver your manuscript back as agreed.
Once your editor has returned your manuscript, your work begins again! You’ll need to review each of the edits in turn and decide whether to keep it or reject it. But that is very much a topic for another post.
Let me know if I’ve missed any useful tips out in the reply box below!