Here's what you need to do when working with a book editor
When I meet with a
new client, I first determine what level of editing the writer wants. What are
you comfortable with, and what do you need? I do a sample edit, usually 3-5
pages, at no charge. I do this so that you can experience firsthand my style of
editing—is it too heavy-handed, or not critical enough?—and so that I can get a
sense of your writing. Once I have edited a few pages, I can give you an
accurate estimate of the time I’ll spend, as well as how much it will cost.
I charge $19 per
hour, and editors on the high end charge as much as $35 per hour. It isn’t
cheap, so ask some questions: On average, how many pages does he or she edit
per hour? (I average 7-10; if your book is 300 pages long, I’ll charge you at
least $600 … and you could easily spend a lot more. This depends on the depth
of the edit.) What is the editor’s background? (Look for a degree in English or
something similar, or a lot of experience … or hopefully, both.) How many books
has she or he edited? Have any been published? Discuss your book and listed to
the editor’s reaction: is she excited? Does she seem respectful of your goals
and boundaries? And of course, you’ll need her references.
I cherish my
relationships with my past clients. I feel like I know them intimately from
closely reading their writing, and I am honored by their trust in me. I am
proud that they recommend me and speak on my behalf, and I make an effort to
keep in contact with them after our work together is done. I like to know if
they’ve had success in publishing or are writing another book. Call up a couple
of your prospective editor’s past clients and ask them if the editor
contributed to a quality manuscript.
Another point to
think about: Most people prefer to read from paper rather than a computer
screen. However, there are advantages to having an edit done electronically:
you can go over the changes (I like the Microsoft Word “track changes”
function) and accept or reject them instantly, without having to laboriously
transfer commas from paper to computer. Personally, I work a little faster with
electronic data, although I prefer paper too.
Sometimes
I think that the hardest part of editing is convincing writers that they need
one. You need one. It’s not personal. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your
writing: you wrote it, you read over it so many times that you don’t see
obvious mistakes. And you love your words. It’s hard to be hear that, for
example, on page 143 the description is nice but much too long … That the event
on page 87 seems out of order ... That the names of two of your characters are
too similar and you might want to change one…. (And what’s up with dropping
that last serial comma?)
Just remember that
you and your editor are fighting the good fight. There is an increasing
tendency to forego proper usage; who has time for a comma splice while instant
messaging? But you have something to say, and how you say it matters. We love a
well-turned phrase. We have this
for grammar. And if you trust us, we’ll help you produce a manuscript that
speaks from your heart with striking clarity.
For details, visit
www.MightyPenEditing.com. I’ve
been doing this for seven years, and I’d love to talk with you about your book.
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