Everyone Needs an Editor

Have you heard the one about the editor who walks into a room full of writers?

Editor says, “Does anybody need an editor?”

Nobody answers.

Haha. But That Would Never Happen, Would It?

That actually happened to me when I was an editor in a newsroom and our computer network went down. Folks could write and print, but not share. So, I walked around the room asking that question.

And getting that response.

But here’s the truth, and don’t stop me even if you’ve heard this one before: Everyone needs an editor.

And no, your friends and family don’t count, nor do your critique partners. If you want to be a successful author, you need a set of professional, experienced eyes on your work. At least one set. And, sorry, but it’s going to cost you.

What is this Editing You Speak Of?

Terminology may vary, but here’s a list of the type of services book editors provide:

Editorial Assessment – A written critique of your material, including comments on your plot, pace, timeline, characters, dialogue, and other basic elements, including voice and point-of-view. These will be broad comments, and should include some specific examples, but not a full, detailed edit.

Developmental Edit – An editorial assessment plus comments and suggested edits within the document, probably in Track Changes mode.

Copyediting – Detailed correction of standard style issues, timeline confusion, plot and character inconsistency.

Proofreading – Spelling, grammar, syntax, and related language issues. Formatting and layout for page proofs. Does not include copyediting or developmental issues.

Full Edit or Line Edit – These terms have different meanings to different people, but generally involve some combination of developmental and copyediting.

!!!! If you contract with an editor, be sure to have a written statement of exactly what services they will perform.

So, Which One Do I Need?

You need several of them at various stages.

An Editorial Assessment or Developmental Edit is important early in the project. I tend to send my manuscript to my developmental editor in thirds or halves. This helps me shape the story as I go along.

The more detailed services are useful later for near-final and final polishing.

Sounds Expensive

It can be. But you want your manuscript to be of the highest quality possible when you present it to agents, publishers and readers.

Prices vary, depending in part on the editor’s experience. Some charge by word, others by page or hour. But very generally speaking, editing services will cost between 1¢ and 2.5¢ per word, or about $1,000 to $2,500 for 100,000 words.

Ouch.

Yeah, but please reread the first paragraph of this section.

Less-experienced editors should be less expensive. But if you’re an inexperienced writer, do you really want an inexperienced editor?

Isn’t There an App for That?

Yes. Several. And you should definitely use style, spelling and grammar apps. But they don’t substitute for those experienced eyes.

On the other hand, humans can be more difficult to deal with than apps. The editing process can be fraught with disagreement and bruised egos. But it is essential for producing a quality product.

And This Will Get Me Published?

Trying to get published or attract readers without editing is like running your car with the Low Fuel Light on. If you don’t get gas, you may not reach your destination. If you do get gas, you still might not get there because there are a lot of other factors at play, like: Do you know the way? Is the bridge out? Can you even drive?

Similarly, without professional editing, you make your effort to get published more difficult. But editing by itself won’t guarantee success. Many factors are outside your control. All you can do is the best you can on what you do control, most importantly the quality of your manuscript. (Find more on guarantees in the creative process on my post about queries.)

So, Where Do I Find an Editor?

There are numerous clearinghouse websites designed to connect writers and editors. I don’t want to endorse any of them here. But you can run a search for, “Editorial Services for Authors,” and try several of the sites that come up.

You will be able to browse the editors’ backgrounds, experience, services, and prices, among other parameters. It’s important to choose an editor who works in your genre and who, if possible, can point to some successes, like manuscripts they edited that got published and endorsements from bona fide authors.

I suggest narrowing your list to several possibilities and then writing to them. Tell them something about yourself and your project, and ask about their availability, timing, prices, and process.

They may suggest (or you can suggest) that you send a few pages on which they will perform a sample edit of the type you’re looking for. This gives you both an idea what to expect, and should be free or very low cost.

What If They Steal My Million-Dollar Idea?

The editors you’re looking at should have a track record and perhaps affiliations in professional organizations. These things will give you some level of confidence that your intellectual property won’t be stolen. They may have signed an ethics code, or the website where you found them may have Terms of Service designed in part to protect all parties.

You should also have a written and signed contract that specifies costs, services, timeframe, and what to do if you’re not satisfied, among other things. The contract should also include a commitment to keep your manuscript and their comments confidential. (You should always have any legal document reviewed by a lawyer before you sign.)

But I’m A Control Freak

Don’t worry. You’re the boss. It’s your project with your name on it. You get to make the final decisions about what goes on the pages. That said, it would be silly to ignore all the advice you just paid for.

Writers should be confident but humble. If you do the work to produce a quality product, you should feel some pride of ownership. But don’t let that lead to arrogance. Take the professional advice you’ve paid for (and all criticism) and apply it using your own judgement to create the best book you can. (See also my post on taking criticism.)

In the best-case scenario, you’ll end up with a bruise not on your ego, but on your forehead—from facepalming so many times about problems the editor found that you missed.

Finally, if the editing process and cost put you off, or if you think you can do your own editing, please, please go back to the top and read this post agan agin again. Damn it!