4 Common Misconceptions About Hiring a Book Editor
The more work I do as an editor, the more I realize the amount of misconceptions there are about book editors/editing in general. So I don’t keep you all day, I whittled my list down to four misconceptions about working with a book editor that I want to share. Let’s talk about why each of these statements are not necessarily true, and why that’s great news for authors!
Coffee plus manuscript equaling the perfect editing session? Not a misconception.
1. The editor’s feedback will be harsh.
I’m sure every single writer out there has heard the advice “you better have thick skin” when it comes to receiving feedback. It’s true that some editors may be more on the blunt side with the way they give feedback. It’s true that as an author you need to be able to receive criticism and know that it’s for the betterment of your book and not a personal attack. It’s true that at some point you’ll likely be asked to consider a big change that makes your brain (and heart) hurt.
But it’s not true that all editors are these all-knowing, condescending, too-busy-and-important-to-be-nice people. I cannot speak for every single editor, but trust me when I say that editors just want the best for you and your book. During an edit we’re not sitting behind the screen rubbing our hands together and laughing maniacally, searching for the perfect places to rip your story apart and make you feel awful.
When you trust me with your manuscript, my mission is to pull out everything great and remind you how amazing it really is. A huge part of the writing process is encouragement. To get your story finished, you must keep going. How can you keep going and pushing through the long process if you have no hope? It’s also my mission to highlight areas for improvement, which can be anything from formatting to grammatical errors to character development to plot holes to anything that confuses me.
My purpose as an editor is multi-faceted: I need to encourage you to keep going so the world will get to read your story and I need to suggest changes that will give your reader the best experience possible while preserving the heart and message of your book. It’s not a job I take lightly! I take pride in developing good relationships with my clients. I want them to be encouraged by my feedback, and even when those big suggestions come up, I want them to feel safe, knowing that my edits are always from a place of truly helping improve their story.
2. It costs too much for something you can do yourself.
We all have different financial situations and our own opinions about how much is too much. Yes, pricing for editorial services varies widely. But the part of this statement I must disagree with is the assumption that editing is something anyone should simply do themselves to save a quick buck. Yes, it’s so valuable to read over your work again and again, to make sure your meaning is coming across and to catch errors. But that doesn’t replace what an editor can do for your manuscript. Editors train and study and practice to be able to edit effectively. Over time, we learn what to look out for in a manuscript. I can be more specific if I get into each type of edit:
Developmental: Editors are familiar with story structure and can provide feedback on how your characters, plot, flow, etc. are coming across. Plus, they are a first-time reader of your work and may catch things that you’re too close to the material to see.
Line: Editors have a sharp eye when it comes to the sentence level and can give you the perspective of fresh eyes reading your prose.
Copy: Editors are well-versed in the easily-overwhelming world of grammar, punctuation, and Chicago Manual of Style rules that your manuscript should conform to.
So, that’s a lot of pressure to put on yourself if you are an author trying to also be your own editor. Writing your book is enough work as it is! While self-editing is a good thing for an author to do, it’s priceless (pun intended) to have someone else read and give you feedback. Especially if that person is a professional book editor.
3. There’s one type of editing, so a manuscript only needs one pass.
Well, I suppose I spoiled this one a bit already… But it is a misconception that editing is simply editing. There’s this misbelief (which I’m sure we all had before we learned otherwise! I know I did!) that an editor reads through a manuscript, does this mysterious thing called editing, and boom, it’s ready to be a book!
In reality, there are several different types of editing and a book is not finalized in one pass. Even the greatest books go through multiple rounds of editing and are refined over time into what you see in the bookstore.
There is some debate over exactly how many types of edits there are and what they are called. I personally offer four main services:
Developmental: This goes first and covers big-picture things like structure, character development, plot, flow, consistency, and voice. If you’ve just completed your draft and are wondering what to do next, this is what I’d recommend to give you clarity for your following drafts.
Line: This comes after you’ve sorted out those big-picture concerns. It involves a close look at the sentence level (things like sentence structure, word choice, repetition, and transitions).
Copy: This is next because after you’re happy with big-picture aspects and your prose, then it’s time to look at punctuation, grammar, and spelling. This level of edit gets down to the technical details and ensures everything abides with the house style guide (Chicago Manual of Style is the industry standard). A copy edit helps polish your manuscript even further.
Proofread: While some argue this is not technically editing but a different skill entirely, it is part of the process. This comes last, when your manuscript is finished and it needs a final check. At this point, any technical errors or inconsistencies are flagged to make sure nothing unwanted remains in the manuscript. Only then is it officially ready!
If you think about the process like a funnel, the developmental edit is the widest part and the proofread is the smallest. With each round, the manuscript gets more fine-tuned. By the time the finished project exits the funnel, it’s much more focused and polished than it was when it entered.
4. You must get a publishing deal to have access to editing services.
Not at all! Firstly, traditional publishing is not the only option. If you are self-publishing there are so many independent editors out there to help you get your book to where you want it to be. You just have to find the right one!
Secondly, if your goal is to be traditionally published (whether a big 5 or smaller publisher) you can still benefit from working with an independent editor! If you’re a published or inspiring author, you’re well aware that getting published can be a long road. In many cases, in order to submit to a publisher, you must first get an agent. To get an agent (and later to get a publishing deal) you must get your manuscript to the best condition you can. One way to do this is to work with an editor after you’ve gotten it as far as possible by yourself. Once you get a publishing deal, your manuscript will go through the publisher’s editorial process and get polished the rest of the way. Just don’t forget that editors can help you before you query agents and go on submission!
There’s absolutely zero shame in hiring an editor. That is literally what we are here for! You wrote the book. You laid the foundation. It’s your story, your message. It’s my job to provide suggestions that will take it the rest of the way, whether you need that extra boost to get an agent, land a publishing deal, or publish it yourself. The goal is to make your vision come to life and eventually get your book into your readers’ hands.