List of the best book editors and how to select them. There is, says saletan, an intimacy that inevitably develops between an editor and author as they work together on a book. It wont answer every question and certainly will be limited. They work very closely with the author to ensure your manuscript is. Every single freelance editor on the reedsy marketplace has been carefully selected. Publishers like controversial books they bring attention, readers, and money. While strongly related, writing and editing are different activities and require different skills.
The ins and outs of how to become a book editor is worthy of a book in and of itself, so take this as more of a field notes approach. Look for someone with formal trainingeducation in literature and in writing. In this feature, we ask editors gillian green from ebury and alison hennessey from harvill secker to explain exactly what they do, which authors they work with and how book editing actually works. The art, craft, and business of book editing, edited by peter ginna, is a collection of essays by editors from many different segments of the industry, shedding light on the.
Many do this as a favor to authors they love and work with in publishing housesso they lower their rates for private work. If you love books and love to read, a job as an editor can be a dream come true. When you browse through the professional book editors on reedsy, you can refine your search by type of editing and genre. The work can be stressful because editors often have tight deadlines. Jul 06, 2015 in this feature, we ask editors gillian green from ebury and alison hennessey from harvill secker to explain exactly what they do, which authors they work with and how book editing actually works. You may have heard that you need a book editor or editing services, but what does a book editor do. What authors and editors wish they could say to one another. Representing both large houses and small, and encompassing trade, textbook, academic, and childrens publishing, the contributors make the case for why editing remains a vital function to writersand readerseverywhere. This page has a good explanation of the different types of editors and what they do. But the highest rates dont necessarily mean the best editor, and the lowest rates could be. The art, craft, and business of book editing fixes that problem. Instead, they take a more overall approach to editing your book. Nb that ive limited the scope here to book publishing which takes people like william maxwell, famed editor of the new yorker and acclaimed novelist, as well as heidi julavits, of the believer and several great books, out of the running, and that as always, there are many more writereditors than appear on this list heidi pitlor, julie. What authors and editors wish they could say to one another leila sales shares 10 truths every editor knows, and 10 truths every author knows, as someone who wears both hats.
Can you please tell us when you started editing books. They comment on the overall structure of the story. How editors and writers work together book editing. A good book must entertain and touch reader emotions. Get the facts about education requirements, salary and job outlook to determine if this is the right career for you. Through contributions from many leading editors and publishing professionals, this book defines the broad scope of what editors do in the twentyfirst century. For my book, career change, i gave an early copy to people working in my department in the day job who i knew were dissatisfied with what they were doing.
Thats why editors catch mistakes that your friends and colleagues didnt when they read your material and pronounced it perfect. Often multiauthor volumes such as this have a lot of ups and downs. How to find and work with a professional editor the. They point out every place where the writing bogs down and suggest fixes. If you end up paying more for an editor, you might be glad you did. A task common to all is to ensure that the product they produce is the best it can be in the time available and with the resources available. Sam, while i dont think you need to aim for being a writer as well as an editor, i do think editors need a love for words and an understanding of what they can accomplish at the hand of a skilled writer. Today, most copyeditors work freelance and are hired projectbyproject.
This requires many things of an editor, as there are several aspects of editing that go into producing a marketready book. Book editors do a lot more than just read and edit raw manuscripts. Contrary to the name, line editors do not look at your book linebyline. It must make readers care about characters and what happens to them. But a controversial book still must be well written and must do all those things that great books do in order to keep readers turning pages. They need strong writing, interpersonal, listening and speaking skills and must be comfortable using computers to do their job. That first draft doesnt have to leave your screen until youve tinkered with it and gotten it to tell a coherent story. Dec 19, 2016 copyeditors are primarily concerned with the nittygritty stuff. Most editors work in offices, whether onsite with their employer or from a remote location. Rates most online book editors are freelance editors, which means they set their own rates.
Determine your budget and the amount of help you really need with your book. These books are shorter than many other types of fiction and yes the editors are professional. List of the best book editors and how to select them kindlepreneur. Theyve written what they believe is a workable first draft, and because they want to do the process right, they begin looking for editors for hire. They take a manuscript and turn it into a polished product ready to be printed. What an editor will and will not do for your writing. They all have extensive experience and ample portfolios. Executive editors oversee assistant editors and generally have the final say about what stories are published and how they are covered. Though many people are fluent in the various programs, make sure the editor can.
Editors are responsible for checking facts, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Jun 10, 2019 editors must be curious, creative and detail oriented. Proofreading is not a structural edit and instead focuses on eliminating minor. So, make sure they are good with whatever writing programs you want to use. Editors charge by the word, hour, or by the project. In what editors do, peter ginna gathers essays from twentyseven leading figures in book publishing about their work. Editors usually need a bachelors degree in english, journalism or communication.
A professional book editor can help you develop your ideas and polish your work. Jun 18, 2019 theyll take note of all the factual references in your book, then carefully confirm them via external sources. Editing and revising at an independent press such as those affiliated with colleges and universities that publish literary journals, a highlevel editor will often make suggestions to improve the. Apr 12, 2020 book editors are responsible for one of the most important steps in book publishing. Dec 29, 2015 then they work with the sales force, the publicists and marketers to get the book in the hands of readers. Editors are responsible for a range of functions in a publishing house and many phases of editing need to take place before a book is ready to be published. You can then approach several editors at the same time with a project brief and sample of your book. Many fields make use of editorsfilm, video, magazine, newspaper, blog, and book, both fiction and nonfiction. Do editorspublishers read the whole book when they.
For my book, career change, i gave an early copy to people working in my department in the day job who i. Jul 20, 2018 what authors and editors wish they could say to one another leila sales shares 10 truths every editor knows, and 10 truths every author knows, as someone who wears both hats. An editor is a critical reader and a lover of words, whose job is to polish and refine a story or an article. Our book editors have years of experience with editing and have been tested to make sure they know what they are doing. They are not professional editors, so you cant expect them to pick up structural or grammatical issues, but they can be useful for feedback. Their aim is to attract good authors and publish books that achieve commercial success. There are editors who do both and can do both efficiently because they have the training and background. Theyre looking to make sure your book makes sense in general.
They are also responsible for ensuring that an article corresponds with inhouse. There are multiple types of editors, not all editors are created equal, some editors specialize in certain types of books while others do now, different editors charge different rates, and i cant tell you how many different types of edits your book needs. Editors are used in various industries and for many types of products, such as magazines, newspapers, blogs, and books. But it will help kickstart the interest in those just trying to figure out what they want to do in their lives, as well as those looking for a new. Book proofreading is the vital last step of the editing process. Copyeditors are primarily concerned with the nittygritty stuff. Editors must be curious, creative and detail oriented. Book publishers take responsibility for all aspects of book publication. Editing is a valuable investment in your book as a good editor can turn your story from meh to amazing. Editors at book publishers must also champion authors they love in order to ensure that such authors receive attention from publishing. Book editing services for authors professional book editor.
Apr 03, 20 sam, while i dont think you need to aim for being a writer as well as an editor, i do think editors need a love for words and an understanding of what they can accomplish at the hand of a skilled writer. Do editorspublishers read the whole book when they receive. Most assistant editors work for newspaper publishers, television broadcasters, magazines, book publishers, or advertising and public relations firms. Nov 18, 2019 editors charge by the word, hour, or by the project. They re looking to make sure your book makes sense in general. Jul 11, 2019 the ins and outs of how to become a book editor is worthy of a book in and of itself, so take this as more of a field notes approach. Apr 11, 2016 there are multiple types of editors, not all editors are created equal, some editors specialize in certain types of books while others do now, different editors charge different rates, and i cant tell you how many different types of edits your book needs.
Book editing services book editor professional editing. Book editing costs are assessed based on word count or by the page, and editing rates differ depending on the type you need. Youd be surprised how happy theyll be to talk about their work. Jun 19, 2014 there are editors who do both and can do both efficiently because they have the training and background. With developmental editing, it might be more helpful to work with a specialist in your topic or genre, especially if you need help with improving the story fiction writing or presenting your research. There are no set fees and each editor can offer you an individual. May 14, 2010 editors at book publishers must also champion authors they love in order to ensure that such authors receive attention from publishing higherups. If youre still unsure, please ask for a free sample edit of 750 words on our quote form so you can judge the quality of the work for yourself. Moreover, they can help ensure your finished book is a.
The editors and publishing consultants posted on this site are freelance. These editors also check for the visual appearance of the publication, especially the book block the pages of the book. If youre thinking about a career as a book editor, you should have. I started my career working briefly in foreign rights before i took up my first editorial job, a 6 month. But a first draft should never be sent to an editor, unless youre working with and willing to pay a developmental editor to help you create a workable draft. Still, she admits, there are more demands on an editors time these days. A film editor may have weeks to put together his movie, the sound editor about the same. Book editing services was formed in 1998 to protect writers from online scams and from selfappointed editors and proofreaders who offer substandard services. So, below, some of the books morrison published, as well as a peek at the careers of a few other great writers who are or were, as they case may be also great editors. Editors at book publishers must also champion authors they love in order to ensure that such authors receive attention from publishing higherups. And in that way, things havent changed all that much since the days of. New authors need to beware of editors who hang out a sign and have business degrees. The quotes i posted are for a specialized genre romance. Then they work with the sales force, the publicists and marketers to get the book in the hands of readers.
The number can vary, but my own favorite editor used 117. While these are simply one websites average estimates for editorial costs, they serve as a reliable benchmark. This type of editing is particularly crucial if youre writing nonfiction, and dedicated nonfiction editors are often experienced factcheckers too. You can then approach several editors at the same time with a project brief and. Whether its a book, a journal article, a website, a corporate publication, a training manual, a legal document, or a scientific treatise, an editor with the relevant background and knowledge can make it clear, appropriate for the reader, logical and well organised. Apr 03, 2020 theyve written what they believe is a workable first draft, and because they want to do the process right, they begin looking for editors for hire. Computer proficiency and a bachelors degree in communications, journalism, or english are typically. When people hear the word editor they usually imagine someone who spell checks and is a stickler for grammar. What editors do is a collection of 26 chapters by 27 authors about all aspects of professional editing. What type of book editing do you need bookbaby blog. Book editors are responsible for one of the most important steps in book publishing. Depending on the size of the publishing company, the book publisher may carry out all aspects of publication, or may delegate part of the work to editors. I have heard a couple of different acquiring editors explain the page 117 rule. Together they explain and unpick one of most fascinating areas of the book publishing process.