I write a monthly post on Indie Jane, a website that caters to writers and readers of Austen-related works. Over the past few months, I compiled tips and advice for hiring and working with freelance editors, and I’ve been meaning to link them here.
So here they are:
1. Introduction: Let’s Talk about Editing
The most critical part of the pre-publication process is editing. In reviews, readers can leave all sorts of opinions about your characters, plot, and style, but those facets of a book are subjective, open to interpretation. But reviews can also contain objective, provable feedback about typos and spelling and grammar errors. Poor editing stands out, but writers can take simple steps to prevent embarrassing typos by hiring professional editors. Click to read more.
2. Author/Editor Relations: Don’t Treat Your Editor Like a Supercuts
Editing is hard work, and it requires a great deal of time, focus, and concentration. An editor does not approach an editing job as if it is a pleasure read. This is meticulous work. As such, a book that may take the average person 8 hours to read for pleasure will take far, far longer for the editor to edit. And by far, far longer, I mean weeks, or in the case of nonfiction manuscripts with footnotes, I mean months (really awful, horrible months…but I digress). Click to read more.
3. Rates and Services: What to Expect from Your Editor
When your work comes back from the editor, you should be able to recognize it. That means, the editor should not send you back a rewritten or completely reorganized version of your own work. Every suggestion should be made in such a way that the author can either approve or disapprove of it. The author is ultimately responsible for every change made to the manuscript. Editors can only make suggestions. Click to read more.
4. Going Pro: So You Want to Be a Freelance Editor
Thanks to the explosion of self-publishing, the demand for good copy editors and proofreaders is high. Freelance work is far more readily available than it was five (or even two) years ago. That means this is a good time to take on a client and see how the job suits you.
“But how?” you ask. Click to read more.
5. Becoming a Freelance Editor: Corrections and Egos:
There are two things that all equestrians must remember if they want to have a good ride:
- Always relax!
- Never relax!
Here, you might be asking two questions:
- What does that even mean?
- How does it apply to editing? Click to read more.