Books completed. You’ve read through and revised as much as you can as creator, and you have formatted your manuscript according to traditional specifications.
What’s next?
Well, before you get all gung-ho and start submitting your book to publishers and agents, you should first send it to an editor.
Why?
Because as creator of the project, you are very close to the characters, the storyline, and all other components that makes your book – in your mind – sing.
It often takes a second set of eyes – and sometimes a third set – in order to see spelling and grammatical errors, holes in plot, weak characters, etc.
First thing to ask yourself is “How publication-ready is my manuscript?”
The answer to this will help you discern if your book needs proofreading, copy editing, and substantive editing. Below, I talk a little about each.
Proofreading focuses on two types of problems: 1) details that have been missed in the editing stages, such as spelling, punctuation, and serious grammatical errors and 2) glitches that have been introduced during layout, such as errors in headers/footers, page numbers, widows/orphans, and bad hyphen breaks at line ends. If you have had your book edited at least once by someone else for the “big” issues involving story development, then having your book proofread might be the way to go.
Copy editing tackles the manuscript line by line, paying attention to the small details: grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, passive voice, word choice, consistency of detail, spelling, consistency of style, clarity, etc. This process is a step above proofreading, and definitely suggested, even if your book has been edited once.
Substantive Editing seeks to achieve clarity of subject, logic, and consistency. Confusing and awkward writing may be reworked. Sentences are analyzed for structure/syntax. Long sentences may be enumerated or separated. Although some of the issues that are present in the proofreading and copy editing stages are handled in a substantive edit, it’s important to note the distinction amongst these three forms of editing. In seeking to achieve clarity of subject, logic, and consistency, an editor will be looking for holes in plot, weak characters, development of beginning and ending, strength in dialogue—essentially those components that make your book a book.
Although there are some editors, like myself, who blur these types (I’m always FIRST AND FOREMOST looking to develop the story, but I can’t help but to look at the minute details, too); it is important to know that you will probably need more than one edit.
Editing is an important process in getting your manuscript to shine; as a result, you should make sure you have your work edited more than once. In the initial stages, having a strong story is important; hence, you would look at substantive editing. As the “story” is perfected, you would look toward getting your manuscript copy edited, and in the final stage, once the manuscript is in layout form, you would seek someone to proofread your manuscript.
When you find an editor you’re thinking about using, be sure to talk with him or her before agreeing to have the person edit your work.
What kind of questions could you ask?
1- What books have you edited that have been published?
2- Do you have any clients/references that I can contact about your services?
3- What is your editing philosophy?
4- What is the process in which you edit and communicate with a client?
5- Do you have a free sample edit so that I might see your work before making a decision?
This last thought has more to do with YOU than with the editor.
I have had people in the past come to me for editing, thinking I would have their book done within two weeks and they would be ready to send it out to be printed as soon as the book is in their hot little hands.
NEVER is that the case.
Here’s a drop of wisdom – you may have finished your book, but it’s not perfect…or as perfect as it can reasonably be.
When you send a book to an editor, prepare to have it returned with revisions (sometimes major) to be done. Editors don’t write your books to make it better; that’s a ghostwriter, and he/she gets paid a lot more money to write your book than we do to edit it.
Editors, and I’m speaking from my own experience, clean up errors and make a lot of suggestions. If I see a hole in the plot, I state where I see it and make suggestions on how to fix it. If I see weak dialogue, I explain why it’s weak and offer suggestions on how to fix it. If I see an underdeveloped main character, I point this out, explain why I think the character is underdeveloped, and offer suggestions (or ask questions) that can help the writer develop the character further.
The editor’s job is to fine tune, but most importantly (and specifically) the job is to help YOU make your book the best book it can be. We offer you the advice, suggestions, and tweaks that YOU – as creator of the work – can go back and develop to make your literary work shine.
Be prepared to put in the work needed in revising and don’t be in such a rush to have a book in between covers.
You’ll thank me later.
No comments:
Post a Comment