Everyone needs an editor!
Contributor
Written by
Maria Murnane
January 2012
Contributor
Written by
Maria Murnane
January 2012

If you decide to independently publish, it's critical to have multiple sets of eyes review your work before pulling the trigger. I strongly recommend hiring a professional creative editor and a professional copy editor. If you don't have the budget for either, solicit input from friends, coworkers, or anyone else willing to help for nothing more than your gratitude and a signed copy of your book. (Be sure to include them in the acknowledgements!)

Creative editors help identify and fix problems with the major elements of your book, such as plot, character development, pacing, and style. However, not everyone is comfortable providing constructive criticism - especially to loved ones - so it's important to choose people who aren't afraid to tell it to you straight.

Copy editors have eagle eyes for typos, missing words, punctuation, grammar, repetition, etc. After so many hours of writing, rewriting, and tweaking, our brains begin to play tricks on our eyes, and we often see words that aren't there, or we don't see words that are. My mom proofread my most recent novel for me before I turned it over to anyone else, and she found more than 100 errors! Copyediting can be a great job for friends who want to help but aren't cut out for the "tough love" approach required to be an effective creative editor.

The bottom line is that when it comes time to edit your book (or promotional sign, see above), you need to check your ego at the door and welcome any feedback you can get - good, bad, or ugly. It's much better to hear the criticism from trusted friends now than from disappointed readers later, right?

 -Maria :)

Maria Murnane writes romantic comedies and provides consulting services on book publishing and marketing. Learn more at www.mariamurnane.com.

This blog post originally appeared on CreateSpace.com. Reprinted with permission. © 2011 CreateSpace, a DBA of On-Demand Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.

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  • Maria Murnane

    @Mary, it was my pleasure! I'll be posting a new blog entry today, so please stay tuned. :)

  • Mary L. Holden

    This has been a fascinating exchange of information! Thank you, Maria, for getting this dialogue going. 

  • Liz Carmichael

    @ Diane... Well said.Yes, there are authors who believe their work, as it rolls from their fingertips, is perfect. It was my misfortune to meet one or two, as well as those who don't send in until after the first deadline leaving no time for a full edit.

    You have clarified many points made here by expanding on them. I think everyone is in agreement that good editing is an absolute must for every writer, no matter how long in the business.

  • Diane O\'Connell

    @Liz...You bring up so many valid points here. I'd like to expand on each of them, because they are so important. Regarding those well-known authors who, in your words, "slip through the editorial net at times," there are a number of things at play here. Some of them absolutely refuse to be edited. When I was at Random House many years ago, one of my authors was a major bestseller and had it written in his contract that not even a comma could be changed without his approval. Needless to say, not much editing was done on this author's work. (This is a word to the wise to any author who falls for an independent editor who claims to have edited NY Times bestselling authors. Really, how much editing did they really do? Far more impressive is the editor who works with a first-time author and actually helps them get a contract.) 

    Another thing to keep in mind is that publishing is very much a bottom-line business. So if you have a James Patterson, it really is your flagship "brand" that you're selling and there's less of an incentive to spend precious $$ editing something you know already has a huge built-in audience. Sad, but true.

    Also, authors should keep in mind that publishing houses have been decimated since the crash of 2008. As you so rightly pointed out, Liz, editors have been laid off, as well as their staff, and the editors that are left are far too overextended to give much attention to every author. Essentially, the job of editor for a traditional publisher has really turned into that of an acquisitions editor.

    Which brings me to your excellent point, Liz: all authors should be concerned with good editing. The more you take care of yourself by helping your book be the best it can possibly be -- before turning it over to a publisher or agent -- the better off you'll be,  the happier your readers will be, and the more successful you will be as an author.

  • Regina Y. Swint

    Yes, indeed, Liz.  I agree. 

    All authors, traditional and self-published, need good editing.  I think my expectation is like many as far as traditionally published books go.  We think traditional houses put out near flawless work because they have the best editing staff at their disposals, but I guess with cut-backs and other influences, more traditional or well-known houses run the risk of putting out poorly edited work, too.  And in all cases, that would be a disservice to the reader.

  • Liz Carmichael

    @Diane... If every author took up all the suggestions their editors made - when keeping to the author's voice - then we should, if the editor is worth her fee, have wonderful reading experiences.

    One thing I have noticed is that well-known authors seem to slip through the editorial net at times, and the enjoyment that came from reading that author's previous books doesn't happen. I don't know if the publisher feels the author no longer needs editing, or if the editors have convinced themselves that a quick run through does the job.

    We are all quick to pick on the self-published authors for their slips, but how much worse is it when a publishing house puts out poorly edited material? It's true some houses still employ good editors, and ensure MSS go through more than one edit from the team. It's ones like the traditionally published book I'm currently reading that annoys me most - this has come through a house that should know better.

    What I'm saying is please don't look down on self-published authors as the only ones who need the help of good editors, which seems to be what the theme of this thread is becoming. As publishing houses cut back, good editing staff are being dropped and new ones are not receiving the in-house training they once did.

    I think I've said enough on this subject, so... :)

  • Mary L. Holden

    And Regina, trust me on this one: we editors say "Thank goodness for writers!"

  • Regina Y. Swint

    @Mary...I agree totally.  I've learned my lesson, and I hope to pass that lesson along to as many authors as possible.  I'm in the process of revising my first novel with an editor, and I will take his recommendations more seriously and give the process a chance to work the way it's supposed to work. (Not that I didn't take Kaytie's recommendations seriously, but I was just in too much of a rush to go through the entire process).  The 1st Edition was okay, but I want this 2nd Edition to be the best it can be.  Thank goodness for editors.

  • Diane O\'Connell

    @Mary, @Regina...Both of you bring up a really crucial point about the editor/author relationship. While most of my authors are really dedicated to the craft and take my recommendations seriously, there are also those who just tinker around the edges. I know they've done a superficial job of editing when I get an email back saying that their manuscript is "fixed" and they made all the "corrections." When a manuscript needs substantive revisions, I warn my authors not to go directly back into the manuscript and start "fixing" pieces of it. But there are those who are in a rush to publication and unfortunately, those are the ones whose books don't do well and who give other self-published authors a bad rap. All authors -- especially those who want to self publish -- should keep in mind that at traditional houses, manuscripts are revised multiple times and gone over by multiple levels of editing and proofreading before the manuscript ever becomes a published book. We do ourselves no service if we cut corners.

  • Jolie du Pre
    Regina wrote:
    "When many folks see that someone is self-published, they usually assume the worst.  Hopefully, we can change their ways of thinking once we start devoting more of work to a proper editing and polish."
    THANK YOU.

  • Regina Y. Swint

    @Liz...I hope that forums like this will encourage all writers, especially self-published, to really invest the time and money in good editing.  And you all are so right.  When many folks see that someone is self-published, they usually assume the worst.  Hopefully, we can change their ways of thinking once we start devoting more of work to a proper editing and polish.

  • Liz Carmichael

    There are a lot of valid points here. I think the biggest problem is people expect self-published to mean poor writing and/or poor editing, which is not always the case.

    Not all traditionally published books come through as well as they could. The one I'm reading at present is driving me up the wall. At the end of each character's dialogue is the action tags of the other character. At first it was confusing - because the action did not match what the character had said - until I realised what was going on. As if that was not bad enough, sometimes two characters are speaking in the same paragraph. This is basic stuff that the publisher's editors should have corrected immediately. It's not an odd typo here and there, it runs through the whole book. If not for the author's writing ability, this book would have been quickly tossed aside.

    For my own writing I make sure I have someone else go over the manuscript, yet, as I revise, I often find things they missed.

  • Regina Y. Swint

    @Mary...That's exactly what happened to me.  I got the initial edit, made the changes (as I saw fit), and never returned to the editor (a friend of mine) for an edit check before going to publish.  Ouch!  It was wrong for me to put her in that position as an editor, and worse, I ended up with a less than polished product out to the masses.  That won't EVER happen again.  Lesson learned here.

  • Mary L. Holden

    Regina, you made some good points! As an editor, I have a set fee for editing, and a lower fee for editing help during revisions. When I edit for authors who self publish, I have to hope that they will take my edits and work them into a decent revision on their own. It is one thing to edit a raw manuscript (which often involves a lot of creative editorial input) or a manuscript that has been workshopped and well-revised by the writer. It is quite another thing to turn back an edited manuscript and then not be able to see the revisions! That gap makes it difficult for me: I can imagine a self-published book being revised without another edit to check changes, having lots of errors in revision and going to publication with my name on the line as the editor. So far, I've been fortunate to work with authors who've done a good job on revision, or who have hired me to edit the revised manuscript. One thing I love about editing is that each job is so very different! Sometimes I work on an hourly basis, keeping track of hours (I worked as a paralegal for six years and learned to keep very accurate time sheets) and sometimes I work with an author on a project basis. Being able to evaluate cost/time/efficiency/best practice is a challenge, but open and honest communication is always the key.  

  • Regina Y. Swint

    @Jolie...Your words ring true in my experience and personal observations, too. 

    "...(Just because you can self-publish a book doesn't mean you should if you don't have the funds to do it properly.) Every self-published book that is full of errors, yet introduced to the public, is damaging to the image of self-published authors..."

    Well said.  I wish more of us would take those words into consideration BEFORE we rush to publish.  I had a friend tell me a while back that she was going to publish with a certain company, and she was so excited because the publisher told her that she didn't need ANY editing.  I told her then that that was a red flag and to reconsider.  She didn't listen because she was just so excited to get published.  *Sigh*

    In the end, it wasn't as good a product as it could have been.  I'm not even sure if that publisher is still around, and my friend is now very discouraged.  Weak editing (or just plain old lack of editing) makes self-published authors seem like a joke in a lot of circles, and that's really too bad.  A lot of folks frown on self-published works, at least from unknown authors, because they just expect them to be bad.

    I'm almost embarrassed to admit the number of self-published authors I've supported only to be disappointed with the weak editing.  As a relative newbie, I want to support my friends in their writing efforts, but then I cringe when I see too many obvious and glaring errors.

    One author "friend" even wrote a nasty blog about me for commenting that his story was good, but that his editing was weak.  Geez Louise.

    Looking back, I was among those who rushed my publication of my first book (personal reasons), and although it's been pretty well-received and I'm pleased with it, I know it could have been better, IF I had listened to my editor, and if I hadn't rushed it through.  I found several simple errors that would have been cleaned up if I hadn't tried to do her job.  I'm lucky that I don't care about royalties.  I just want to be read.  And one of the best ways to increase my chances of getting read is to ensure a high quality, well edited product.

    I'm lucky that I have the means to hire editors, because I know how important they are to a polished finished product.  I don't want anyone taking my writing as a joke.  So, for as much as I think of my writing, I am sensible enough to acknowledge that no one should go without an editor.  I will always use editors in my works, and now that I'm venturing into becoming an actual publisher, all of my authors' works (when I get some authors) will be using professional editors, too.  It's not only good for the writer and the writer, it's just plain good business.  And we should all make the investment.

  • Jolie du Pre

    Self-publishing gives us the opportunity to get our work out there quicker than a publisher can do it; it allows us to introduce subject matter that a publisher may not want to touch, and often it allows us to get a better percentage of royalties than a publisher can provide. However, self-publishing should not be used to avoid what is required. You can publish your work  without the benefit of an editor, but why would any serious author do that?

    I'll modify what I wrote earlier in this thread.  If you can find an editor for free who will do as complete a job as a professional, that's fine.  However, if you're going with someone who is not a professional, and you know that the person is not as strong as a professional, but you don't care, because you don't want to pay for a professional, you're harming your self-published book.  You're adding to the bad rap that self-published authors get. (Just because you can self-publish a book doesn't mean you should if you don't have the funds to do it properly.) Every self-published book that is full of errors, yet introduced to the public, is damaging to the image of self-published authors.

    This is not to say that traditionally published books don’t have errors. They do. (We all know you could take a red pen to some of the New York published books out there, for example.)  However, I believe every author should strive for as few errors as possible in their books, even bestselling authors.  It's difficult to catch our own errors.  Every author needs help.

  • Regina Y. Swint

    @Nancy, Diane, and Jolie...All of you ladies make great points.  I have always been a big fan of of professional editing.  I've preached about it for years to self-pubbed/indie-pubbed authors, including in my blog on She Writes a month or so ago.  Professional editors are certainly worth the investment.  And as authors, we should pay attention to what they tell us.  Learned that lesson the hard way, trying to do too much myself once upon a time.  But I also believe that there are some non-pros out there who are/can be helpful.  I understand if we disagree on some that, but for the most part, I believe we agree.

    And thanks for that great article, Diane.  I'm going to add it to my favorites and go out and do some sharing.  :)

  • Nancy E. Frank

    As a magazine and newspaper copy editor who freelances for a living, I could not agree with you more on the subject of editing.  I have seen enough copy in 15+ years of editing to assure anyone that a second set of eyes is well worth the price of saving the author from acute embarrassment.  To me, a typo or grammatical error in the first sentence of a magazine piece or book is enough to put me off from continuing to read: there may be many who miss these errors, given the speed with which the info superhighway has forced us into media overload, but as a professional editor, I find these mistakes egregious.  Print may be dying, but editors are not.

  • Diane O\'Connell

    In light of this conversation, thought you'd all like to see Tim Tebow's blog post for self-published authors. Among other things, he talks about the importance of hiring both copy editors and content (creative) editors.

    http://publishingperspectives.com/2012/01/be-like-tebow-10-resolutions-for-self-publishers-in-2012/

  • Jolie du Pre

    I'm not a newbie.  I've been an author and an editor for many years, and I'll agree to disagree.

  • Regina Y. Swint

    Thank you, Liz.  That's very true and very encouraging.  I have self-published, and I will again; and I can afford to hire an editor.  I, too, see the benefit of critique groups, friends, and professional editors.

  • Liz Carmichael

    As an editor I think not using a critque group for editing should depend on the group. Some groups have good editors as members - some retired, some on their way up, some naturals - and they can give excellent advice; if the writer listens. I wouldn't lump all critque groups together, but would search out those that have a record for helping their members get published.

  • Jolie du Pre

    I don't self-publish.  I have a publisher.  However, I would not self-publish unless I could afford to hire an editor.  Not my neighbor, not my friend, not some beta readers, not members of a critique group - a professional editor.   

  • Sally Panayiotou

    Diane and Maria, thank you both for your very useful responses. I'd already thought that this site would be a very good way of finding an editor when it gets to that stage and this is clearly the case! 

  • Maria Murnane

    @Sally, if you sell your book to a traditional publisher, they will assign a creative editor (some houses call it a developmental editor) to work with you. However, there are lots of great freelance editors out there available for hire to work with both "pre-submission" manuscripts as well as ones that are going to be self-published. My friend Diane O'Connell, who has also commented on this post, is one of them. Hi Diane! :)