Happy Weekend, WG2E-Land!
It’s time for our next Ruth Harris Report…Part Two in her Series on Editors and Editing.
You can catch the first part of this fabulous and informative series right here:
Take it away, Ruth…
In an effort to clarify some of the confusions about various kinds of editing & the writer-editor relationship, I’ve asked our editors to talk about genre-specific editing, choosing an editor and the ins and outs of plot/character/story structure edits
How can plot/character/story structure edits improve a manuscript?
Meghan Ward: Often writers spend so much time focusing on the minutiae of each chapter—writing beautiful descriptions and realistic dialogue and perhaps even compelling story arcs within each chapter, but they forget about the big picture. Their protagonist doesn’t have a clear goal, she has no obstacles to overcome, and each dramatic scene carries the same weight.
These flaws can be the death of a beautifully written book by a talented writer. An editor can resurrect that book from the dead and give it a new life.
Matt, the Edit Dude: An editor can help an author maintain good pacing and make sure that the story doesn’t get off track or spend time on extraneous events that don’t move the story along.
Your editor will also help by making sure that characters’ voices remain consistent throughout and their actions remain consistent with their voice and character.
Sherrie Holmes: Plot/character/story structure edits can mean the difference between a manuscript that sells and one that garners an endless round of rejections. Who wants to read a book where the plotting is full of holes or the characters are unlikeable?
Who wants to read a mystery where the clues are unbelievable, too predictable, or nonexistent? Who wants to read a romance where the hero and heroine don’t meet until chapter fifteen? Who wants to read an action/adventure where the protagonist can see the Pacific ocean from the front porch of his Montana mountain cabin?
Absurd? Yes. But these are examples of the things that have appeared in client manuscripts. Whether you’re aiming for a traditional print publisher or e-publisher, they want to see a polished manuscript that is not only a good read but professional in appearance and content. If you expect to break into publishing, you aren’t competing against other unpublished writers. You’re competing against published writers.
Do you specialize in any particular genre(s)?
Jodie Renner: Yes, I specialize in editing thrillers, romantic suspense, mysteries and other crime fiction. I also occasionally edit YA, historical fiction or mainstream that interests me.
Sherrie Holmes: I work in all genres, but my specialty is romance.
Matt, The Edit Dude: Not really. I generally stick with fiction, but I’m willing to look at any type of manuscript.
Meghan Ward: I specialize in memoir, but I spend at least 50 percent of my time editing novels and nonfiction books as well.
How should an author go about selecting an editor?
Sherrie Holmes: Before deciding on an editor, I’d like to suggest the writer join a good critique group, first. Most writers benefit enormously from quality critiques which can eliminate many manuscript problems before they go searching for an editor. This in turn saves the writer money and the editor’s sanity. It also helps the writer understand the process of getting edited and critiqued, and helps them develop a thick hide.
My best advice for finding a good editor is to ask your writer friends for recommendations. Then go to the Preditors and Editors Web site at http://pred-ed.com/ and check to see if there are any complaints against the editor you’ve chosen. This site also has a ton of writing-related links and useful editorial information.
Matt, The Edit Dude: I would ask potential editors if they could put them in touch with any clients they have worked with. I have found that an editor is generally in fairly close contact with a writer while working on a manuscript. An editor should have at least a few authors who have enjoyed their work and are willing to speak with other authors about their experience.
Meghan Ward: The best way to find an editor is through referrals. But if no one you know has worked with an editor they were happy with and who charges a reasonable fee, writers can find many wonderful editors online. Just be sure to check their credentials and ask for either a sample edit or references.
Jodie Renner: First, be sure they not only edit fiction, but also read and edit your genre. Visit their websites and check out their credentials and experience, and read about their process and editorial services offered. Ask the editors for references from former or current clients or check the testimonials on their website and consider contacting some of the authors who have written reviews there.
You can find out more about our editors at their websites—
Sherrie Holmes: http://www.holmesedit.com
Jodie Renner: http://www.jodierennerediting.com/
Matt, the edit dude: http://theeditdude.com/
Meghan Ward: http://www.meghanward.com/editing
Next time I’ll ask our talented editors about their policies toward sample edits & how best to use sample edits to choose an editor. I’ll also ask them what happens when a writer disagrees with their edits.
Until then, I want to thank our editors for their time and for sharing their expertise.
It’s Your Turn, WG2E-Land: What questions do you have for our fabulous Editor Panel?
The Best of WG2E Editor Wishes — Ruth Harris
NYTimes Bestselling Author
Hey All, Very good info. There are also professional associations to help a writer “vet” editors. It’s a good place to start the search and gain a better understanding of the role/costs…
Editorial Freelance Association (US) http://www.the-efa.org/
Society for Proofreaders and Editors (UK) http://www.sfep.org.uk/
Institute of Professional Editors (Australia) http://iped-editors.org/
Editor’s Association of Canada http://www.editors.ca/
Thanks for these links, Monica. Google works really well, too, as long as writers then look through the editors’ websites carefully and get references and a sample edit.
There are many excellent freelance editors out there who don’t belong to one of these professional associations because the annual dues can be prohibitive and they’re already getting more business than they can handle through referrals and their website.
Thanks for sharing these links, Monica!
Hi-dee ho, all! I’ve been away and won’t be returning home until Sunday night, so I probably won’t get to reply to most of these comments until tomorrow. Right now, I have limited computer access.
Yes, great links, Monica, and I’d like to underscore what Jodie said. I’m in full agreement with both her first and second paragraphs.
I have two editors, and both are really good. The editor I use for my YA stories has been editing for years and I know several other romance authors who use her. She helps me get ideas how to improve my story by suggesting things both in her letter and in the ms comments. My other editor for my romance series, helps me get ideas to enhance the story and strengthens it. She thinks that I am a good storyteller, which she hasn’t seen much of.
My question is: do you suggest to your clients ways they can change and improve their work? If so how?
Julie, I am constantly giving my clients suggestions on how they can improve both the current story and their fiction writing in general. I do this through my comments in the margin and email messages. I also suggest good craft books, and send them links to specific articles I have written, choosing from various aspects of writing compelling fiction. My editing is interactive and full of tips that apply to all fiction writing. For example, I’ll teach them about point of view by pointing out instances of head-hopping and hovering POV. Or I’ll give them tips like “show cause before effect, action before reaction” or “show your character’s reactions more.” I point out character actions or motivations that seem illogical or hard to believe. I’ll also help them cut out unnecessary or repetitive words, ideas, or sentences to streamline their writing and improve the flow and pacing.
Hi Julie,
Unless I’m hired only to copyedit a story, I absolutely make suggestions both in text and in my critique of the overall manuscript on how the author can improve the story. That’s a large part of a content/developmental editor’s job. Those suggestions may range from sentence-level critiques like pointing out repetition and offering alternative word choices to manuscript-level critiques of structure, plot, and POV.
Oh, absolutely! This is probably one of the most important aspects of editing, and certainly one that can be of tremendous help to the client. As I mentioned in Part 1 of this series, this is a collaborative effort between the editor and the client. I don’t sit on a marble throne with a vicious red pen, hacking and slicing at the poor client’s MS. My job is to help the client polish that MS to perfection. We exchange e-mails and have phone conversations regarding the development/evolution of the MS. I have an e-library of helpful writing tips and information that I can send clients having trouble with specific issues. On the MS itself, I make free use of comments in the margin. In addition to correcting the usual things like grammar, spelling, and punctuation, I’ll also do any of the following: make suggestions on rewording an awkward sentence; suggest that the client make use of the 5 senses (see, hear, smell, taste, feel) to enhance a passage or describe a scene; show vs. tell; character development; tightening; POV issues such as head hopping; consistency; GMC (goal, motivation, and conflict); repetition or overuse of certain words/phrases; plotting; pacing; logic/believability . . . man, I could go on and on! But you get the idea.
Monica—Thanks for the kind words & thank you so much for the links! They will be extremely helpful to writers who are in the process of looking for an editor.
Julie—Thanks for adding more info about the contributions a good editor can make to a manuscript. It sounds as if you have chosen very well!
Thanks for having us back, Ruth. Somehow I must have forgotten to give you an answer to that first question. Oops! My bad.
Jodie—How could you possibly be bad? lol Seriously, thank you for your informative comments. Choosing an editor is crucially important & it helps to know that there are several ways for a writer to go about making the choice. Most definitely: one size does NOT fit all!
I love the idea of genre-specific editing! There are unwritten rules for each genre and an experienced editor can help an author avoid violating them by mistake–although an author may decide to violate these rules for a purpose. This week my blog features copy editors and my favorite observation is “A copy editor can transform a manuscript from good to great without leaving any fingerprints.” How true!
I am so glad to see these behind-the-scenes experts who make such a difference in the quality of a book highlighted here. More indie authors are realizing that no matter how good a writer they may be, their manuscript will always benefit from working with a great editor. No traditional publisher would ever publish a manuscript without input from several editors.
LC—Thanks for your comment. As a former Big6 editor, I can’t agree more!
I hope these posts will help writers (especially those just starting out) understand exactly how much editors can contribute.
LC,
As a writer (in addition to being an editor), I have hired several editors myself to help get my manuscript in shape. Although I can copyedit my own work, I was too close to my story (a memoir) to know what to keep and what to cut. One lesson I learned is that, like doctors, all editors are not equal, so you may have to try two or three before you find the right one for you.
LC, genre-specific editing is very important. I’ve edited fiction and nonfiction, mystery/thriller, action/adventure, erotica, fantasy, romance and romantic suspense, academic works and classroom books, but my specialty is romance. And sometimes you get a weird but fun job that swoops down on you from out of the blue and challenges every corpuscle and nerve bundle and brain cell in your body. In my case, that was editing an academic book written by a famous fashion designer in China and destined for English-speaking students in fashion design school! The challenge came in converting the author’s broken English MS into proper English while maintaining the exquisite poetry of expression so inherent in the Chinese language. Two other editors had attempted the job and quit. I took on the job and literally rewrote the entire book and nearly broke my brain in the process. But along the way I was able to lock into the author’s mindset and maintain not only the lyrical quality of her writing, but also produce a worthy academic work. As challenging as it was, I also greatly enjoyed my total immersion in the Chinese mindset and culture. I’m not saying this to brag, but to emphasize the importance of having an editor who “gets” your work. The other two editors weren’t right for the job and wisely backed out. I just happened to be the right editor for the job, and because of that, the collaboration was a success. The author was happy, her publisher was happy, I was happy (and exhausted!). Finding the right editor for your MS may take some time and research, but will be worth it!
Thanks for your comments, LC. I especially like your statement, “No traditional publisher would ever publish a manuscript without input from several editors.” So true. So for indie authors to compete successfully, they need to get their stories polished by a professional.
And as you say, it’s best to choose an editor who reads and specializes in editing your genre. I specialize in editing thrillers, romantic suspense, mysteries and other crime fiction, and have written a book called Writing a Killer Thriller – an Editor’s Guide to Writing Powerful Fiction, which is selling very well. So I know that genre very well. I don’t edit in genres I don’t read myself, like horror or romance or sci-fi or literary fiction.
Thanks for letting us know about your book, Jodie. I just purchased it on Amazon for 99 cents. What a deal! I will post a review after I read it.
Great! Hope you like it, LC! And I’d love it if you could post a review after you’ve read it!
Jodie & LC—Very valuable information from both of you! Writers need to know about genre-specific editing. The demands of different genres are quite exact & writers must understand those demands. If they don’t, their chances of success become remote.
I, too, am thankful you mentioned your Writing a Killer Thriller book. Just purchased it. My next story will be a mystery/thriller and look forward to learning from you.
Thanks,
Dean
Me too! Meeeee toooooo! I am headed over to Amazon right now to order your book, Jodie!
Do any of you use tools like Autocrit to do copy editing? It seems it would make your job that much easier to have a printed report of overused words, cliches, dialogue tags and pacing issues. I’ve just found this tool and started using it on my own. Hopefully it will reduce my editor’s work (and mine) on the back end of the process.
PJ—Thanks for the comment and for mentioning Autocrit. Sounds interesting & as if it might be useful, especially when it comes to mechanical issues like repeated words, clichés etc. Doubt it would replace a living, breathing human editor, tho.
Hope I don’t step on any toes here…I’ve recommended AutoCrit to writers’ groups as a “second pair of eyes”. It is free in the most basic version (something like 400-500 words a few times per day) and then you buy a membership that allows you to send through chapters and full manuscripts. As a former professional academic editor, I found this tool to be very good…but it is a guide. It can save a lot of early clean up that a professional editor would take the time to do. I like it.
I’ve never heard of AutoCrit either. It sounds like a great tool for authors to use before sending their manuscripts to an editor, but I don’t know that I’d rely on it myself while editing manuscripts. I’ll be sure to check it out, though.
Boy, am I glad to hear I’m not the only one who’d never heard of AutoCrit! Must look this up. I’m all for anything that will help with the editing and writing process, though I agree that nothing can replace a living, breathing human editor! *g*
I’ve never heard of Autocrit, PJ. Sounds interesting. Should I just google “Autocrit”? Is it a software program you buy?
Superb overview of what an editor does and how to find a good one. Great to hear from all these excellent editors. Do steer clear of the unprofessional ones. An English major from the local college may be fine for proofreading, but she won’t know a thing about character or story arcs and may ruin your manuscript and waste your money. Experience counts in this business!
Anne—Thanks. You’re right as usual. There’s a lot to know about producing a complete, readable manuscript & it doesn’t come easily or quickly. Experience does matter!
Good advice, as usual, Anne!
So true, Anne! And somebody who specializes in editing nonfiction may not know enough about effective point of view, story structure, characterization, pacing, tension, suspense, intrigue, dialogue, etc. – and how to help the writer get rid of those academic habits like using long, convoluted, overly correct sentence structure and abstract wording instead of more emotionally powerful concrete words and images.
Another keeper for my reference folder, Ruth! Thank you!
Alicia—Lots of info here. The editors offered their time & expertise & I appreciate all their input!
Great post, Ruth, and thanks sooo much to our fabulous Editor Panel!!!
What is terrific about working with an Editor like the superfab peeps above (I use The Edit Dude) is that you end up being a better writer overall. For example, I get sooo tickled when I catch something on my own before The Edit Dude gets my file. Lol!!!
This goes back to my earlier comment in Part 1 of this editorial series–that having an editor can actually save you money in the long run. Clients learn from the editing process, and it is a delight for the editor to see a client growing and learning. And for the client, it must surely be a delight to see an editor whiz through their MS with fewer and fewer edits . . . and smaller and smaller statements! *g*
DD—You’re making an excellent point: by working with an editor, the writer will learn to improve his/her drafts. The end point is a better book each time!
I agree, D.D. and Ruth. I have edited 2 and 3 novels for several clients, and I’m thrilled by how much stronger each successive novel is than the last, and the writers have told me it’s because they learned so much from the previous editing process.
Hi, Ruth!
Thanks so much for including me in this series. Great post as always!
Sherrie & Meghan & Dude & Jodie, You’re the best & we’re soooooo lucky to have you! Thank you for your smart & savvy advice & input.
Readers, listen up: they’re not finished yet! Next time, another treasure-trove of advice & info!
Occasionally, I edit fiction, but more often I edit business or technical papers. Frequently, the writers are speaking English as a second language and concerned that their reports be not only technically sound, but also grammatically sound so that they are taken seriously when they make their presentation or send their reports up the chain. As Sherrie pointed out, with non-native speakers, it’s important that the writer’s unique voice not be lost during the editing process. Particularly where the writer eventually has to present their report verbally to a group, I try to make sure that I explain each grammatical correction so that they can own the changes and be confident that they are saying what they meant to say and that their presentation, though altered, remains technically sound.
Thanks for the timely article. I’ll be in the market for an editor soon for the next in my forensic geology series.
And I’ve just grabbed a copy of Writing a Killer Thriller