Many new book authors and writers seem to have an unrealistic view of their writing skills. As someone who has worked in publishing for a lot of years, I believe that I can safely say that everyone — and I mean everyone — needs an editor. I’ve been paid good money to edit books for other people, and yet I know that even I need an editor.
Of course, once you have taken this truth to heart, your next question is probably, “okay, where can I find a good editor?” The answer depends on the type of editing you need. As you get into the publishing and editorial world, you’ll discover that different types of editors exist. The editor you need depends on where you are in the writing process. Many people think they just need a proofreader when the truth is their manuscript needs deeper editing work.
These are the three main types of editing in descending order of complexity:
Substantive or developmental editing involves taking a manuscript and looking at the big picture. A developmental editor examines the structure and organization of a document. He or she also makes sure that the text flows evenly and the tone remains consistent throughout the document. Many times a developmental editor can help an author get past a “stuck” phase when the project has stalled out.
Copyediting or “line editing” is what most people think of when they think about editing. Copyediting involves correcting errors in usage, style, spelling, and punctuation. Copyeditors also fix problems with unclear passages, passive tense, wordiness, redundancy, and inconsistency throughout the text. Good copyeditors also query the author any time when they encounter sentences that contain errors in logic or problems like misplaced modifiers, where it’s impossible to edit the text without knowing the original intent.
Proofreading is the lowest end of the editing scale and is generally the last thing that’s done before a document goes to press. Like a copyeditor, a proofreader looks for the basics, such as typos, spelling mistakes, incorrect use of contractions (one of my personal pet peeves), and misused words.
Once you have determined what level of editing you need, the next step is to find an editor. First, consider the type of book you are writing. It’s helpful if your editor knows something about your subject matter. For example, I edited books about how to use computers for years, partly because of my background in technical writing. Because I have written software manuals, I know many of the standard style conventions used in computing books. My background qualifies me to do developmental editing on non-fiction and some technical books, but I’m not qualified to work on fiction books.
If you know other writers, you can ask around for recommendations. Many freelance editors also are members of the Editorial Freelancers Association, so you can look in their directory. You can check Web sites like Guru.com for editors as well.
Many freelancers will edit a sample page of your manuscript for free or a nominal fee. This type of “test” is a great way to find out if the editor is any good and if you like working with him or her. As with any freelance arrangement, it’s important to find someone you communicate with well. Spend the time it takes to find a good editor. It’s important, since like I said, everyone needs an editor.