As you may know I’ve been studying editing this year, and I have some previous experience in editing, particularly when I had a small press. Also, recently I interviewed seven editors about the editing scene; what it all means; the role of editing, etc.
What this has brought home to me is that profession of editing encompasses a wide range of roles and tasks. From the curator type role, where the editor selects stories and compiles them into themed anthologies, at times garnering awards for the anthology as a result. There are acquisition editors, who read with the view to publishing works for a particular imprint, which requires an understanding of the ‘vibe’ of the publishing house. Sometimes in a small press the publisher performs this acquisitions role along with many others. There are copy editors, whose role is assist authors to get their manuscript into a publishable state, or more likely to finesse it to its final publishable state. There are proofreaders who specialise in honing the sentences and dotting the i’s and the t’s and making sure those commas and periods go where they belong. There are interns, who may do many tasks, such as read the submissions pile, do copy edits and other editing related tasks under supervision.
The interviews also touched on the question of whether editing can be taught. There was pretty much a consensus view that copy editing and proofreading can be taught. Whether a person has a flair or talent for editing in the sense of making a good work great, was not really resolved. I did touch on whether editors used creativity when editing in my questions to James Frenkel. He warned me off that view as editors work with work that is already created. I had asked this because I find when I’m critiquing and analysing and making substantive suggestions to a story or novel, I find that it erodes the creativity I have left for my own writing. James Frenkel said he did not think that was the case, because he knew many editors who did not write.
I have not quite made up my mind about editing. It is a very useful skill, particularly if you can use an objective eye on your own work as a writer. However, I do find that it competes with my writing some of the time. That may be fatigue rather than both editing and writing being drawn from the same well. I am not quite sold on whether I want to do it for a career or freelancing. Another thing against that is I get paid better than a salaried editor in my current job. Freelancing is a different thing, where it is possible to make a reasonable living, if done well. There is the potential that I could edit as a job at my work one day as well. Mind you audit reports are not that groovy or exciting as a novel or a short story. About 50 per cent of my job is report writing and editing, polishing, proofreading etc anyway.
To argue against myself, I find that when I go through the months of editing on my report in my day job, I am able to be critical of my own work. So during this period I am more likely to be editing at home as well as work, because my mind, after a few weeks, has been kicked into analysis mode and even detail mode.
The parts of editing I like best include choosing stories for anthologies. I haven’t done this for a while. I also like working on ideas and seeing them come to fruition. I did this with Johnny Phillips, Werewolf Detective collection by Robbie Matthews. I went over there and pitch the idea to him. I loved his stories and I’d read a couple of them. I thought they could be trimmed together in one volume and also made more accessible so that young adults could read them. I also, asked Robbie to make more stories for the collection. I think that worked rather well. We did get an award nomination out of it.
I think I have a reasonable eye when it comes to diagnosing what is wrong with a manuscript. The submission reading for Angry Robot certainly helped me there. I also found that with my major assignment this semester, which is a full on edit and production of a manuscript, that I could really exercise my mind with the structure and the copy editing to help make the manuscript sing. I think it has been an excellent partnership. (To own the truth, I am editing two projects, a novel and a novella).
To my mind, the work is the authors and it is up to them to decide if they will listen to my advice on an edit. Mind you, I am probably of a like mind to James Frenkel when it comes to using persuasion to get my own way.
As for my style, I am probably more of an interventionist that Alisa. I am using quite precise when saying what is wrong and why, when responding to a manuscript. I will even offer suggestions. It often depends on my relationship with the author. For example, when I edited Kaaron Warren for The Grinding House, we would often choose to disagree over commas. However, I also found that I could talk to Kaaron and she would address whatever the issue was we were discussing.
I do own that my proof reading skills are not the best. I mean I can do it, but I have to take my time, limit my distractions, focus. That is not easy for me and I don’t enjoy it. However, I hear that there are people out there that love proofreading. I don’t think I’m cut out for it. Though, I have been known to pick some errors up in my time.
My next challenge is the work on a glossary, a blurb, imprint pages and a commissioning letter to a designer for the manuscript. We aren’t going to print but we have to have it ready to go to print as part of the assessment. I have until early to mid-November to get that done.
To help me answer the question I posed in the title of this blog post, I must look at my satisfaction and enjoyment I have had from this semester and the major editing assignment. I have enjoyed it. It’s been challenging and tiring, but I have steamed on ahead as if it was all very easy. I think that confidence comes in part from the Angry Robot submission reading. I had so many things pounded in my head from reading so many submissions. I also think my previous experience has been useful too. First semester laid a good ground work for the second semester, particularly the focus on grammar, punctuation and the development of style guides. So I like editing. It is very useful and if I give up writing, I’d probably focus on editing. (I’m more likely to attack my ‘to read’ pile and read until my eyes fall out of my head.)
I should mention that never underestimate how much time it takes to key edits into a manuscript. Not only is it tedious, it sucks the life out of you. (I had done the edit long hand and then transcribed it into word.) I stupidly thought it would take a day and I was out by 6 days (I have a day job).
I’ve been a freelance editor for about 12 years now. I started out doing mainly academic papers, but over the last few years I’ve noticed an increasing demand for fiction editing. I now pretty much specialise in Spec-Fic wih a preference for high fantasy, but I’ve dipped into other genres, too.
I’m pleased to say that over the past year there has been a noticeable increase in the number of self-publishing wrtiers who are seeking editing services. Slowly, self-pubbers are starting to realise that they need a top-quality product to compete with the thousands of other books up on Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.
Few freelancers actually make a living entirely from editing, though. It tends to be a supplement to a main income for many, including quite a few like me who are of pensionable age. If you can slot it in alongside your day job, I’d certainly recommend freelance editing as a worthwhile endeavour – and who knows, maybe you could make a complete living at it eventually. Some people do!
BTW, have you joined the Society of Editors? I’ve found it to be a very worthwhile organisation.
Hi Satima
I have thought about joining and I have thought about the test too. But I need to find the money and the commitment.
Regards
I find that editing and writing (and reading) use different parts of my brain. I can’t edit and read new submissions in the same sitting, for example.
Interesting about being interventionist. I guess it depends on where in the process you want to be an editor. I don’t see my role as teaching or mentoring a writer to be able to write. But earlier in the writing process, there is probably a very real need for that kind of work.
You’re right, Alisa, there is a need for mentoring among very new writers. I specialise in mini-assessments, whereby I work only on the synopsis and first fifty pages of a ms. I am amazed at how many writers there are who have no idea where to look for help. That sounds weird in today’s world, but many of my clients do not know about writers centres, crit groups, conventions and workshops, so if nothing else I am pointing them in useful directions. But I give them such mentoring as I can by discussing their main problems, which tend to be the same for all beginning writers and largely have to do with POV, show-don’t-tell, knowing the right place to start the story, info-dumping and sloppy structure. I also given them my standard lecture on the difference between self-publishing and vanity publishing.
I absolutely love this work. I also edit theses and other academic papers and the odd family history or memoir, and I’ve recently had a hand in editing The Specusphere’s forthcoming anthology, Mythic Resonance. But doing these mini-assessments to help new writers is my favourite editing activity!
Donna, I’ve looked at doing the test, too, but I figure at my age it’s not worth it because the entry fee is so high. Within a decade or two, though, it will become standard for editors to have a qualification, so I’d certainly recommend it to younger editors. It’s a tough exam – I know at least one person with a degree in editing who failed it twice!
Memership of a society is worthwhile if you live in a capital city and can get to meetings, just for the networking advantage. I get about a third of my work through the SOE.