What
to Watch Out For
There are plenty of expert
independent editors. However, there are also many who set up shop with
little experience and few qualifications.
These individuals may be entirely well-meaning, sincerely believing
that a love of reading, or a career as a teacher, or some
technical writing experience, is enough to qualify them to edit others'
work. But such people rarely possess the specialized skills, not to
mention the
industry knowledge,
that are essential for a professional-quality line or content edit.
Often they provide services that are little more than glorified copy
editing or
proofreading--i.e., things you could probably do yourself.
Still other independent editors and editing services are outright
frauds--Edit Ink, for instance, an editing
firm that engaged in a kickback scheme with agents and publishers and
employed underqualified staff to perform rudimentary, overpriced edits
(for an in-depth look at Edit Ink, see
the Case Studies
page).
How to avoid editors like this? A few common-sense guidelines:
- Request a resume or CV. You're
looking for professional editing experience (preferably with a
commercial publisher) and/or professional
writing credentials (legitimately-published books, articles, etc.). If
the editor has a website, her CV should be posted there. An editing
service should post staff names and biographies. Be extremely
cautious of editors whose websites say nothing about their credentials,
and of editing services that don't identify their staff.
For individual editors, membership in the
Editorial Freelancers Association (US), the Society of Freelance
Editors and
Proofreaders (UK), the Institute of Professional Editors (Australia),
or the Editors' Association of Canada are all indications of
professionalism.
- Ask for titles of some of the books on which the editor
has worked. Commercially published books
indicate professional experience and standing, though some good
independent editors specialize in self- or POD-published
authors (if that's the case, try to get hold of one or more of the
books so you can assess quality). Again, if
the editor has a website, the information should be available there.
- Be sure the editor's experience is appropriate to your
work. Good editors specialize. Someone whose main experience
involves nonfiction may not be the ideal choice to edit your epic
fantasy novel.
- Verify that the editor really is independent, especially
if you've been referred to him/her. No third party
(such as a literary agent) should benefit from your use of the editor's
services.
- Get references, and check them. This is important.
Other than a recommendation from someone you trust,
it's probably your best way to judge an editor's professionalism and
effectiveness.
- Ask to see a sample of a critique the editor has written.
This will give you an idea of what you'll be getting for your money.
- Before making a final commitment, speak or correspond
with the editor. You want to be sure the editor
understands your needs, and that you understand what the editor will do
for you. You also need to feel comfortable
with the editor--not just professionally, but personally--and she with
you.
- Make sure the business arrangements are clear. You
should know exactly what you'll be paying for, including
the scope of the work to be done, the charges you'll incur, the
approximate time period involved, and who will
be doing the editing (you don't want to choose an editor because of
his reputation and discover you've
been passed on to a less-qualified underling). Ideally, obtain a
contract or a letter of agreement that covers
all these areas.
And if you encounter any of the following, be
wary:
- A referral from a literary agent or
publisher. A reputable agent may tell you that your book needs
work, and suggest that you think about hiring an independent editor.
She may
even give you some names to choose from. Be on your guard,
though, if you're urged to use a specific editor or editing service. In
such cases a kickback arrangement may be involved, a la Edit Ink, or
the agent or publisher may own the
editing service itself (perhaps under a different
name). Either way, it's a conflict of interest--how can a writer trust
a referral that makes a profit for the referrer?
- Recommendation of a publisher's or
agent's own paid editing services. Another conflict of interest.
If the agent or publisher can profit from a recommendation
to edit, how can you be sure that
the recommendation is in your best interest?
- Extravagant praise or promises. No reputable
independent editor will tell you that your book has huge
commercial potential or that it's likely to become a bestseller. Nor
will she claim that an edit will make agency
representation more likely, or improve your chances of selling to a
major publisher. Why? Because these are promises
that can't be guaranteed, and a good editor, like a good agent, knows
better than to make them.
- Statements that publishers nowadays won't look at mss.
that haven't been professionally edited. Dishonest or ignorant
editors often prey on the anxieties of aspiring
writers by saying that publishers won't look at
manuscripts unless they've been professionally edited. In-house
editors, they say, no longer have the time to edit--they
want books that are picture-perfect and ready to publish.
This isn't so. It's true
that in today's world of big publishing
conglomerates, where in-house editors must handle
enormous workloads and do double duty as administrators, the days when
an editor could afford to invest months
working with an author to shape a promising but not-quite-ready
manuscript are largely gone. But it's false
to say that in-house editors don't edit (they do), or that professional
editing is a prerequisite for publication
(it isn't), or even that the name of an editing service on a manuscript
will make a publisher more likely to read
it (it won't. See above). Your manuscript needs to be as perfect as you
can make it--finished, polished, and properly
presented. But no one will hold it against you if you accomplish this
yourself.
- One-size-fits-all editing, all comers
accepted. Most good independent editors have areas of
specialization
that reflect their experience. The skills required to edit a romance
novel, for instance, are quite different from
those needed for a work of narrative nonfiction. That's not to say a
single editor won't possess both skill
sets--but it's unlikely that one person will be able to edit any and
all subjects and genres with equal effectiveness.
Also, within the basic scope of services he provides, a good editor
will tailor each editing job to the
client. Standardized editing services and a lack of specialization
suggest an amateur or inexperienced editor.
- Anonymous editing. Some editing services don't post
staff resumes on their websites, and don't tell you in advance who will
be assigned to you. You thus have no way of verifying your editor's
credentials, or of ensuring that he or she has experience appropriate
to
your work. Sometimes the services will provide this information if you
request it. Be wary of those that won't.
- Direct solicitation. Independent
editors may maintain websites or advertise in industry journals. But
they don't cold-call writers. If you've registered your copyright or
subscribe to a writer's magazine, you may
be a target: disreputable editors sometimes purchase mailing lists from
these sources.
- An offer of a special deal and/or
pressure to accept
services. One way disreputable editors attempt
to hook clients is by promising a special fee reduction or a limited
time offer. Reputable editors
don't operate this way, nor will they try to pressure a writer into a
decision.
- Refusal of reasonable requests for
information. Like
a reputable agent, a reputable independent editor
should have no problem providing a resume, references, and samples of
her work. Be wary if you
encounter resistance in any of
these areas.
- Vagueness about specific services.
An editor should
be willing to say exactly what he will do for
you. If an editor won't give you a firm price, or doesn't want to
specify what his fees will cover, or won't
tell you exactly who will be working on your manuscript, move on.
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