The editing process: a long and winding road
As well as writing, over the past two years I have been immersed in the editing process. Getting four books ready to publish is no walk in the park.
Many self-published authors think it’s okay not to have a book professionally edited before they paste their words all over e-book platforms. Well, it’s not okay. It’s not okay to get your mum or best friend to ‘edit’ your manuscript, even if they are avid readers.
And to all aspiring writers, please don’t think your work is done once you type ‘The End’ on the first draft. Oh no … you’ve a long way to go.
WHY?
I love the editing process. Most writers don’t. I’ve come to learn there are two schools of writers when it comes to their fear and loathing of the editing process:
· One group, once they finish writing a book, simply never want to see it again. They may have been working on it for up to 10 years, so it’s only natural that they’d want to move on! I sympathise with this mindset. When I’m nearing completion on one book, I usually have another idea simmering away. By the time I write ‘The End’, I’m desperate to push that next idea forward.
· The other group simply doesn’t want their words tampered with. Somerset Maugham famously said that editing was a process of ‘killing your darlings’, and he was absolutely right. Sometimes, when an editor suggests cutting a scene the writer may have sweated over for days to get just right, it is infuriating. But you have to go with the reader, and in this case it’s your editor.
A few books back I found an editor – let’s call her Sylvia – whose way with words is so brilliant that I often wonder why she is not a writer herself. Occasionally, her suggestions hurt me to the quick, but I usually go along with them. However, typically, when she suggests a cut, a reordering of events or a rewording, I can see the logic. The novel ends up much better for the darlings she has convinced me to kill.
After an author has drafted their book three, maybe four, five, six times … they can’t step back and view the manuscript objectively. It’s impossible. It’s critical to trust your editor. Why? Because they know the industry, the market, and what readers want.
So you may be wondering what the various stages in the editing process are. It’s complex and exhausting but every step brings new challenges.
THE STAGES
There are three main stages to the editing process:
Structural edit – This is when an editor uncovers the big-picture problems with the manuscript, whether to do with characters, dialogue or plot development.
Copy edit – This is the part of the process in which the editor aims to produce the most readable text possible. A copy editor considers whether the language is clear and pleasurable to read and if the words chosen convey a precise meaning. A copy edit will correct the mechanics of writing when issues arise – spelling, grammar and shifts in tense – and they also ensure the manuscript is tight, taut and terrific. No one wants to read a flabby manuscript slowed down by unnecessary words. A copy editor also checks facts, particularly important for a writer of historical fiction.
Proofreading – The final stage! This is more a mechanical process where each line is thoroughly scrutinised and any errors with spelling, grammar and punctuation (as well as typos) are discovered and corrected.
THE VALUE
If you’re planning on self-publishing, hiring a professional editor will cost you. If you’re planning to be published by a traditional publishing house, this is all done in-house by the publisher and it will cost you nothing. Nevertheless, the process is the same. The figures below are roughly what I have paid to have my manuscripts edited. These manuscripts have ranged from 70,000 to 100,000 words.
A structural edit will cost roughly AUD$1500 – depending on the size of the manuscript and the work that needs to be done to make it structurally sound. It pays to self-edit as much as possible – the less work the editor needs to do, the less it will cost.
A copy edit will cost in the ballpark of $2000 to $3000. Once again, this price depends on the size of the manuscript and the state it is in.
A proofread will cost $1500 to $2000.
This is money well spent. You may think your manuscript reads well, but an editor will have other ideas and once they make the changes you will realise how rough your original manuscript was.
There are online services such as Reedsy if you’re on the hunt for an editor. You submit a brief and then editors from around the globe will send you quotes for the job. Connect with a few (ignore the pricing) and choose the one you feel you would best be able to work with. Finally, although editors can typically edit any manuscript, many have speciality genres. So choose one that has an affinity with the genre you’re writing in. Sylvia was recommended by my old publisher because she had a particular talent and passion for editing historical fiction. Word of mouth is always the best method.
What’s more, a professional editor is more than just an editor. They can be a writer’s sounding board. They’re also a craftsperson with the ability to refine and polish a writer’s work, taking it from good to memorable. So it’s important to respect what they have to say.
Finally, editors keep a writer honest. Sylvia calls me on everything. When I’m redrafting a manuscript, I occasionally spot a problem with the structure or characterisation, for instance. This issue endures through multiple drafts, usually because I can’t find a solution. If it’s a minor problem, I tend to sweep it under the carpet, hoping no one else will notice it.
Sylvia notices everything and calls me on it every time. That’s when she becomes a support as well – guiding and suggesting, collaborating until the perfect solution is found.
The editor’s word is not the final word. They merely make suggestions of what should be altered or eliminated. The initial suggestion is just that, a starting point for contemplation, collaboration and conversation.
EVOLUTION
I love watching my novels evolve in the hands of an editor. I love watching it carved and shaped into the best manuscript it can be. All my novels have been through multiple drafts – at least seven, for most of them. They have been read, critiqued and torn apart by beta readers and workshopped to within an inch of their lives.
Still, when they are in Sylvia’s expert hands, changes still take place, all of them subtle but all with a huge impact on the overall quality of the novel. This is why I trust my babies in her hands.
The editing process is long – it can take six to 12 months, depending on various factors. It involves a great deal of waiting, depending how quickly your editor works and how busy they are.
And it is often heart wrenching when you’re forced to kill your darlings, but it is crucial, especially if a writer is planning to self-publish.
Never underestimate the value of professional editor.