Writing Information

Working With an Editor

If you’re good enough and savvy enough to land a publishing deal, you’re going to have to work with an editor. Wait, Tim, don’t you mean an editor who works for my publisher? Hah, smart guy. No, I don’t. Yes, you will have to work with a staff editor, but you may also be asked to use some of your advance money to hire a freelance editor to get your book into shape before it goes to the publisher’s staff. There’s a good reason for this: the process of whipping a book into shape is expensive; publishers will not only have an editor take a whack at your manuscript, but also fact-checkers, legal, proofreaders and perhaps even people to create an index, not to mention design. They want the book in the best possible form before they invest all that time and money. So, a primer on in-house and—no pun intended—out-of-house editors. FREELANCE EDITORS When your publisher forks over an advance, he or she doesn’t expect you to run around screaming, “Woo hoo! I’m rich! I’m a happy miser! Get me a glass of Cristal and some bling-bling, stat!” The publisher expects you to use that money to help make your book more successful. That might mean investing in a publicist, but it also might mean shelling out for an editor. Very often, publishers will give you names of editors whose work they trust. Call them; you don’t want to risk your time and money with some untested bozo who’s going to grab your $5,000 and bolt for the door. Find an editor you like and tell him or her you want a “tighten and polish” edit. You don’t need more than this. Some editors will want to rip your book apart and rebuild it, Steve Austin-style. Your book doesn’t need this, or it would never have sold to a publisher. What you need is an editor to clean up the language, remove needless content, improve clarity and recommend additional material. Allow one to two months for this process and be prepared to pay anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000 depending on the length and condition of your manuscript. IN-HOUSE EDITORS Your publisher’s editor is the voice of your publisher. Usually, he or she is overworked and under-compensated, but is also an experienced professional who wants your book to succeed. A great staff editor will make structural and thematic recommendations for your book to help it appeal to a specific audience. Here’s what you’ll get from a staff editor, in order: • A first round of revisions following a read-through of your manuscript. These may include writing new chapters, adding new material, or just about anything else the publisher thinks will make the book a better seller. • A second round focusing on smaller changes. • A “first pass” manuscript that’s typeset and now looks more like a book. This may be your last chance to make final changes and proofread all your facts. You know your work better than anyone, so make the time and read the first pass in detail. • A second pass. Not all publishers provide this. If they do, you’ll have one more shot to correct information, take out material for which you don’t have permission, and so on. Word to the wise: listen to your editor. If you disagree with an editorial decision, do so respectfully. You have no objectivity about your book, while your editor has worked on hundreds of books and knows what works or what doesn’t. At the same time, if you think your editor is making bad decisions, send the publisher a confidential letter (not an e-mail; too easy to forward) expressing your concerns. You don’t need to be a doormat. Cheers! Tim Vandehey is a published author, ghostwriter and co-founder of