The Value of Two Sets of Eyes
I once heard a greenhorn author say, "I don't need anyone else to edit my manuscript. It is self-edited. I've looked over it a thousand times." It made me cringe. The truth is, every manuscript can benefit from two or more sets of eyes. Even the best writers use professional editors to improve the quality of their books.
Why do some people resist having their work edited/proofread by a professional? I would venture to guess there are two primary, underlying reasons: one, the fear that their work may be stolen if they share it with a stranger prior to publication; and two, the fear that the context of their work may be changed during the editing process. Let's discuss these two concerns separately….
- Fear of Copyright Infringement:
First and foremost, the chances of anyone having their manuscript stolen and published by someone else is next to nil; however, writers can give themselves peace of mind by protecting their copyright ahead of time.
In Canada, writers own the copyright to their work as soon as they create it. There is no legal requirement to register it. That said, copyright can be protected in a very straightforward and cost-effective way. Writers can simply seal a copy of their completed work in an envelope and mail it to themselves via registered mail. When the date-stamped package is returned to them, they should keep it sealed and stored in a fireproof container. In the unlikely event that someone else ever tries to claim copyright ownership of their work after the fact, they will have the date-stamped proof of ownership to fall back on.
- Fear of Changed Context (Loss of Personal Voice):
It is important to understand that a copy editor's job is simply to enhance a writer's story as it is—to offer helpful suggestions that may have been overlooked or not considered at all.
Simple copy improvements
A second set of eyes will catch those unobvious errors—such as transposed words and letters, punctuation issues, or improper word usage—that an author is simply blind to after reading the same thing over and over again (and that electronic spell checks sometimes miss).
Story development improvements
Have you ever been trained for a new position by someone who knew the job so well they unconsciously went about many of the details and neglected to discuss them with you? They'd been doing it for so long, themselves, that they were unaware of everything they were doing. As a result, you received only part of the information which made it difficult to follow the entire process from start to finish.
In much the same way, writers can sometimes see a scene so vividly in their own minds that, when they transfer it to paper, they unwittingly leave out important details the reader will need. A good editor will point this out and ask the question, "How exactly did we get from 'A' to 'B' here?" This type of commentary gives writers an opportunity to go back and fill in the blanks they didn't realize existed beforehand. - Fear of Changed Context (Loss of Personal Voice):
At PPG, authors always have the last say on the editing and design of their books. A good copy editor will work with a writer to enhance the story while keeping the original voice intact, and a smart writer will take that editor's advice.
As always, let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear from you. (And if you see any typos in this blog, please bring them to my attention. After all, two sets of eyes are always better than one!)
PPG is a Canadian book publisher dedicated to serving Canadian authors. Visit our book publishing website to learn how you can publish your book today.
Kim asked me to explain a bit about the different types of editing authors may encounter. Depending on your book project, you may need various types of editing. At the very least you will need a great copy-edit, but if you're a new author, consider one of the more detailed edits as well.
Here are the levels of editing:
DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING - A DE gets involved with the book project from proposal or draft manuscript to final manuscript, working closely with the author to help him/her develop the book's content. The DE works with the author to incorporate further input from the author. An author and his/her DE are a team, dedicated to creating excellence in the book.
SUBSTANTIVE/STRUCTURAL EDITING - This level of editing involves clarifying or re-organizing a manuscript in terms of its structure and content. Changes are usually negotiated with the author.
STYLISTIC EDITING - This level of editing involves eliminating jargon, clarifying meaning, smoothing out awkward or overly detailed language, and checking the reading level (audience the book is aimed at).
COPY EDITING - This level of editing involves checking grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, line by line. It may also involve stylizing, such as editing in British Convention or American style.
FACT CHECKING - This is not technically editing, but involves checking accuracy of facts and any reference sources.
PROOFREADING - This is the process of the final checking of the edited manuscript line by line (see levels above). Proofreading galley proofs prior to final printing is essential. In addition to once more checking spelling, grammar, and punctuation, proofreading may also entail checking that the chapter headings and page breaks are in the correct place.
The author-editor relationship is exactly that--a relationship. Regard the editor as a person on your team. His/her job is to help your book become as dynamic, compelling, and interesting as possible.
Particularly in the self-publishing world, too many authors try to cut corners by trying to do all the editing themselves. As Kim says, that second pair of eyes is very important! As an author, you'll be so close to your material that you may not readily see where changes are necessary. It's easy for an author to miss typos in his/her own material. A good editor adds value and marketability--and accuracy--to your book.
Make sure that the editor you choose is a professional editor who knows the publishing industry and what it takes to create a great book.
Here's to getting your words out to the world!
Sharon Lindenburger
Professional Editor
www.writeawisebook.com
Reply to this
This blog post is 100% right on the money. BUT what if your editor misses a lot of what anyone else would think of as obvious blunders?
Case in point: Where the Wind Blows by Caroline Fyffe. It is an historical romance, published by Dorchester Publishing, edited by Leah Hultenschmidt. I personally know the author and was horrified by the lack of proofreading/editing.
There were numerous errors in consistency and such mistakes as "rusty silver chain."
What would you do if your first novel was supposedly edited, but obviously not?
Reply to this
Good article - important info for new writers to consider!
Reply to this
I'd hazard a guess that the MAIN reason why self-pubbing authors don't hire professional editors is because they're so expensive - $1,000 - $1,500. That's more than they'll probably spend on a POD company. Is it worth it? Only if you can afford it.
Reply to this
Self-publishers' books are competing in the marketplace with trade publishers' books. Trade (traditional) publishers always have their books edited. Always. This is why they can boast such high quality. In light of this, can self-publishers truly afford NOT to have their work edited? It may seem excessive to some, but it is a necessary investment if that author is serious about publishing and competing in the marketplace.
Reply to this
Copyright exists in your work as soon as you write it here in the UK, too, without any need to register it. My husband is Copyright Manager for a publishing company / agency and the only thing he advocates (though it's not obligatory) is adding the year of publication.
I have had some excellent editors over the past 25 years of being published by mainstream publishers, and agree wholeheartedly with what you've said.
Mel Menzies
Reply to this
Hi Martha,
It is true that not all editors are equal. I can't speak to Carolyn Fyffe's experience specifically. I can only ask, "Did the publisher she chose to work with have a good reputation? Did the editor she worked with have adequate knowledge and experience?"
After posting this blog entry, I went on to write another article on this very topic: http://selfpublishing.suite101.com/article.cfm/three_important_tips_for_serious_selfpublishers
All that said, if Caroline was working with a supportive self-publishing company to self-publish her book, then she must realize her own responsibility in this. Here is a quote from a related article I wrote about copy editing: "As self-publishers are paying all their own production costs in order to retain 100% copyright ownership of their books, they ultimately have the final word on everything from editing to design to production ... as they should! That said, with this level of creative control comes a higher level of responsibility. It is the self-publishers' duty to review and approve their books at every stage along the way. They, alone, are accountable for the final product; so it is important for self-publishers to go over everything themselves—in addition to the contributions of the copy editors, indexers, graphic designers, proofreaders, et cetera—before approving anything. This will ensure they produce a professional final product that can stand proudly beside its competitors."
Warm regards,
Kim S.
Publisher, PPG
Reply to this