Becoming an editor

[Lex E. Darion]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but I'm sure one of you lovely mods will move it if necessary.

I would love to become an editor to supplement my income and improve my writing skills but I'm not sure what the best route is. (I am talking about in the future; I'm aware that it won't be happening tomorrow!)

I know someone who calls themselves a 'professional editor' without any professional qualifications or real experience. She has written a few books, one series has been published by a small, local publisher and she has self-pubbed others. To me, she seems more like a proof-reader, or copy-editor at a push, but it does make me cringe when I hear her describe herself as such.

Having looked into though, it appears that you don't need any qualifications. This amazes me! This Crazy Industry: Becoming an Editor

I have a degree already and wouldn't be able to afford the tuition fees for a BA but have looked at courses Choose a course

I am interested in people's journeys into the editing world. Am I wrong in my reaction and can you call yourself an editor willy-nilly?? Obviously you need testimonials to get anywhere but do you need to have worked in a publishing house or such?

Many thanks.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

You probably can but I wouldn't use any editor without a good recommend - preferably several

 

[Lex E. Darion]

You probably can but I wouldn't use any editor without a good recommend - preferably several

So I suppose I should probably ask then, what do you look for in an editor? As you say, several good recommendations, but do you look for someone who has traditionally published themselves/worked in the industry for xx amount of years/or is it just word of mouth for you?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

So I suppose I should probably ask then, what do you look for in an editor? As you say, several good recommendations, but do you look for someone who has traditionally published themselves/worked in the industry for xx amount of years/or is it just word of mouth for you?

For the editors I chose to work with (as opposed to publishers editors although Teresa Edgerton was both):

I knew both their critique approaches, admired their writing and found their feedback to be measured and fair. In addition others had used their editorial to good use and had recommended them. Their prices were also realistic.

I look for someone who gets my writing, who knows the infused you and who I admire as a writer.

 

[Brian G Turner]

you don't need any qualifications

You don't need any to be a writer, agent, editor, or publisher!

But you will need to know what you're talking about if you want to draw in people by word of mouth. You could easily demonstrate that by regularly contributing to the Critiques section ...

 

[Lex E. Darion]

You don't need any to be a writer, agent, editor, or publisher!

But you will need to know what you're talking about if you want to draw in people by word of mouth. You could easily demonstrate that by regularly contributing to the Critiques section ...

This is a great point and excellent way to start, but herein lies the problem - I don't feel like I know enough about the craft! Reading books etc can give one an idea but you don't get feedback on your feedback (if you know what I mean)! Therefore one doesn't know if one's talking a load of guff! I guess that I'd soon be told in 'critiques' though

 

[Jo Zebedee]

This is a great point and excellent way to start, but herein lies the problem - I don't feel like I know enough about the craft! Reading books etc can give one an idea but you don't get feedback on your feedback (if you know what I mean)! Therefore one doesn't know if one's talking a load of guff! I guess that I'd soon be told in 'critiques' though

Then you should not decide to become an editor. People send you their books to improve them. What if you make the book worse because your feedback is wrong? What if you cost them the chance of an agent? Bottom line - if you don't know enough about the craft to advise you should not advise.

 

[Lex E. Darion]

Then you should not decide to become an editor. People send you their books to improve them. What if you make the book worse because your feedback is wrong? What if you cost them the chance of an agent? Bottom line - if you don't know enough about the craft to advise you should not advise.

This is why I was asking what you looked for in an editor as I was planning for the future! I wasn't going to set up business tomorrow! I wondered if professional qualifications were needed/expected/sneered at, or if an editor had to be published in their own right, or if it was all just word of mouth and finding a right 'fit'. I guess practical experience is the key.

EDIT: A lot of it is lack of confidence too - I always feel like I don't know stuff when I really do! I've just given feedback on a friend's screenplay which he said was really helpful (he's a lot better than me so would have known if I was talking rubbish).

 

[Dan Jones]

If you're serious about this then you'll have to develop a mid/long-term plan to get there.

There are probably numerous guides on editing to be found throughout the Web, but you will have to actually practise in order to get better.

Essentially, there are a few basic steps that, IMO, you would need to go through in order to become a proficient editor.

1) Write more. Goes without saying.
2) Give your writing to others for feedback, and take note on what works, what doesn't. What are the common things that come back. Understand the errors you are making.
3) Read more published work. Develop a critical eye. Try to see what it is the professionals do.
4) Critique others' work , and offer to be a beta-reader, for free. Are the mistakes others make the same as the ones you make? What at first might be a crude gut-feeling you have about a piece (ie "this doesn't work for me, and I think this is why..." may, over time, develop into a clear and incisive piece of critical thinking you can articulate in a way that is useful and constructive for an author.
5) Can you write a professional report about the piece you're reading, identifying the flaws
6) Can you liaise with the author, either via email, on the phone or even face to face to develop the professional relationship?
7) Join a reading / writing group. Develop a network of contacts. You'll be relying on building / maintaining contacts if you want to do this to earn dollar.
8) Check out the Society of Editors and Proofreaders - they offer training courses and professional support that may be worth looking at.

Being an editor is the same as anything else. You'll need to practise, practise more, and gain experience. There is a cliché/maxim that you need to write a million words before you get properly good. I'd wager that probably goes for editing, too. After doing it a number of times, you may find you start to see the same things again and again. You'll need to be confident in your own assertions about another person's piece of work, because an author needs/deserves clarity.

That all sounds quite hard, However, it's obviously possible, because people have done it. People right here have done it. It's the attitude I take towards the writing itself: others have done it, therefore it's not impossible, and I can do it too. But it'll take time. Good luck!

 

[tinkerdan]

I have no doubt that there is some measure of validity to the article; however it always makes me cringe despite my own participation in something quite similar.

28 years ago when I applied for my present job, which to me amounted to engineering support.[I had no education for the job other than my 5 years experience in the field including having been manager of the electronic drafting department in a superconducting cyclotron facility.]
I was given the title(in my present job)of::
Lead CAD Engineer.
Cavium, Inc. is looking for a great Lead CAD Engineer - LCAH01.
I was doing all those thing in this list(link above); however did not have the educational background.

So it is possible to have a title without some certificate to back it up and after 28 more years I've stopped questioning how it happened.

After I published my two novels and became an author, I inherited a new duty which is to edit any new manuals being written for current products.

However, when I consider the edits on my books and how many things were covered even after my own and several alpha and beta eyes working over dozens of edits, I question my qualifications for a final edit of anything. Maybe over time that will change; although I will be the first to admit that it's insane to try to edit your own work no matter how qualified you are as an editor.

Over time one may earn that right to put Editor on the resume(even if it's already been there for years).

 

[Lex E. Darion]

Thanks @Dan Jones that was really helpful and inspirational. It's kind of how I imagined things would go but it's good to get it confirmed!

8) Check out the Society of Editors and Proofreaders - they offer training courses and professional support that may be worth looking at.

Have you any experience with theses courses? I have thought about these (they're mentioned in my op) but have you, or anyone you know, taken them? I will likely do these.

That all sounds quite hard, However, it's obviously possible, because people have done it. People right here have done it. It's the attitude I take towards the writing itself: others have done it, therefore it's not impossible, and I can do it too. But it'll take time. Good luck!

I love this What a great attitude to have - I'm stealing it

Many thanks.

 

[Lex E. Darion]

I have no doubt that there is some measure of validity to the article; however it always makes me cringe despite my own participation in something quite similar.

28 years ago when I applied for my present job, which to me amounted to engineering support.[I had no education for the job other than my 5 years experience in the field including having been manager of the electronic drafting department in a superconducting cyclotron facility.]
I was given the title(in my present job)of::
Lead CAD Engineer.
Cavium, Inc. is looking for a great Lead CAD Engineer - LCAH01.
I was doing all those thing in this list(link above); however did not have the educational background.

I wonder how much of this type of feeling is lack of confidence/self-belief. In times gone by there were no qualifications so all knowledge was learnt on the job and that's how you became a 'master'. Nowadays, I think, we're conditioned to think that we need a piece of paper to say what we can and can't do. I know I feel better if I have the 'official' recognition!

Ah well, only another 28 years to go then until I may feel competent

 

[HoopyFrood]

I've worked as an Editor for nearly two years (kind of a mix of copyediting, copywriting, proofreading and typesetting, with proofreading being the main core of the job) and at the moment I'm taking an accredited course in proofreading and copyediting -- which I think also has the added bonus of being able to join the sfep afterwards. It cost considerably less than a degree and is giving a good overview to set you up.

The course I'm taking deals with the tools, so making sure you've got a good grip of spelling and grammar, learning proofreading marks and how to proof paper and electronic, understanding legal issues, consistency, house style etc etc.

The reason I'm taking it is to, I guess, add an element of professionalism, especially as I'm looking to do more freelance stuff. And to gain confidence in my skills -- I'm good at what I do, but now I feel like I'm getting to know the hows and whys behind it all.

But ultimately what other people say is true -- there's no substitution for experience.

 

[Lex E. Darion]

I've worked as an Editor for nearly two years (kind of a mix of copyediting, copywriting, proofreading and typesetting, with proofreading being the main core of the job) and at the moment I'm taking an accredited course in proofreading and copyediting -- which I think also has the added bonus of being able to join the sfep afterwards. It cost considerably less than a degree and is giving a good overview to set you up.

The course I'm taking deals with the tools, so making sure you've got a good grip of spelling and grammar, learning proofreading marks and how to proof paper and electronic, understanding legal issues, consistency, house style etc etc.

The reason I'm taking it is to, I guess, add an element of professionalism, especially as I'm looking to do more freelance stuff. And to gain confidence in my skills -- I'm good at what I do, but now I feel like I'm getting to know the hows and whys behind it all.

But ultimately what other people say is true -- there's no substitution for experience.

That's really interesting, thanks for taking the time to reply. The course you're taking, does it cover fiction editing or is it just generic editing? Is it the SFEP courses you are doing? How are you finding them? I agree, even if you do all the courses it will be a lot cheaper than a degree!

 

[Luiglin]

@Lex E. Darion if you ever need anything to 'experiment' on let me know. I've got quite a few written pieces that have never seen the light of day you could rip apart at you leisure.

 

[Boneman]

If you don't have the money to do professional courses, it will just take you longer. Many years ago I started out screenwriting, and took a number of evening courses, weekend courses, and even a full week (in Italy) that were to help my own writing. You absorb what you're told (make loads of notes at the very least!) and you learn some craft of 'how to'. That naturally includes how to structure your work, plot your work, edit your work etc. When I started writing fiction I did the same (but not the week in Italy...) Also I came here, and started critiquing - probably very badly, to start with. But I learned, slowly. I enjoyed critiquing, and I took more writing courses - an evening here, a weekend there, and listened to the experts at every Con I went to. In being helped to write, I again learned 'how to' in varying degrees. I read books on editing, and didn't agree with everything I read. In writing, I learned editing, I think. It's a long process, but if you're working on your own novels at the same time, not a jot of experience is wasted. I was lucky enough to do a Masters degree in Creative and Critical writing, but I still learned more from the years of writing and looking at how others critiqued. I reckon there's a masters degree's worth of knowledge just in the critiques thread. You could do worse than read through loads of them, see what others say/do. You won't agree with everything everyone has said, but you'll start to form a body of knowledge, that will help you enormously. I don't think there are short cuts to being an editor, and you talk about it being in the future. Excellent. Start today, and it will happen.

Oh, and join a writer's group. There you'll critique and edit (and get your writing critiqued and edited) for free. Regularly. Again, you might not agree with other people, but the experience you'll gain will be indispensable.

 

[HoopyFrood]

That's really interesting, thanks for taking the time to reply. The course you're taking, does it cover fiction editing or is it just generic editing? Is it the SFEP courses you are doing? How are you finding them? I agree, even if you do all the courses it will be a lot cheaper than a degree!

I did mean to add in my previous post, mine's not sfep but through the college of media and publishing. It's basically giving you the tools so that you can set yourself up as freelance immediately after finishing it.

As I said, I feel like I've got a good grasp of grammar, spelling and the like, but now with the course I feel much more confident in being able to say why things should be changed, not just what. I think this particular course is mainly proofreading -- so the thorough cleanup of grammar, spelling, formatting etc. There no doubt are courses out there geared towards manuscript copy editing, or you could see about doing a more generic course like this one of mine and then cut your teeth in places like the critiques section here.

 

[Lex E. Darion]

@Lex E. Darion if you ever need anything to 'experiment' on let me know. I've got quite a few written pieces that have never seen the light of day you could rip apart at you leisure.

Thanks Luiglin I may very well take you up on that offer when I feel a bit more confident.

If you don't have the money to do professional courses, it will just take you longer. Many years ago I started out screenwriting, and took a number of evening courses, weekend courses, and even a full week (in Italy) that were to help my own writing. You absorb what you're told (make loads of notes at the very least!) and you learn some craft of 'how to'. That naturally includes how to structure your work, plot your work, edit your work etc. When I started writing fiction I did the same (but not the week in Italy...) Also I came here, and started critiquing - probably very badly, to start with. But I learned, slowly. I enjoyed critiquing, and I took more writing courses - an evening here, a weekend there, and listened to the experts at every Con I went to. In being helped to write, I again learned 'how to' in varying degrees. I read books on editing, and didn't agree with everything I read. In writing, I learned editing, I think. It's a long process, but if you're working on your own novels at the same time, not a jot of experience is wasted. I was lucky enough to do a Masters degree in Creative and Critical writing, but I still learned more from the years of writing and looking at how others critiqued. I reckon there's a masters degree's worth of knowledge just in the critiques thread. You could do worse than read through loads of them, see what others say/do. You won't agree with everything everyone has said, but you'll start to form a body of knowledge, that will help you enormously. I don't think there are short cuts to being an editor, and you talk about it being in the future. Excellent. Start today, and it will happen.

Oh, and join a writer's group. There you'll critique and edit (and get your writing critiqued and edited) for free. Regularly. Again, you might not agree with other people, but the experience you'll gain will be indispensable.

I am looking at courses, so if you have any suggestions I'd appreciate any input (UK based). I am half way through a MA in creative writing but, although it's good and taking me out of my comfort zone, I don't find it too helpful with the nitty gritty of editing. I am a member of a writing group too, but they are mainly hobbyists and all I get is 'that's great' when I read my work out. I am looking into finding a 'higher level' group. Thanks a lot for your encouraging words and thoughts, and for your time to reply. I will have a look around for conferences and workshops etc.

I did mean to add in my previous post, mine's not sfep but through the college of media and publishing. It's basically giving you the tools so that you can set yourself up as freelance immediately after finishing it.

As I said, I feel like I've got a good grasp of grammar, spelling and the like, but now with the course I feel much more confident in being able to say why things should be changed, not just what. I think this particular course is mainly proofreading -- so the thorough cleanup of grammar, spelling, formatting etc. There no doubt are courses out there geared towards manuscript copy editing, or you could see about doing a more generic course like this one of mine and then cut your teeth in places like the critiques section here.

Thanks again for your time. I will definitely look into some of the courses around. Is yours an online course?

 

[HoopyFrood]

Yes, online. And no time limit either -- this year's been pretty up and down so I've been doing bits and pieces of it over the last six months or so. The course material is all online and can be downloaded, you do each assignment, and upload it to be marked by your tutor. There are also other occasional tasks that take the form of quizzes.

 

[Cathbad]

Why anyone would want to become an editor...