You may have noticed a new menu item on this site called Forums. That’s pretty self-explanatory – I’ve added forums because many students and colleagues have asked for them. I’m hosting them at my jenniferlawler.com site for ease of integration with the work I’m doing over there. If you would like to register for the… Read more New! Forums for editors
If you’re new to editing, you may not be familiar with the various roles different types of editors play. If you’re planning to work as a freelancer, it pays to understand who does what at a publishing company. This list is intended to help you figure that out. The Different Types of Editors The acquisitions/assigning… Read more What Do Editors Do?
You probably landed here because you like books. Maybe you’ve always wanted to be an editor or maybe you think it would be a good freelance business to get into. But you don’t know exactly what being a good editor means or how one would go about acquiring the necessary skills to do it well.… Read more How to get started in developmental editing
What is the difference between a developmental edit, a critique, and a copyedit? It’s important to distinguish between an edit that is largely intended to deal with big-picture problems (the developmental edit) and one that is meant to catch the sentence-level problems (a copyedit). It’s common, especially when working with independent authors who can’t afford… Read more Editorial Distinctions
I recently solicited proposals for a project, and what I found enlightening about the whole process was how badly most of the proposal-makers responded to my saying no to them. If you’re a freelance editor, there’s never any guarantee that a proposal (project quote, letter of introduction, etc.) will lead to anything. The most common… Read more How to Respond to Rejection
As a developmental editor, you won’t be copyediting, but you do need to be familiar with the authoritative guides copy editors (and developmental editors) use. Basic Guides Most of my clients have wanted me to follow The Chicago Manual of Style with some variations. That is standard for book publishing, so it pays to become… Read more Use of Authoritative Guides
“I feel a little overwhelmed,” editing students tell me from time to time as they learn the craft. Mostly they’re worried that this means they’re not cut out for working as a DE. And sometimes it’s not a good match for someone’s personality, skills, and abilities. But it is perfectly normal to feel like you… Read more How to Get Practice Editing
One key to identifying DE problems is understanding reader expectations, and reader expectations are closely tied to genre. Understanding Audience Expectations When I read a romance, I expect it to end happily ever after. I don’t care if you have a great idea for a heart-breaking ending. I don’t want a heart-breaking ending. I want… Read more Understanding Genre and Reader Expectations
One way to avoid having an unhappy client is to be sure you communicate all relevant information from the very beginning of your relationship with the client. Clearly stated expectations (on both sides) reduce the likelihood that either will be less-than-satisfied. Understand What the Client Wants Be sure you understand how the client expects you… Read more Effective Client Communication
When you’re doing a developmental edit—looking at the big-picture overview of a novel—you’ll generally be expected to provide two main services: editing the manuscript itself, including comments (queries) that help guide the author’s revision providing an editorial revision letter to guide the author. The letter highlights your main concerns with the manuscript and advises the… Read more How to Create Defensible Edits
