How Do You Become an Editor?
My Word Publishing
Guiding authors in the production, publication, and distribution of their professionally self-published books.
Editors are essential players in the publishing industry, responsible for building stories and polishing written works to meet publishing standards. Their job is to keep the reader turning the page and convince them of the professionalism and quality of the produced writing. Becoming an editor involves developing a keen eye for detail and possessing a thorough understanding of grammar and a passion for reading and writing.?
The world has gone mobile, and more than ever people are looking for jobs that they can take with them anywhere. Editing is an area that lends itself well to this lifestyle. However, with an increasing number of people aspiring to enter this competitive field, the question remains: Where should I begin? In this article, we will explore the different types of editing and then focus on the type of editing that may be easier to break into when you first start out.
Whether you’re a recent graduate or looking to make a career change, here is what you need to know about editing and how to take your first steps at cracking into the industry.
?Types of Editing
Editing involves a critical look at the content, structure, and style of a written piece to enhance its clarity, coherence, and effectiveness. There are several types of editing, and each plays a critical role in improving the quality of written works. Whether you’re a professional writer or an aspiring editor, understanding the different types of editing can help you create an impactful piece that resonates with your audience and achieves your desired goals.
Developmental?Editing is the First Round
A developmental edit is a comprehensive revision process that focuses on the structure, narrative flow, characterization, pacing, and other critical elements of your work. It involves a deep analysis of your text as well as suggestions and feedback that will help you improve your writing and ensure that your work resonates with your audience. It takes place before any copy editing because it is about the big picture: coherence and organization, and the manuscript’s appropriateness and appeal to your chosen audience. This is the 30,000-foot view of the work.
Good courses for honing your developmental editing skills are:
1.???Story Grid??https://store.storygrid.com/certification/
2.???J Thorn’s Three Story Method: https://theauthorlife.com/threestorymethod/
What does a copy line editor do???????????????????????????????????????????????
The copy line edit goes through your manuscript, as its name suggests, line by line. When most people talk about “editing,” the line edit is part of what they have in mind (as well as “proof editing”). The line edit ensures that the text is clear, concise, and readable by looking at word choice, style, and voice. Line editing also involves checking for consistency in language usage, format, and tone to make sure that the message or story being conveyed is coherent and flows smoothly. Big picture questions about structure have already been addressed in the Developmental Edit, and now we focus on how to deliver on those big picture questions in a compelling way—the craft of writing. Every word should be there for a reason.
To be a copy-line editor, editors must possess excellent language skills, including a good understanding of grammar, punctuation, and syntax. They must also have a keen eye for spotting inconsistencies, poor phrasing, or awkward sentences. Line editors must be able to balance the author’s voice and style with the broader grammar rules and conventions of the language.
What is Proof Editing?
Proof editing involves a careful review of the manuscript’s grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation. It is a crucial step in the publishing process as it ensures that the final product is of the highest quality possible. Most published books need to adhere to?The?Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS)—the style guide for book publishing.
What is a proof editor?
A proof-editor is an important professional in the publishing industry because they provide the final polish for an author’s manuscript—they are the “caboose” in the editorial train line.
领英推荐
They must have a mastery of the English language, proofreading and editing standards, and be an expert on The Chicago Manual of Style. They are tasked with finding all the grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. If you are looking to become a proof editor, we suggest you buy The Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS), have it open on your desktop all day, and study it! While the developmental edit, even to a degree, the copy line edit, are more subjective, the proof edit is, for the most part, a black-and-white process.
That being said, the relationship between the lead editor and proof-editor is key. The lead editor, whose focus is on development and copy line editing, needs to depend on the proof-editor to provide the final, style-manual-focused review of the manuscript, while the proof editor depends on the lead editor to communicate unique stylization choices decided upon with the author during the first and second rounds of editing. Oftentimes, there will be exceptions to the style guide “rules,” so the proof-editor must be in communication with the lead editor about those specific stylistic choices that have been agreed upon. Or they can request a style sheet from the lead editor to reference during the proof edit. This information provides the optimal means for the proof-editor to edit for consistency.
WHERE TO START:
Proof editing is not NEARLY as easy as it sounds. A good proof editor is hard to find—and in great demand. We in the publishing world need to depend on them, cuz, heck, we ain’t got those skills! When we at My Word Publishing hire new proof editors, we put them through a test, and a full 50 percent do not pass. It’s nothing tricky, but people think because they’re a teacher, a journalist, or they read a lot, that they possess the skills and can be a proof editor.
“I spot typos all the time,” we hear from many. With all due respect, that is not the cue for a good proof editor.
If you are willing to put in the time to learn the ropes, there is a great course called “Proof Read Anywhere” that we recommend when people reach out and ask how to get into editing. It comes highly recommended, has great reviews, and has a test at the end. If a new editor comes to us and mentions they have been through “Proof Read Anywhere,” and passed their test, we are more likely to give them a shot.??
While there are FANtastic tools available to help the proof editor, that’s all these resources are: tools that provide a helping hand. A professional proof-editor should always review the manuscript with the human eye first before engaging these tools for a final review.
Proof editing tools you may consider:
With each one of these tools, our editors do not blanket-accept the suggestions, but rather, inspect each edit and decide whether to manually make the suggestion or correction.
How to Build Your Editing Business
After you’ve learned the craft and bought your copy of CMoS, here’s how you can get started building your editing business:
In conclusion, becoming an editor requires a combination of hard work, dedication, and skills development. Aspiring editors should have a passion for language and storytelling, strong writing and communication skills, and the ability to pay close attention to detail. A degree in a relevant field such as English, journalism, or communications can be helpful, but it is not always necessary. Instead, gaining experience through internships, entry-level jobs, and networking can be just as valuable.
A good proof editor may be one of the most underrated skill sets in our publishing journey. Like anything, they’re everywhere, but good ones are hard to find.