When do I need an Editor – & what does an Editor do anyway?

Hi again,

Today I wanted to talk about editors. I’ve recently seen quite a bit of discussion on blogs and sites regarding editorial services, charges and options & frankly, if I wasn’t in the industry I’d be as confused as many author’s are.

So I decided to help set the records straight. Let’s start with the various types of editors.

	TITLE	Job Description
A	Editors-in-Chief	Working for Publishers/Magazines/Journals. Sometimes called “editors at large” – Often at the highest editorial level, they manage not only the look and tone of the final product (with other departments as necessary), but other editors, writers, freelance editors etc.
B	Acquisitions Editor	This title generally refers to Book Publishing Houses, but is also used by some newspapers and magazines. These editors search for new writers, stories, and/or manuscripts, and decide whether a submission is a yes or no.
C	Developmental Editor	Sometimes also called substantive editors. This title generally refers to Book Publishing Houses & Educational Publishers. Developmental Editors guide a writer from the inception of an idea to the finished Product. It’s the developmental editor’s job to look at the “big picture” of the work rather than the fine details. Issues in structure and consistency are addressed. If editing fiction, issues such as plot flow, themes, and character development are addressed. With non-fiction, its section flow, facts presented, and the strength of arguments.
D	Copy Editor	Copy editors are primarily concerned with the nuts and bolts of a piece: grammar, word choice, punctuation, and spelling. They also ensure that each piece adheres to the style guidelines set. It’s the copy editors job to ensure they meet the requirements of the Publisher/Client. Copy Editors can work FREELANCE or for a Publishing House, magazine etc. Depending on the size of an organisation, a copy-editor may also act as a proof-reader or may pass this on to an assistant.
E	Proof-Reader	Similar to a Copy Editor. Proof-readers can work for an organisation or freelance. Generally, proof-readers are copy-editors “in-the-making” often working with a copy editor or acquisition editor as their supervisor.
F	Line Editor	Again, can work alone or as part of a Team. Can be employed by a Publisher/Magazine (etc.) or work freelance. Line editors are looking for issues of grammar/syntax and sometimes fact/plot-holes (depending on their experience and your needs). Line editors can also be copy editors who want to deal with the “nuts & bolts” issue before moving on to the plot issues or they can work on instruction of a copy or developmental editor.

The question many people ask is: do I need an editor and how much will it cost? The short answer is YES you do need an editor and IT DEPENDS (we’ll come back to the second bit later)

But before you look to finding yourself an editor, there are a few things you should, no must do first. In order to not waste more money than needed, you should edit your work as best you can before an editor (or an agent) sees it. By doing this, you’ll not only improve your manuscript, you’ll look like a professional who is serious about their craft and the business of writing. To do that you should:

(i)                 Let your MS sit for at least a month, work on something new and then come back and re-read and revise. Repeat 2-3 times.

(ii)               Join a Writers Group or match up with a CP partner and swap manuscripts. By working on each others MS projects you are not only about to get valuable feedback, but you’ll also learn the skill of honest editing. Repeat at least 2 times (after revising of course)

(iii)             Get yourself a BETA* reader and either return the favour or, while your waiting, start a new project, CP for other people or BETA read for someone else. Again you are gaining experience, an additional opinion and valuable social brownie points that’ll help you when the times comes to call on REVIEWERS for your novel.

(iv)             Re-write after notes. Let it sit for a week or two, re-read & revise yet again.

*BETA readers are so called because BETA is the second letter of the Greek Alphabet. Alpha is the author/writer and Beta is the second person to read.

Now you are ready for your next phase. Depending on the path you want to take (Agent submissions, Publisher direct submissions or Self Publishing) will decide your next step. If Agent or Publisher, now is the time to sharpen your query letter/submission letter and if SP is your path, now is the time to start working on a cover design and interviewing editors.

You’ve decided your path and sorted out your introduction letter, re-read your MS one more time and send out your query, your submission or your first pages to editors for them to give you a ball-park estimate on their services.

But I hear someone saying, how much will an editor cost me?

If you are with an agent and/or a publisher, then nothing, it’s part of the process to publishing. If you are planning on SP, then it depends on what you want (referring above), the experience of the editor and the amount of work involved on your particular project.

What I will say is this:

(i)                 Be careful of people who quote on a PER WORD basis only. That is to say, someone who quotes say one cent per word, as there is variation in the work from job to job. There is nothing wrong with giving a ball-park (as I do) however, any editor worth their salt will want to read some of your material and confirm their rate. They will also add into the agreement that should the figure likely change they will inform you before continuing.

(ii)               Only consider editor’s who work in your field/genre/category. If someone advertises they accept all work (or practically all), this should signal further discussion. No one can specialise in all areas and all fields.

(iii)             Professional editors who do freelance work will always offer 5-odd pages free. The point of this is to assess the author’s skill-set as well as assessing if this project fits the editor’s area of interest and expertise. If an editor does not offer a “free” X-number of pages for assessment, they might not be the right match for you.

(iv)             Avoid at ALL COSTS open-ended agreements. Phrases/sentences to look for are:

a.       Let’s see how we go, I’ll get back to you.

b.      I never go over X/Y/Z hours.

(v)               Open ended reply dates. There should be a clear indication of turn around time. Yes, things change and delays happen, however, if you need your manuscript back in two weeks then this forms PART of the agreement and PUT IT IN WRITING.

(vi)             Full payment upfront. NEVER ever pay 100% upfront. It is not uncommon to pay 50% deposit, especially for larger jobs, but if an editor wants 100% payment upfront, then I would be running for the hills. At the same time, the editor wants to know you are good ‘for the money’ so to speak and by agreeing to pay a portion upfront (and paying it) the editor is more likely to be keen to begin work on your project. You are welcome to negotiate. For example, you could offer to pay 25% upfront and a further 25% a week or two later and the balance on completion. But less than 25% upfront payment would be unreasonable.

 So how much should you be paying? For a full and complete editorial service, assuming you have done your BETA and CP part already, it could cost anywhere between $2,000-5,000 – sometimes even more.

However, if you initially hire an editor to do proof or line editing, the cost should be in the $100’s and when the notes are returned, there are more often than not hints on other issues (plot holes, repetition of word usage, too many adverbs, too much exposition and so on). By working through the proof-read / line edit and by addressing those other issues, you will likely save yourself $1,000 or more in the long-run.

Now for the bad news. No one is perfect. Not even editors.

They (we) miss things. Sometimes its little things, and sometimes its bigger things. This does not mean you’ve had a poor or bad editor, it simply means you’ve had a human working with you.

After you have finished and your editor is finished I STRONGLY recommend having a new BETA reader or (if you are at the ARC’s stage) future REVIEWER’S read your ARC copy, so as to pick up anything everyone has missed.

The more set’s of eyes the better.

Don’t disparage your editor, whether you are with a publishing house or you are self publishing, because they missed a few things on a 100,000 word manuscript. But at the same time, don’t think they (we) are infallible.

That’s why ARC’s are sent out very, very, early. Not only for your reviewers to read and prepare for your launch but also so they can catch anything that has slipped through the editorial net.

Editors are VITAL. They are your additional skill-set and will help your work go from mundane to great but at the end of the day, it is your work and your responsibility to ensure you have the right editor for your project and to also ensure your project is as sharp as possible before opening it to the general public.

1st Line; 1st Page; 1st Chapter – the dos & the don’ts

Morning everyone, 

Today I wanted to talk about first pages, first chapters and prologues.

As I’m sure all of you have heard time and again getting, first line, pages and chapters is vital, but having said that, based on a few first pages I’ve recently received, and follow-up emails, I don’t think people are getting exactly why.

So I’m going to break it down for you.

But before I do that, I wanted to go over some ‘rules’ – and when I say rules, I mean what is standard for most agents/editors. Please ALWAYS read submission guidelines and don’t drift from them. We are individuals and therefore we each do like things a little differently.

1. Unless otherwise stated, if you have a prologue, then THAT is your first chapter. Simply NOT calling it a chapter when it makes up your manuscript word-count and story-line does not negate the need to send this as a first chapter.

2. If your first chapter is all back-story, re-write it or filter the information through the novel. Don’t info-dump the reader with details that mean nothing to the reader.

3. If your BETA readers / CP partners /Agent / Editor writes back with notes like “Too much info-dump” “Too much exposition” “How is the first chapter relevant to the following chapters?” or similar, don’t write a massive email back explaining that as soon as the reader gets to chapters 3/4/5 it’ll all make sense. The reason? The reader is already deciding NOT to get to chapters 3/4/5.

4. Don’t argue with your reading partners. Yes ask questions if something isn’t clear, but asking questions does not include becoming defensive or rude/abusive.

5. If you don’t agree, that’s OK – it’s your baby and you need to be happy with the end product.

6. Remember to thank those assisting you, even if you’ve paid them for their time, be respectful.

Now on to the Big Three

Prologues:

OK, I’m going to admit it. On the whole, I’m not a fan of prologues. Having said that, there is a case to be made for a prologue, for example, if you are creating your own world, or doing a massive re-tell that needs some explaining, I’ll grant that a prologue could be handy. If that is the case, KEEP IT SHORT – seriously – more than 500 words and it’s too much.

I would also recommend two things:

• Rename it – perhaps call it Chapter #0 or get creative, something like a memoir, or diary entry. For example, if you’re writing a romance, or a thriller, or a mystery, or a fantasy, you could start off with lines like: –

“I’m writing this because I don’t know if I will ever have the opportunity to tell anyone my story, and my story must be told, for this world I have found myself in is…”

• Stick to the MAIN topic and character(s). Don’t info-dump. Remember the reader doesn’t know your world/characters and therefore is not invested in it.

• After you’ve finished, and edited, and re-read it, and had feedback from your BETA’s, see if indeed it is simply Chapter one an not a prologue.

First Pages:

The first line of the first paragraph of the first page of the first chapter should IDEALLY be a stopper. It isn’t always, and sometimes not matter how hard you try, that damned first line eludes you. It’s OK if it’s not but it would be great if it was. If your first line is really bothering you then it will likely do the same to another reader. I would recommend studying those who know how to do this. A great starting point is reading the first line(s) of your favourite authors. I would also recommend these two pages from Writers Digest:

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/famous-first-lines-learn-how-to-start-a-novel

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/7-ways-to-create-a-killer-opening-line-for-your-novel

First Paragraphs

While the first line is important, a lot can be forgiven if the first paragraph (or maybe two), actively catches the readers imagination. Contrary to popular belief, it does not have to have someone talking, though this works very well also. Nor does it have to have the name of the main character; though by the end of page-1 you need to have the main character’s name introduced.

Things to aim for in first paragraphs:

• Some description/detail without going overboard. Examples of this might be: – “Mother always told us to never go out on the moors after ten at night, because that’s when he hunted. Sadly, my brother Jim didn’t listen, and Mother was right” – or perhaps, “I always felt sick on the first day of school, but this year, it was a new school, in a new town, and I was about ready to throw up last nights pea-soup all over my new bottle-green school uniform.”
• Bring in your main character. Use their name and a personal character trait, a physical feature or quirkiness unique to the character. Something like: – “Mum and dad must have thought it clever to call me Ophelia. I hated the name. And I hated it even more when most of my school friends had read Macbeth. Last year, super-perfect-sun-bleached-blond Sally started calling me ‘crazy-fee,’ and it didn’t help that my twin brother’s name was Malcolm and our uncle Mike was the town drunk.”
• Give us a location, country, period to grasp on to. “This can be as simple as: – “Back in the 1980s when my parents were teenagers, they didn’t have mobile phones or google. I really don’t know how teenagers talked to each other back then. I mean, I’d die without my Facebook and Twitter friends, I mean, we live in the middle of frigging nowhere, what did people do thirty years ago anyway?” Note how I’ve used “I mean” twice? I’m not only setting the period and the age of my MC but also the way they talk.

Things to avoid in first paragraphs:

There are many things to avoid. But let’s deal with just two or three for now.

• Droning on and on. By this I mean, yes we want to know who the MC is and where they live and in which period/world they are but don’t give us 3-5 paragraphs of detail. Remember this is fiction and you must engage the reader.
• Forcing the main characters name. Yes we want to know who the MC is but it must be natural. I’ve seen/read pages with lines like:

“How’s the fishing Charlie?” asked Charlie’s best friend Pete. A best friend will rarely add a name in their comment/question to their mate. They will simply ask “How’s the fishing?” You can use their name in a different way, for example. Someone was shouting “Over here,” but the band was playing too loudly and I couldn’t make out where the voice was coming from. I looked around when I heard the second, “Hey, here, here,” and saw an arm waving above the bobbing heads. I stood on a chair looking for the voice, hoping it was my mate Pete when I heard him shout, “Charlie!” Pete was now waving with both hands. I smiled and waved back, jumped off the chair and made my way through the crowd.

• Creating disbelief. This one is harder to explain but think of it this way. You are creating a world for the reader to get lost in, what you don’t want is to have that world crumble before the reader is fully invested.  Examples of this would be inconsistency such as forgetting the spelling of a characters name, or their description varying. Other examples would be changing the characters ‘voice’ without a valid reason, not remaining in the setting (think period/historical) and jumping too fast from one character to another without enough time for the reader to fully immerse themselves in this new world.

There are of course many other issues. Things like poor spelling or using the wrong word, pour, poor; pore is a good example as is weather, whether and wether. Other issues include changing tense or really bad grammatical errors and something difficult to explain yet almost instantly recognisable, failing on the tone and rhythm of the pages.

First pages:

I am not going to list all the dos and don’ts of first pages as a lot has to do with the category and genre you are writing in. Having said that, the purpose of the first chapter, regardless of category and genre is to do the following:

1. introduce the main character
2. creating the world/setting
3. set the theme
4. show your voice as a writer and the MC’s voice
5. seduce and entice the reader to keep reading

What not to do.

1. waste precious page real estate on back story
2. introduce a shopping list of characters (*caveat, this can be done by the skilled, those who know that fine line between exposition, detail and introduction)
3. blabber on and on about nothing
4. start with your MC in the shower,
5. getting out of the shower,
6. looking at themselves in the mirror,
7. asleep,
8. waking up,
9. having a dream/nightmare,
10. watching/describing the weather,
11. starting with dialogue for the sake of not knowing where to start your story and thinking, “this’ll do as a starting point,”
12. talking to themselves or in third person (*caveat, unless its done really well and forms part of the MC character/story-line, personality)
13. expecting people have read your prologue (many will not, especially if its longer than one page) and assuming the reader knows your MC.

Again, there are a lot of other things to consider, and even within the “what not to do” list, I can think of several extraordinary novels that begin with one or more of the above. However, they are exceptions because they either break the rules (in a good way) or they play on an idea in a way that is unique and thrilling. For most of us mere morals, we have to work harder to find our originality.

And one other thing, which is why I decided to write this post, don’t say things like “WAIT FOR IT” when an editor or CP partner says “it took too long to get to the real story, the main character” (etc.), because frankly, we readers are fickle and impatient and we hate to even wait for a home delivery pizza… therefore we will not wait for the story to develop, or worse, start on page 50. If that’s where it starts, you need to pretty much cut 48-49 pages.

And because I happen to think Writers Digest has some exceptional advice for writers, I would recommend reading: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/write-fiction-that-grabs-readers-from-page-one

Introducing Jen

Hello,

I’m Jen Munro and I’ll be regulating this portion of the blog.

A little about me:

My background is journalism.  After working as a freelance journalist, both here in Australia and overseas, I decided it was time to settle down so to speak.  Since returning to Melbourne I’ve mostly been working as a chief-cook-and-bottle-washer — with three kids under six, two dogs, one cat and a rabbit, not to mention a hungry giant of a husband, there’s just enough time to do this part-time.

Query Letters – Like most people I dislike writing them but, also like most people, I can see a good one from a bad one.  In my case, I can pick a bad query as long as it’s not mine! Yes I’ve written many of my own and read many, many more.

I’m currently completing a BA in Publishing, which is a fancy way of saying, I’m getting the ‘letters behind my name to ensure that I can validate my expertise’ – so, I’ll be working separately and together with Lost Lynx Publishing.

Together:

Lost Lynx is going to be open to submissions next year. We are in the process of working out our main focus, i.e. categories and genre’s we want to publish. My job will be to assist with ‘second reads’ of submissions. We will be hiring an intern next year to handle the submission pile. Their main job will be to ensure submissions meet our criteria and are written with correct grammar, spelling etc.

Submissions that meet the criteria will then be passed on to me to read. From there I’ll either reject or request more from the authors.

I am working freelance, in other words, I’ll be working for Lost Lynx but I’ll also be working for myself.

Separate:

I will be offering feedback & assistance with query letters, synopsis’ and first pages and will also offer an over-all edit to partial and full manuscripts. By over-all I mean I will not focus on grammar or spelling, I’ll be looking for flow, plot holes, too much exposition, telling instead of showing – those things that will put a editor or agent off instantly.

I will not be accepting every submission and those wanting partial or full manuscript edits will need to send me their first 5-pages from which I will assess if I want to take the project on. There is no charge for the first 5-pages, this is for my assessment only. If rejected, I will reply with why I’m rejecting. This could be as simple as “I don’t read Dinosaur Romance in Tudor times” or it could be more detailed, something like, “the concept is good but you have too much back story and your prologue is way too long; try and fix these issues and re-send if you like.”

Query letters and Synopsis.

I am not interested in and MG (sorry) but you need someone that loves the category to help you.

I also don’t do Horror (although if it’s a dark fantasy with some horror aspects that is fine) and I don’t want pure romance. (think adventure romance or mystery romance).

Also, I’m not interested in any high school or college “pretty lonely girl meets school jock and together they will find love and change the world” – again there are people for that, it’s just not me.

Fees (all prices are in AUD):

Query Letters (up to 500 words – please include a 1-paragraph bio)	$55
Synopsis (up to 1000 words)	$65
5-pages MS	No Charge
10-pages MS (up to 2500 words)	$75
50-pages MS (up to 12500 words)	$110
100-pages MS (up to 25o00 words)	$165
200-pages MS (up to 50000 words)	$250
Full MS (up to 70000 words)	$350
Full MS (70001 to 99999 words)	$450
Full MS (100000 to 120000 words)	$600
am also offering 35-word pitch + 250-words of your MS for	$45

If you’d like to know more send me an email to LostLynx@outlook.com and put in the subject line: Attention Jen – Edit Feed back 

For 35-word pitch + 250, query letters, synopsis’ and first five pages please paste into the body of the email. For large MS pages, please paste the first five pages into the body of the email and tell me which option you are interested in hiring me for. I will then read the first 5-pages and reply if I will accept the pages.

**Important – please indicate when you need this done by**

PAYMENT: Payment is in full and via Paypal

Please do not make any payment until you have heard from me. I will look over your pages and send you an email with the Paypal invoice and a completion date. (note: I may have to say no if you want the work back before I can complete it, on average it will take me anywhere from 1-6 weeks)

~ Also anything I feel might be of interest to Lost Lynx I will make a note and ask your permission to submit on your behalf ~ 

Well, that’s it for now.

Look forward to hearing from you.