3 Reasons Why All Authors Need A Professional Book Editor
For those who have worked with an editor, the undeniable value they bring to the text is clear. If you were to compare most books (including famous ones) before and after a good editor has worked their unique magic, you’d be amazed at the improvement in their quality. They transform from a messy and convoluted first draft to an unstoppable bestseller, all thanks to the detailed work of a professional editor. Not only do editors sharpen a book’s structure and mechanics, but they also refine the reader’s experience of the content and its flow.
Still not convinced? Here are three reasons why it’s crucial to not only hire a professional editor, but one who specializes in books, for your next publishing project:
1. Book Editors Have a Unique Skill Set — and Dedication to Match
Success in any field is often determined by an attention to detail, and the very nature of an editor’s role has them dotting their I's and crossing their T's. But it’s not just this obsession with detail that makes them effective, it’s their widespread passion about books and how they can improve them. This love of books and pride in their craft translates to a greater appreciation for what the author is trying to accomplish. They can ensure your text is communicating your ideas clearly, which means readers connect better with your vision.
The craft of book editing is a difficult one to master. It takes years of dedication and requires a variety of specific skills to effectively help an author communicate their story or central argument. It’s the editor’s job to help the author with complex elements of writing like persuasiveness, flow, and ensuring the author’s voice remains authentic and consistent. Editors also help prepare the interior book designer for success by building a compelling structure. Then there’s implementing consistency in stylistic choices, checking facts, preventing anachronisms or jargon, and ensuring the reading level is appropriate. There are so many moving parts to consider as a book editor that writers who don’t have practical experience often overlook many of the important details.
2. Book Editing Is a Trained Profession, Not a Hobby
Some might think they can achieve the same or similar editing results if they offer the job to their old high school English teacher, another author, or even just a friend who is thoroughly well-read. The reality, however, is that you’re likely to be underwhelmed by the results of anyone who isn’t a bona fide book editing professional. While your amateur editor could certainly have a strong command of the English language, that alone doesn’t make them a great book editor.
For instance, newspaper editors would likely struggle editing a book. While their work involves meticulously reviewing the written word, it focuses primarily on reporting. This type of writing is not often seen in either nonfiction or fiction, and requires quite different structures than books. Newspaper precepts like “don’t bury the lead” usually don’t transfer well to narratives, and attention to authorial voice or genre styles are likely not aspects they have much experience with. These skills are unique to book editors. On a technical level, the style requirements of Canadian Press or American Press Associations often differ from the standard Chicago Manual of Style used for commercial books, which may implement unconventional style choices that distract or confuse your reader.
Proficiency as a book editor requires developing specific skills through specialized training over many years. What separates the novice editor (or editor of a different medium) from a professional book editor is an accreditation. This involves formal training and recognition of an editor’s competency in their role by a professional organization such as Editors Canada. When an editor is certified by such an institution you can expect a high level of qualification based on internationally recognized criteria for professional editors.
3. Experience Matters
While working with a young, inexperienced editor could have some positives (such as they don't hold to rigid traditions or might charge a lower rate), you don’t want your editor to be brand new to the field. You need an experienced professional. Though it may be an investment to hire a professional book editor instead of a well-read friend, it will be more costly not to.
Like any skill, excellence comes from practice and experience. You don't need to find a veteran editor with 20+ years experience, per se, but at least make sure your book won’t be your editor's first or even second, attempt.
An inexperienced editor will not have the same awareness of how their changes might impact your unique voice, and instead adjust your text to their own personal preferences. A novice will not have the technical experience to understand how to balance a writer’s voice and the reader’s engagement, to know when to appropriately implement many optional grammatical rules, or ability to provide the required fastidiousness to avoid potentially disastrous errors. When you’ve put months or years into a writing project, the last thing you want are errors that detract from the content of your book — or worse, compel the reader to stop reading out of frustration.
Professional book editors smooth out rough drafts and help elevate them into compelling finished products. These are people that have dedicated their lives to the craft, have put in the time to hone their skills, and have had their abilities tested to ensure they are delivering the highest quality of work. Amateurs or other types of editors cannot say the same.
Once you’ve reached the end of your manuscript, and it’s time to seek out an editor to polish your work in preparation for publication, be sure not to overlook the importance of someone who specializes in books. A professional editor will not only improve your book, but improve your writing process for all your future works. Now that’s a good reason to get a professional’s expertise!