"You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what's burning inside you.
And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke."
– Arthur Polotnik
Why Hire an Editor?
The gratitude that many writers express to their copyeditors in their Acknowledgements sections is heartfelt. They know from experience that good editing is a highly specialized but not a high-profile skill – once the errors and awkwardness in a piece of writing have been identified and changed, it’s the writer who gets the credit for the fire that shows through the smoke. And that’s just fine with me. I receive great satisfaction from helping writers rise above the crowd by improving the accuracy, flow and clarity of their writing.
I’ll always remember my first official editing contract many years ago. Willing to take a risk, the University of Calgary Press production coordinator handed me a stack of paper – 300 or so pages of a manuscript on Kabardian grammar. My biggest fear? That I would find not one error or wasted word or awkward phrase. A week later every page was covered in red ink. Now I was afraid that the author would be offended, but to my surprise, he was thrilled!
Every writer – no matter how skilled, educated or brilliant – needs an editor.
For comments about my work from past clients, please see Client Comments (What My Clients Say).
Working with an Editor
After giving you an accurate estimate, negotiating a satisfactory contract, and receiving from you a 50 percent retainer fee, we’ll begin the process. I will edit your document according to your specifications and deadline. I’ll send it back with a comprehensive covering letter commenting on some of the suggestions I have made – those that need more lengthy explanations than I was able to insert in the manuscript itself.
While perusing my suggested changes, you may need additional consultation. I will be happy to answer questions by email or telephone. If the post-editing consultation involves another round of editing or proofreading, we’ll negotiate a new contract to cover those requirements.
Your preferences will guide us in our collaborative efforts. If you prefer working with hard copy, I’ll make my changes manually on the printed manuscript and leave it to you to insert the changes into the electronic version. If you’d rather save the paper and the effort, and avoid the risk of introducing new errors into the text, I’ll use the Track Changes feature of Microsoft Word, which allows the writer to accept or reject each change with the click of a button and to read my typed comments and suggestions in the margins of the electronic document. And if you’ve never used Track Changes, I’ll teach you how to use it.
Defining Editorial Tasks
Substantive/Structural EditingThe organization and flow of a manuscript (chapters, sections, paragraphs) is a large part of what determines reader satisfaction. Structural editing involves reorganizing content to ensure that ideas flow logically and clearly, and clarifying any contradictions or confusion.
Stylistic Editing
The writer’s own style and voice is paramount – stylistic editing polishes your style without eliminating its uniqueness. I note and make suggestions to clarify meaning; eliminate jargon (depending on the target audience), clichés and gender-exclusive language; and change inappropriate or vague word choices. I improve fluency within and between sentences and clean up ambiguity and awkward phrasing.
Copy Editing
This is the most commonly requested level of editing. Here I edit for grammar, spelling, punctuation and other mechanics of style. I check for consistency in such details as the use of hyphens, em- and en-dashes, capitalization style, smart and non-smart quotes, and so on. I also watch for internal consistency of facts. I ensure that citations follow a consistent system and that references and citations are appropriately matched in terms of spelling, dates, and so on. I check for consistency between Table of Contents and chapter titles and headings in the text itself. Internal consistency of facts is also part of copy editing.
Proofreading
Your resources are used most efficiently if your manuscript has been thoroughly edited before proofreading begins, since errors inevitably creep in during the editing process. Proofreading is generally done after the page proofs have been prepared by the designer. In addition to finding spelling and typographical errors, proofing involves checking design elements (such details as headers, page numbering, word breaks, cross references, and appropriate placement of graphics).
Rewriting
The line between editing and writing is sometimes difficult to detect. Rewriting falls somewhere between the two. I will create a new manuscript based on content and research that you supply, whether in the form of an outline, detailed notes or rough draft. Rewriting may include additional research and/or writing of some original material.
Indexing
A carefully prepared index is often critical to the sales of a book, since it can make the difference between a satisfied reader and a frustrated one. I will create an alphabetical list of names, places, subjects and concepts that appear in your work.
Manuscript Consultation
I will read your manuscript carefully and, with your target audience in mind, provide a written critique of structure, content, tone, style, flow, grammar, diction and anything else that comes to my attention. The word critique isn’t synonymous with criticism – I will point out the strengths of your work as well as the weaknesses.