Think of the word ‘editor’, and you may imagine someone in charge of the content of a newspaper, magazine or even Arts Hub. Or someone who assembles a film in collaboration with a director. Or, for the geeks among us, a computer program. But run the word past most published writers and they’ll have a very different idea in mind.
The editor is the link between writer and publisher; a go-between who has to find common ground between these two parties. And it’s an unsung role. Except perhaps on awards nights where most writers will lavish praise on their editor – after all, the book has been a success!
But where does the story begin?
A writer and publisher get together. Maybe the publisher has commissioned a book and has even paid a handsome advance. Maybe a manuscript has arrived at the publisher’s desk by way of a writer’s agent. Or perhaps it has been sent in entirely unsolicited. What matters is that the publisher has agreed to publish and draws up a contract.
At this point the publisher appoints an editor, either in-house or a freelancer.
‘Sure, it’s great book, but it needs work.’ This is a concept that can be hard for many novice writers. ‘You’ve just agreed to publish me, what do you mean “needs work”?’
A manuscript, whether the work be fiction or non-fiction, a pamphlet, article or even catalogue, is a living thing, subject to development and change. It will evolve until it’s in the hands of the printer. This evolution can be substantial or it may involve just a tweak here and there.
It has been said that the purpose of writing is to convey the thoughts from one person’s mind to another’s. The better this is done, the better the writing. The role of the editor is simply to optimise this process.
The top end of editorial practice is substantive editing. This is where editor and writer come together to define the aim of the piece of writing and to decide which material serves that aim and which doesn’t. This may require wholesale changes – large sections (even chapters) eliminated, new material written, lots of things moved around – and is undertaken well before the publication date. The procedure may be repeated until all parties agree that the material is in the best possible shape.
At the other end of the spectrum is the quick copyedit. This will involve proofreading for grammar, spelling and punctuation.
But, as often as not, the editor’s role will fall somewhere between these two ends of the scale.
It is important that the publisher, writer and editor all understand the editor’s role on a particular project. This is obvious for a number of reasons, not least of which is that the editor needs to know how far to go with a manuscript. Therefore, it is essential for a written brief to be prepared. If the editor is a freelancer, they will then prepare a quote for the job, after examining a substantial part of the material to be edited.
Having no written brief can lead to tension and frustration for all parties. I have been in the position where I have spent many hours correcting punctuation throughout a publication, only to be told that the publisher had agreed to go with the writer’s somewhat idiosyncratic style for ‘creative’ reasons. At the end of the day, I’m the one who has to go back through the entire document and return everything to the original punctuation. If only I had insisted on a brief at the outset…
There are many other matters the editor should take into account. What is the style of the piece of writing, for instance? The editor may not like the writer’s style, or even the subject matter, but must be prepared to serve the work and not their own taste or ego. Does the publishing house have a house style of its own? If so, the editor must become familiar with that style and the way the publisher wants things done, and then ensure the text matches.
Then there are lots of details. Is there copyrighted material within the text? It’s surprising the number of writers who will appropriate other people’s work without realising the legal (or moral) ramifications.
Does the manuscript contain illustrative material? Has the artist, photographer, creator, been acknowledged? Are captions correct? Is each illustration placed in the best position in relation to the text?
What is the hierarchy of headings? If there are tables and graphs, are they correctly labelled? Is there an index? Do the entries match the page numbers? Are the running headers (eg. chapter headings at the top of pages) placed on the correct pages? Are the footnotes or endnotes accurate? If there is foreign language material, is it correct?
How does the text look on the page? Are paragraphs breaks in the appropriate places? Are there widow and orphan lines (short lines, broken words, etc. at the top and bottom of pages) to be adjusted? Are the lines of text too close together? Is the type too tight or too loose along the line? Will the manuscript conform to the printer’s binding requirements (i.e. the text must fit into a predetermined number of pages)?
Does the publisher want the editor to design the layout of the finished product? If so, the editor may have to choose a typeface, font size, margin width, heading design, picture placement and so on. Is the editor to write a cover blurb? Author’s biog?
If the job involves editing student material, such as a thesis, then there are strict guidelines that must be followed so the editor has no influence on the content of the student’s own work. If the work is not up to scratch, for instance, it is unethical to make improvements that may bring it up to a pass level. Universities, in particular, are very strict in this area.
As the list of editorial duties goes on, the editor must bear all elements in mind when quoting for a job. The quote is the editor’s biggest headache. At issue is not only how long the job will take, but what hourly rate to charge. There are no hard and fast rules, only good judgement.
Price yourself out of a job and it will go to someone who is prepared to work for peanuts. Charge peanuts and you’re devaluing your profession and colleagues, not to mention doing yourself out of income. Editing is a highly exacting profession. Freelancers need to undertake ongoing professional development, especially in the area of online services. Such courses are not cheap and the cost must come out of their own pocket. They are expected to run a home office and have all the latest software. Engaging employers may insist a freelancer carry insurance against professional negligence – policies that can be ruinously expensive, with premiums often higher than the income the job itself will generate.
There are professional bodies to join, who provide advice, information, training and support for all editors, but especially freelancers. These include the Australian Society of Editors, Australian Society of Indexers and the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance.
Above all, a freelance editor must be able to negotiate contracts. They must know what rate to charge a government department, a large corporation, a small publishing house, a student, a charity; all this with a good knowledge of GST and taxation matters, deadlines, contractual fine print. An editor must be a business person.
And, as if things weren’t complicated enough, there has developed an increasing trend to outsource editing tasks overseas (thanks to email and the internet). There are millions of highly literate, English-speaking graduates in India, for example, who can get the job done for a fraction of the cost of giving the job to an Australian. It is impossible to compete on rates in this situation, so local editors must sell their services on quality not cost.
Editing is not generally seen as a creative endeavour, more technical in nature. Yet, to get inside a writer’s head and think the way the writer thinks is more than a technical exercise. So too is the ability to open a channel of communication with a writer in which you can be critical, yet supportive, whilst empowering that writer to produce better writing. And the editor must have a strong command of language, not just grammar, spelling and punctuation, but a feel for language in all its different forms – legal jargon, dialogue, instructions, descriptive prose – and be up to date with the latest trends in common or specialist usage.
In the final wash-up, editing ain’t no walk in the park and it’s hard to make a living from it – annual income levels approximating those of performing artists. However, the overheads are much higher, and you have to find your own work and negotiate your own rates – no agent to do it for you. There are no standard contracts and no award rates. You’re on your own. And there are no residual payments for a best-seller!
So the next time you open a book, magazine, pamphlet, brochure or even look at a display advertisement in a newspaper, remember that an editor was probably involved. If not, then it probably shows. And try finding the editor’s name somewhere. Bet you don’t. Credits aren’t often rolled when it comes to book production.
