From a
reader’s and reviewer’s point-of-view, books need a professional editor.
Why do books
need a professional editor?
Authors are
too close to the project to be able to pick up everything, especially if the
author is self-publishing their book. Self-editing doesn’t work; many books and
author’s sites have errors in grammar and punctuation as books and a web site
visited today.
How to
choose the right one to work with
- Authors need to talk with, and ask questions of the editor they choose to work with to see if the read and understand the genre of your book
·
Have
they edited in the genre?
·
Can
you and the editor work together?
·
Will
the editor accept your input?
·
Are
they willing to keep you abreast of how the project is progressing?
·
Does
the editor have an estimate of how long it will take to edit?
·
Can
you agree on a price that is acceptable to both parties?
- The editor should send the author an edited copy for review/proofread.
·
The
final say is the author’s responsibility.
·
The
editor shouldn’t have changed, but strengthened the sentences.
·
The
editor should have corrected any grammar or punctuation errors.
·
The
editor should have used Word’s Track Changes.
·
Any
questions the editor has should be addressed using Word’s Comment feature.
- After the edited copy is proofread by the author:
·
The
author and editor should agree on the changes.
·
If
the editor suggested a word change, the author and editor should agree.
·
Talking
with the editor should be like talking to a friend helping your book be the
best it can be.
·
Once
the final edits are completed and both parties are satisfied, then the final
edited copy is ready for publication.
There should never be harsh feelings about your book with an
editor; the editor is there to help the author create a book that is the best
copy possible.
Readers deserve the best book authors and editors are capable
of creating. From an ethical standpoint, authors need to offer only their best
to their readers.
Robert Medak
Freelance Writer/Blogger/Editor/Proofreader/Reviewer/Marketer
