Hope you’ll join me in welcoming Kathleen Ernst today. She’s got some excellent tips for working with an editor. Kathleen is the author of the Chloe Ellefson/Historic Sites mysteries among other books.
Getting a book contract in hand can be such a long slog that many pre-published writers don’t think much beyond that magical goal. I wrote novels for twenty years before my first book was published, so I can relate.
My latest title, The Heirloom Murders, is my seventeenth book. I’ve worked with seven different publishing companies. They range from very small (White Mane Kids) to mid-sized (Cricket Books, Midnight Ink) to large (Dutton, American Girl.) Each house has its own editing style. And each editor within a given house has her own editing style, too. Small presses might move quickly to copyediting, while larger ones spend months working on more substantial revisions.
Creating a good relationship with an editor is both challenging and incredibly important. Over the years I’ve developed a few strategies. They’ve worked for me—perhaps they will for you as well.
Tip 1: Don’t respond immediately.
Although some editors give suggestions over the phone, most of the editors I’ve worked with begin with a written editorial letter. If you haven’t been through this process before, the emotional impact of a several page, single-spaced letter can be enormous. (This is the point where you think, But I thought she liked it!)
I once heard an editor say that she tells her authors to “Pretend I’m right for three days.” Editors want writers to consider new ideas with an open mind, so it’s OK to buy yourself some time. Even if you’re on the phone, you can probably get by with “That’s an interesting suggestion. May I think about that for a few days?” Give yourself a chance to absorb and process a suggestion or request that might at first seem shocking…but just may be perfect.
Good editors want their writers to approach revision thoughtfully, not make every change requested before slamming the manuscript back.
Tip 2: Establish the “Three Pile” rule
Ideally, you’ll find that most of the suggestions an editor makes—big or small—are good ones. Those go into the “Good Idea” pile.
Then there’s neutral ground—requests that strike you as something that will make a chapter/scene/sentence different, but not necessarily better or worse. Those go into the “I’ll Give It To You” pile.
That probably leaves a few things that you do feel strongly about, which go into the “No Thanks” pile. Politely explain what changes you don’t want to make, and why. Since you’ve already been accommodating on most things, the editor will probably agree.
Tip 3: Hit your deadlines.
Once you’ve thoughtfully processed the editorial suggestions, and sorted them into neat piles, it’s time for butt-in-chair. Understand that missing a deadline affects complicated schedules for editors, designers, marketing people, and more within the company. Unexpected life events can affect anyone, of course, but writers who habitually miss deadlines may find themselves bumped from an editor’s “Authors I Love To Work With” list.
Do you have any other tips for forging a great relationship with an editor? I’d love to hear your ideas!
I’m grateful to Elizabeth for allowing me to celebrate publication of The Heirloom Murders: A Chloe Ellefson Mystery by guest-posting here. And I’m grateful to readers! I love my work, and I’d be nowhere without you. Leave a comment, and your name will go into a drawing for a free book. The winner can choose any of my titles. The Heirloom Murders, one of my American Girl mysteries, a Civil War novel—the choice will be yours! To learn more, please visit my website, www.kathleenernst.com.
Follow directions. When your editor tells you to make your edits in track changes, do that. When you’re told to read and follow a local style guide, do it. If you’re supposed to single space after a period, but you can’t break the habit of double-spacing while you type, be sure to do a global change at the end, turning your double spaces into singles. In other words, act like a professional. The authors I work with who follow directions make my life easier and make me want to work with them again. The others, not so much.
Hello, Kathleen, I love your positive spin: pre-published vs. non-published writers. :)
I am a free spirit that’s for sure but I never have a problem with taking suggestions and instruction from an expert. Great post.
Elizabeth, thanks for hosting Kathleen.
Elizabeth – Thanks for hosting Kathleen.
Kathleen – Thank you for those terrific ideas! I would say the one thing I’ve found to be most important when working with an editor is clarity. Everyone needs to have the same understanding of the project. That takes a lot of communication, but in the end it’s crucial.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us! And for reminding us that getting published takes time and that even then we need to listen to editors and keep learning:))
Elizabeth,
Great post! I think it can often feel like a punch in the gut when you first receive the initial feedback of an editor and it is good to take a breath and think on suggestions before deciding one way or another. It is not personal and their job is to ensure that your book will sell.
Did you have any suggestions for those authors that are self-publishers and they don’t work with a publishing house / team?
Thanks,
Becky
I love guest spotlights on blogs and it was a pleasure to read your post and learn more about what is in store, some day, for the pre-published. Thanks Elizabeth for inviting Kathleen.
Giving myself time to absorb my editor’s comments has been absolutely vital. I’m still learning an awful lot despite having signed the contract for me book, and I find I need time to get over the emtoional gutpunch of hearing something I might not like at first.
Thanks so much for coming by today, Kathleen! Thanks also for the helpful tips for working with an editor. I can’t wait to read “The Heirloom Murders!”
I’ve always understood that the changes suggested by an editor are to make the story better and I have no problem with that. And once I’m done, I always get a nice email from my editor that’s full of encouragement.
Thanks for all the feedback! I appreciate your comments.
Follow directions–so true. Not only do editors have individual styles, editors/houses have their own specific logistics in terms of how the process goes.
Clarity is another good point. Nothing will work well if you and your editor both think you understand what the other is saying, but don’t!
Regarding self-publishing, my best tip is basic: make sure it’s the best book it can be before finalizing it in print or e-book form. I think hiring an editor, if you can, would be important. I know more and more freelance editors seem to be hanging out their shingles, partly because breaking in to the publishing industry can be hard, and partly because the rise in self-pubbing options has empowered those who want control over the whole process.
If you do want to hire an editor, get recommendations. Also, think about exactly what you want from that editor. Do you want feedback on character and plot issues? If so, you need someone experienced with broad issues.
And unless you’re a lot better at grammar and punctuation than I am , you may want a copyeditor as well. That person will make sure that style is consistent and technical stuff appropriate.
Readers will email you with errors they spot, so give them as little work with as possible!
Great post! thanks Elizabeth for bringing in Kathleen. I really like the notion of taking your time to respond. I don’t have an editor with a publisher but I’ve hired an editor to work with my manuscript so that when it goes out it is in the best shape I can get it. I love working with this person and I really try and listen to her ideas (not the micro ones – they are pretty much no-brainers) with an open mind. Sometimes I disagree but it is informative and helpful to find out which things I am fairly married to. She’s expressed appreciation for the fact that I do listen to most of her suggestions. I hope it gets me into the right frame-work for when I get picked up. I’ll be sure to book-mark this. Thanks again.
Thanks, Jan. And good luck with the manuscript. The time you’re taking now to polish it will serve you very well, I’m sure!
oh, wow, Kathleen. These are great tips! I think as far as big picture stuff goes, these are for sure the best rules. As for more technical stuff, I’d add “be consistent” to the list. Like in how you write things like names, numbers, whatever. That way search/replace works faster… LOL! Best to you~
LTM, good tip. Those little inconsistencies that I miss in my own books tend to jump out when I’m reading someone else’s! It’s worth the trouble to make sure.
Congratulations to Journaling Woman! I pulled your name from the hat for the book giveaway. I’ll be in touch via email.
And once again–thanks, everyone, for the conversation!