One of the things I love most about being an editor is the way it combines several functions into one: part grammarian, part publishing industry specialist, part counselor, part subject matter expert, and, perhaps, just a dash of literary snob. The editor may work for an author, or more usually a publishing house. But they work on behalf of the text, and beyond the text, the reading audience. It is that audience, ultimately, that the editor endeavors to serve.
When I’m working on a manuscript, I sometimes have to keep the author firmly in mind. Some authors can be prickly, and their words need to be treated with kid gloves. Some are anxious, some demanding, some--it must be said--can be egotistical, and a few even rage. It is not easy to write, much less to be a writer, and a sensitive editor does sometimes need to reassure, calm down, or buck up a struggling author. A bit of psychology is a useful tool in the editor's toolbelt.
But the author is not the primary focus. The focus must always remain on the text. What is the text trying to say? How can the text speak more clearly, more effectively, or with more power? We err when we seek to serve an author. It is the text, and the text above all, that a good editor serves. Because while the author may be behind the text, there is an audience--one usually hopes a vast audience--that stands in front of it. And that audience, all of those individual readers, need to be informed, enlightened, entertained, and enlivened, in a thoughtful and sensitive way. My focus will always be on the text and the readers engaged by that text.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Will you do a sample edit?
Yes, of course, I will be happy to provide a sample edit. A sample edit is a good way to set expectations, to illustrate the working relationship, and to improve communications between author and editor.
What sort of written agreement do you provide?
I offer a simple written agreement that sets the working terms and expectations for both parties. The agreement will spell out what sorts of edit (copy, line, developmental) is to be done on the manuscript, or, alternatively, how many editing passes have been agreed upon. Crucially, the agreement also stipulates the deadline, and the financial terms in full.
How long will it take to complete my manuscript?
The question of how long it takes me to complete a given job is not quite the same question as when I’ll be able to get your manuscript back to you. In general, a 100,000-word manuscript will take me about a week to complete, depending on the type of edit we’ve agreed on and the extent of corrections needed. I generally deliver work in the order I receive it; my delivery date to you will be specified in our agreement. High priority or rush jobs are sometimes available.
Do you edit fiction?
The demands of fiction writing comprise a different category than non-fiction. While certain elements cross both categories--narrative arc, a sense of dramatic tension, perhaps, maybe even character development--fiction editing demands a different skill set, a different "ear," and an altogether different set of literary experiences and expectations than non-fiction. My lane is non-fiction. I am happy to put you in touch with any number of excellent fiction editors from my networks.
What are your thoughts on AI/ChatGPT and other forms of artificial intelligence?
The confrontation with the blank page is one of the most challenging, and hence human, encounters that a person can have. The sharing of the written word is an act of sublime intimacy, public interest, and civilizational value. For me, writing and reading are quasi-sacred acts, and I do not comprehend the contemporary interest in surrendering our humanity by subjecting it to a computer algorithm. I do not, and will not, use any form of artificial intelligence in my work, and I respectfully decline to edit any work generated by artificial intelligence.
When I’m working on a manuscript, I sometimes have to keep the author firmly in mind. Some authors can be prickly, and their words need to be treated with kid gloves. Some are anxious, some demanding, some--it must be said--can be egotistical, and a few even rage. It is not easy to write, much less to be a writer, and a sensitive editor does sometimes need to reassure, calm down, or buck up a struggling author. A bit of psychology is a useful tool in the editor's toolbelt.
But the author is not the primary focus. The focus must always remain on the text. What is the text trying to say? How can the text speak more clearly, more effectively, or with more power? We err when we seek to serve an author. It is the text, and the text above all, that a good editor serves. Because while the author may be behind the text, there is an audience--one usually hopes a vast audience--that stands in front of it. And that audience, all of those individual readers, need to be informed, enlightened, entertained, and enlivened, in a thoughtful and sensitive way. My focus will always be on the text and the readers engaged by that text.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Will you do a sample edit?
Yes, of course, I will be happy to provide a sample edit. A sample edit is a good way to set expectations, to illustrate the working relationship, and to improve communications between author and editor.
What sort of written agreement do you provide?
I offer a simple written agreement that sets the working terms and expectations for both parties. The agreement will spell out what sorts of edit (copy, line, developmental) is to be done on the manuscript, or, alternatively, how many editing passes have been agreed upon. Crucially, the agreement also stipulates the deadline, and the financial terms in full.
How long will it take to complete my manuscript?
The question of how long it takes me to complete a given job is not quite the same question as when I’ll be able to get your manuscript back to you. In general, a 100,000-word manuscript will take me about a week to complete, depending on the type of edit we’ve agreed on and the extent of corrections needed. I generally deliver work in the order I receive it; my delivery date to you will be specified in our agreement. High priority or rush jobs are sometimes available.
Do you edit fiction?
The demands of fiction writing comprise a different category than non-fiction. While certain elements cross both categories--narrative arc, a sense of dramatic tension, perhaps, maybe even character development--fiction editing demands a different skill set, a different "ear," and an altogether different set of literary experiences and expectations than non-fiction. My lane is non-fiction. I am happy to put you in touch with any number of excellent fiction editors from my networks.
What are your thoughts on AI/ChatGPT and other forms of artificial intelligence?
The confrontation with the blank page is one of the most challenging, and hence human, encounters that a person can have. The sharing of the written word is an act of sublime intimacy, public interest, and civilizational value. For me, writing and reading are quasi-sacred acts, and I do not comprehend the contemporary interest in surrendering our humanity by subjecting it to a computer algorithm. I do not, and will not, use any form of artificial intelligence in my work, and I respectfully decline to edit any work generated by artificial intelligence.