What Do Book Editors Do?
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
You may have heard that you need a book editor or editing services, but you might still be wondering: what do book editors do? What does a freelance editor do? Are they the same thing? Book editors can often seem mysterious—like they sit in little attic rooms with their red pens, wrapped up in story worlds. They work in the shadows, less flashy than literary agents, and less public than manuscript creators themselves. This page breaks down the functions of a book editor (both traditional and freelance) so that you can understand a bit more about the masterminds behind the manuscript critique.
What Do Book Editors Do at a Publishing House?
What do book editors do if they work for a publisher? Publishing house editors often operate in relative anonymity, unless you really start getting to know the publishing business inside and out. The reason is simple. Most publishing house editors consider projects sent directly by literary agents. They have little incentive to go out there and source material on their own (gone are those good ol’ days, alas). So they appear at writing conferences, give interviews, and pop up on social media.
But for the most part, they’re going to work at their respective houses, considering agented submissions, building their house’s lists, and growing their relationships with their authors and illustrators. The average writer will not spend a lot of time interacting with “closed house” editors unless they go out on submission with a literary agent, or have a book deal already.
Editors at publishers that accept unsolicited submissions are a bit different. They want to attract talent, so they may be more public about their wants and personalities, online and at conferences. You may be able to submit to them, so you may interact with them one day, even if you don’t have a literary agent.
When you consider the question of “what do book editors do?”, remember that, while every editor at a publishing house has their own taste and talent, they work for their publishing house. They have to keep their houses’ particular brand in mind, as well as that of their imprint, and they have to choose projects that they believe will make both artistic and business sense. That’s why it can often be a big hurdle to be acquired by a publishing house.
What Do Book Editors Do When Working Freelance?
What do book editors do when they work for themselves? These are the editors you’re more likely to encounter if you want to invest in your own writing craft and hire professional editing services. A freelance book editor will take on projects directly from writers, perform the service of giving feedback on the manuscript, and, usually, answer questions about the scope of work. Since they make money by providing editing, they are very willing to hear from new clients and it’s much easier and more straightforward to work with them. For a fee.
While most publishing house editors do not charge their authors for their services (they are paid by their publishers–self-publishing and hybrid publishing editors are an exception here), freelance editors charge for their work, whether your book ends up being published or not. They provide a service in a work-for-hire sense. The service is manuscript critique that, they hope, you will use to revise your project and make it stronger and more successful.
WHAT DO BOOK EDITORS DO FOR Writers?
More and more, writers are hiring a freelance book editor as part of their goal to publish their work, or self-publish. They realize that the publishing landscape is very competitive, and they want to position themselves to boost the odds of making their dreams a reality. Professional feedback—backed by years of experience—is one of the benefits of using a freelance editor.
Of course, you have to vet the editor very carefully and make sure they’re a good fit for you. You also should have some sort of agreement for the service that outlines the scope of work. What do book editors do? Well, that depends on what type of editor they are, and which editing services they offer.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF EDITORS
It’s important to know what you’re getting with an editor, what they will—and won’t—do. Some editors provide proofreading services only, where they work on grammar and mechanics issues. Other editors provide more in-depth feedback on your manuscript, called developmental editing. Here is a handy guide to the different types of editing available.
DIFFERENT EDITORIAL SERVICES
Editors can provide many types of services. For example, I do everything from consulting phone calls to in-depth, intimate full novel edits. You want to find an editor who is qualified to offer what you need, and works in the category you’re writing. A novel editor wouldn’t be that great as a picture book editor unless they have experience in both spaces, for example. You can read more about how to find an editor here to learn more.
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