by Paul Dinas
Once upon a time
Publishing used to be a leisurely enterprise. Authors could submit their work directly to the “slush” pile. Editorial assistants would carefully sift through the submissions looking for books that could be turned into solid commercial properties. Submissions were sent in hard copy, and editors’ offices were piled high with manuscripts. We had to lug three or four submissions home to read on our spare time. Editing was done in right on the manuscript, usually in red pencil. Time consuming but effective.
In years past, agents would take on projects because they loved them and would work with authors until they were ready for submission to publishers. Editors would often send an editorial letter to authors before they actually acquired their books, making suggestions how to make them acceptable. Publishers supported new writers with publicity, author tours, sometimes even advertising. The rule was that it was only on their third or fourth book that their fortunes would hit their stride.
It was all about the author’s talent and the books themselves.
The current state of publishing.
The advent of mega corporate publishing conglomerates, computer sales tracking, and the consolidation of the bookstores and distributors changed everything. There used to be dozens of publishers, large and small, where an author might find a home. Now there are basically four or five publishers that control the market. This recent article is a great example of how the biggest trade publisher, Penguin Random House, affects the publishing industry today.
Bottom line concerns have all but decimated the publishers’ promotional efforts and have left it up to the authors for the most part. Computer sales tracking allows publishers, agents and distributors daily performance reports. While it used to take six months to figure out if a book was successful, now it takes less than month.
Since there are fewer bookstores, large and small, to showcase the thousands of new and old titles that are still published each month, it’s tough get an traction with readers. The vast majority of books are bought from online like vendors like Amazon or in big box stores like Walmart or Costco.
As of result all these new market forces, the submission and acquisition process is more competitive than ever. Physical slush piles are now the email inboxes of agents and editors. The pressure is on to find “big” books that will become bestsellers upon publication. Agents are more selective than ever.
One agent I know reads only the first line of a manuscript. If she doesn’t like it, she rejects it.
Another won’t accept authors who don’t have well establish social media platforms.
Editors spend their days at corporate meetings and don’t have as much time to edit or work with an author to strengthen work. The consequence is that both agents and editors require manuscripts to be as close to final as possible before taking them on.
What’s an author to do?
Authors need to be prepared to meet these challenges, but they are often subject to the old problem of not being able to see “the forest for the trees.” Immersed in their craft, they lose perspective, and find it hard to see the larger picture of how their work will be received by agents or editors. In most instances, a new project has one shot at being accepted when it is submitted to an editor. If it rejected by multiple editors, agents will deem it a losing proposition and cease to represent it. So authors need to make sure their work is as strong as it can be before the submission process begins.
Hence the need for experienced freelance editors, whose familiarity with the business can give authors an advantage. In this new world of publishing, they have taken the place of the traditional in-house editor or hands-on agent. Qualified freelance editors have become a vital part of the submission process and can make difference between rejection and acceptance.
In addition, experienced, knowledgeable professional editors are even more important to authors seeking to self-publish. They bring their expertise to the manuscript, helping the author making changes in keeping with current trends in a wide range of genres, fiction or nonfiction.
I know of several books that have benefited from the efforts of a freelance editor. One nonfiction work went on to be a bestseller and win a Pulitzer prize thanks to its freelance editor. Several bestselling fiction authors and their inhouse teams rely on freelance editors to help them shape their work before publication as well.
One first time author couldn’t get an agent because her pitch letter needed work. After her freelance editor helped her with it, she got representation and her book is under submission with several publishers. Another first time mystery author worked with a freelance editor and got a multi-book series contract. These and many more success stories show the value of freelance editors in today’s frenzied marketplace.
Choosing a freelance editor.
Choosing a freelance editor is like starting any new relationship. When it works, it’s enriching and satisfying. When it doesn’t, it’s hell. Here are a few general ideas to consider when choosing a freelance editor.
- Make sure he or she has deep experience in the inner workings of a trade publisher. This is important because after several years in the business, an editor has developed a firm foundation in working with a wide variety of books and authors and knows what is expected by an acquisitions editor and reader. This experience is vital to the success of any project. Editing is much more than correcting the simple mechanics of writing. An experienced editor can get to the soul of book and help shape it.
- Make sure he or she has experience in working with the genre you are writing and is up to date on current trends and publisher expectations. For example, an editor who works primarily in nonfiction might be less knowledgeable about the requirements of fiction genres and an editor with expertise in romance might not be up-to-date on fantasy or scifi.
- Make sure your goals for the work are clearly defined in any agreement made. Full developmental edits involve issues of plot, theme, characterization and narrative structure.
- Make sure the freelance editor reads your work before taking it on. During the follow up conversation it is easy tell if the editor has done his or her homework.
- Be sure to have at least one phone conversation with an editor before the work begins to be sure you are in complete agreement regarding the vision for your book.
- Be sure to get a timeframe for the work and set firm deadlines for both yourself and your editor.
Working with a freelance editor.
- Be prepared for all work to be done digitally
- There are multiple digital formats available. Be clear about the digital format you’ll using with your editor ie Word, Scrivener, etc
- Remember that you are the creator and have final approval over all edits and changes. The editor is not your boss.
- Be sure to check in with the editor as the work progresses. The check in schedule will depend upon the nature of the editorial work, the length of the book and estimated time frame in the agreement. For instance, if the work is a full developmental edit, the book is 100,000 words and the agreed upon time frame is 8 weeks, then the author should check in at the midway point.
- Remember to feel free to question any editorial choices you don’t fully understand or agree with.
- If you will require help on a query letter, proposal or synopsis, make sure it’s part of the deal.
The submission process.
- Before you submit your edited work, be sure to have it professionally copy-edited. Simple spell checks are NOT enough.
- Keep your query letter under 300 words, following general structure of:
the hook, the book, the author. - Most publishers don’t take direct submissions and require that all submissions be represented by a literary agent.
- Given the amount of time it takes agents to respond, multiple submissions are a necessity, so long as you make it clear in the query letter.
Despite all the challenges, the craft of writing is one of the most generous of art forms.
Keep the faith there are readers for every book—some of them will want to read your book.
Dear Scriveners, Did you know that time-pressed publishers often rely on outside, freelance editors? Have you developed a good working relationship with an editor? Or were you disappointed and, if so, what do you think went wrong?
Paul Dinas, Developmental Editor
Paul can be found on Twitter, Facebook and his website
Paul—Thanks for the detailed view from the inside about the state of publishing *right now* and for your excellent advice about what authors can do to even the playing field.
Your remark about the agent who judges a manuscript by the first line is astonishing! I wrote a post about how to write a great first line. Hope it helps someone.
https://selfpublishingsites.com/2018/04/how-to-write-a-great-first-sentence/
Glad you found the post informative. I tried to include some helpful workarounds along with a portrait of the industry.
I appreciate the positive note you ended article with, Paul. It’s been my great good fortune to work with editors since 2005.
Yes, hope along with dedication and creative vision are the pillars of the writing life.
All the best,
More than ever, we need to make our work shine by any means possible before we even attempt to submit.
And I know my publisher uses a freelance editor.
Alex, you are fortunate that your publisher pays attention to the editorial process by using an independent editor. Most trade houses leave it up to the author to hire one.
Excellent advice, Paul. I’ve been fortunate to work with several amazing editors over the years, and I thank God for them. Never considered hiring an independent editor for a submission, though. Interesting. I have a true crime book on submission with agents, and although early responses are encouraging (several requests for full book proposal), now I’m second-guessing myself. #writerslife 🙂
Yes, there are many terrific editors in house. I’m glad you are getting some positive responses from agents to your pitch letter. True crime is having a bit of resurgence as a genre. But it’s pretty competitive, so you might benefit from an independent editor looking over your proposal if you encounter any roadblocks.
Best of luck.
Wow – this is a great article and very, very helpful. I have been able to work with several great content editors and after reading your article I think I should find an editor for my query letter. Multiple rejections are making me wonder if it’s just not written well enough.
Thank you for this helpful post.
Wise thought. Since agents rely almost exclusively on the pitch letter to decide whether to call for a manuscript, it can hurt to get some help from an independent editor who has had years of experience evaluating pitch letters.
Best of luck.
Do you do that type of thing? Look at pitch letters? Without having read the book, I mean?
I’m so glad Paul mentioned getting an editor to work on your query letter. I don’t know if he does query letters without editing the book, but I know some editors do. I think it’s a huge help. Some writers keep rewriting a ms. every time they get a rejection, but it’s not the book that needs revising, it’s the query (and often the synopsis). Thanks for this great advice and an excellent post, Paul!
Hi Patricia,
Yes, I have helped authors with pitch letters. It is always best to read a least the proposal/synopsis before tackling the pitch letter editorially, but depending on the letter, I have worked on its structure and content alone.
I have used two very good freelance editors based on numerous recommendations from my writing groups. Both did outstanding jobs with my indie published books and the 2nd one did a thorough enough job on my book that I’m completely petrified of actually executing her valuable advice for the book she worked on (volume 2 of a trilogy) and not be able to do it properly (trust me, this is a good thing).
Your editor is your most enthusiastic reader. If you have faith in her understanding of your creative work, I’m sure you’ll be able to apply her insights more than effectively.
Happy Revising.
Published since the 1970s (I was of course a child prodigy) I wrote almost everything to make a living, learning with each new project.The life has never been easy but it’s tougher now than ever. As my agent says, it’s not enough to have a good idea; you need a great idea you’re passionate about. Indie publish if it suits you.My first indie book, 34 Million Books, part memoir and part writing guide, came out in September. The greatest compliment is that it’s indistinguishable from a trad published book. We have to set the bar high for ourselves and never stop learning and growing.
Valerie, I congratulate you on your successful career. You are in the elite group of writer who can make at living at the craft. Self-publishing is dynamic option and the quality of the books I’ve seen match any trade houses fare.
All the best,
It is, indeed, a brave new publishing world (said the aged writer).
I hope you are still navigating it successfully. It can be quite challenge at times.
Hi Anne,
Thanks for the opportunity to post on your blog. It’s a terrific resource to writers.
It is true that author often think initial rejections from agents is linked to the content of their manuscripts when it usually a function of an ill positioned pitch or query letter. I enjoy working with authors on their pitch letters to keep then short, punchy and effective. Often all it takes a bit of cutting and polishing to make agents sit up and take notice.
I hope my post and comments are helpful to your readers.
Any way to access the entire NYT article? I can’t afford their subscription rates!
Hi Melanie,
I think you can click the link in the post to get the article. If it doesn’t work, send me your email and I’ll cut and past it for you.
I agree with you, Paul. Professional advice is really critical.
However, since coming up with the cash to pay for this advice can be difficult, I’ve found the following free resources especially useful:
The synopsis builder at the Jericho Writers website provides a step-by- step template for writing an engaging (!) 500-word summary of your book. This was a real game changer for me. All of my previous drafts were very dry and boring. An agent turn-off, for sure.
Query Shark is a query critique service and archive run by one of the top agents in the business. If you don’t want to swim with the shark (ie submit your query for public critique), reading through the archives – replete with comments and rewrites – offers a very good guide on what to do and what not to do. I didn’t brave the bloody waters but I hear the scars are worth it.
The Pitch Wars website also offers free submissions tutorials, including an excellent query writing tutorial. While you’re there, check out their contest. Successful submissions get a full developmental edit and writers are mentored for several months through their rewrites before being pitched as part of an agent show case – all for free!
Hi Linda,
Thanks for sharing these valuable resources. I certainly hope they help authors create the tools they need to have a successful submission (and publication) experience.
Thank you, Linda. As an old guy working part time and not having much extra cash, I was happy to get your great advice. I copied it for future reference. I’ve often wanted to engage an editor for my work and my pitches, but can’t really afford it. I now have options!
Yes, Fred. We all lucky as authors and editors to have so many tools available on the web.
Best of luck.
I have attended several publishing conferences and webinars as well as author/agent meetings. While I haven’t heard anyone say they toss after the reading the first line (unless maybe: “It was a dark and stormy night,”) but they do ask to be intrigued by page one. Readers who are buying books may do this as well. So, it’s a good practice to revise and revise your Page One, especially after finishing the first draft of the novel.