Canadian Publisher Empowers Authors with Good Editors
AgoraBooks.ca empowers writers who seek to self-publish
A rule of thumb for all self-publishers is to look for a good editor who will ruthlessly edit their work and in doing so, rid it of all grammatical mistakes, tighten the story or themes you are addressing therein, spot inconsistencies and thoroughly go through the technical aspects of it such as sentence structure.
The internet is awash with grammar checking services, but none will go the mile in offering a holistic approach when editing your work. Below are ways of looking for a good editor.
- Education
A good editor doesn’t necessarily have to have a degree in English but that’s a good place to begin. Conversely, having an English degree doesn’t directly translate to being the best editor one can find. Either way, the editor has to be a master of the language, be well-read and knowledgeable about all the technical aspects of the job.
According to Michele DeFilippo, an author, “Remember that editors are language experts. With some exceptions, they do not have to be experts in your field. As a stand-in for your eventual reader, a good “lay” editor will spot unclear text that an expert may not. (Peers should review the text before editing begins to suggest additions and deletions and help the author check facts.) ”
- Experience
At some point, we were all novices in our fields. That doesn’t mean we weren’t skilled enough, only not refined enough to take on certain projects. The same holds for good editors: they have to have had a few years of experience under their belt, working either as indie editors for books that were a success or working for reputable publishers.
Cyndy Aleo, a marketing assistant publisher, gives a befitting commentary on Quora, “Everyone starts somewhere, but what applicable background do they have? For instance, before I moved into freelance editing, I was a writing tutor in undergrad and had worked in several other types of positions where editing was part of my job, while not all of it. My first published piece talked about how to preserve voice over rules. Again, in undergrad.”
- Actual Work
Word of mouth has been an effective marketing tool for ages but in the self-publishing space, that alone isn’t sufficient enough: go through their work.
Michele DeFilippo states, “The quality of writing on the editor’s website is a good first indicator. Before-and-after work samples posted there can also help narrow the field.”
Awards and reviews from authors are an added advantage. Cyndy Aleo asks, “Do they have any award winners in their list of references? Any starred reviews from trade publications?”
“Those are the things publishers are looking for when they hire editors, and you should, too.”
- Process
Any good editor knows that it takes time and several revisions to turn a good book into a great one. There’s no shortcut to this. Any editor who rushes through your work is one only bet on raking in your money and moving on to the next project. Ask them how much time they are willing to spend on your manuscript.
In Agora Publishing, a Canadian publishing house that boasts of seasoned editors, indie publishers can be sure their manuscripts are in the right hands.