In this last post in my series with Carin Siegfried, she shares her insider’s view of why and how a writer might use an independent editor.
Carol: When do you need an independent
Editor?
Carin:
o
If
you aren’t able to find a writer’s group or get any other free feedback.
o
If
you have exhausted your free feedback and still feel like your book has a long
way to go
o
When
you are self-publishing, and then you also need a copyeditor and proofreader.
o
A
good editor will see problems and suggest solutions.
Carol: Where do you find one?
Carin:
o
Publishers Marketplace or the Editorial Freelancer’s Association. Membership to the Publishers
Marketplace is $20 a month and can be cancelled at any time.
o
Look
for what major publishing houses the editors have worked at, a list of projects
they have worked on, their education background, and their general tone and
voice on their website/in their listing. In other words, you are looking for
someone you can get along with.
Carol: How much does an editor cost?
Carin:
o
I
charge $100/hour for developmental and/or line editing, and also for publishing
consulting, which covers things like writing or editing a query letter, a
proposal, descriptive copy for the book, or an author bio; researching literary
agents; sending queries and monitoring responses; getting an ISBN and
registering copyright; any production or trafficking work.
o
Standard
pricing for copyediting is about $5.00-3.00/page and proofreading is a little
less.
o
Be
wary of anyone who seems too cheap. You often get what you pay for.
Carol: What is the biggest reason that manuscripts are rejected?
Carin: Writers must do their homework! A manuscript
will be rejected quickly if it is sent to the wrong genre for the particular
house or if the editor’s name is misspelled.
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It has been my pleasure to host Carin on this blog and from the comments I have received, you have enjoyed learning more about the writing and publishing industry.
If you missed the previous posts, here are links:
- Part I: Carin's insights into the different types of editing.
- Part II: Common editorial problems
- Part III: More editorial problems.
- Part IV: Show, Don't Tell
- Part V: Can you over-describe?
- Part VI: Why do you need an agent?
- Part VII: What do you do when an agent offers to represent you?
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I'll be switching gears and highlighting three North Carolina authors whose books are coming out later this month--complete with giveaways too!
Thanks for stopping by!
