Levels of Edit

There are different levels of edit. Before you hire an editor, make sure you know which kind of editing they are going to do - and whether or not your manuscript is ready for that type of edit. Insist on a clear explanation, because the types of edit are somewhat fluid.

If you're not quite sure how to tell your story or present your non-fiction work; or you're stuck part way; or you're finished but not quite satisfied with the project as a whole, a coach or consultant may help.

Developmental editors, substantive editors, structural editors, content editors, and book doctors may provide that type of global recommendation, but be clear if that's what you want. They also do closer developmental work, where they zero in on problems and offer solutions. They may do some line editing to demonstrate how revisions should be made. They may do major revisions or revise the organization of your work. (This is still primarily using your words, not creating new material from scratch like a ghostwriter would do.)

Line editors come in when you're satisfied the manuscript is shaped the way you want it. They work at the sentence and paragraph level to improve style and language. You might hire someone specifically as a line editor, but more often this kind of editing is done by the developmental editor once major revisions have been completed or as part of the copyediting service. Just don't assume it's being included - ask.

Copyediting is the nitty gritty detail work - spelling, grammar, punctuation. Ask if they include checking references and/or accuracy. Do they create a style sheet to keep the manuscript consistent throughout? Do they make corrections, or give notes for you to do that? Do they review the file in publication format?

Proofreading is a final check for typos and other errors. It should be done when the project is in publication format. It's best if they are familiar with publishing and genre conventions. If you're self-publishing, repeat proofing when you have a physical "proof" copy, before the book is released for purchase. If you're working with a publisher, ask if you can have a proof copy before the publication date. Sometimes errors that are missed on a screen pop right out once they're on paper.

Make your manuscript your best work. If you self-publish, make it every bit as good as a traditionally published book.

The Editorial Freelancers Association has a rate table. Read the disclaimers.

How Does Your Publisher Make Money?

How does your publisher make money?

Traditional publishers make their money selling books - that's why they're so picky about what they will publish. Back in the day, vanity publishers made their money from writers paying to have their books printed. In the new market, print-on-demand has made it possible to publish a book yourself and sell it worldwide for the minimal cost of copyright registration and ISBN purchase.

Some writers aren't comfortable doing it all themselves, so there are "self-publishing" and "hybrid" companies that will help you get that book into print. They're making most of their money selling services to authors. Some of those companies are expensive but legitimate; others are a complete rip-off. Investigate any company you consider using for self-publishing.

To read about my personal experience hiring the wrong company, read Never Pay to Publish – and OMG. (The OMG's about a daring surf rescue where my daughter and her husband risked their own lives to save three young strangers.)

For a more indepth description of publishing options see Deciding How to Publish Your Book. It also includes links to watchdog lists that help you avoid current scams.

There's also the option of hiring a book shepherd - someone to walk you through the self-publishing process, helping you become your own publisher. Some companies act primarily as printers and distributors of your work - such as Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing and Ingram's IngramSpark. They make money when your book sells.

How many books should I order?

Unsold Books = $$$ Lost

How many books should you order?

You don’t want to end up with boxes of books you’ll never sell. Aside from the cost, it’s depressing to see them. So be realistic. Most books sell less than five hundred copies over their lifetime. You won’t need anywhere near that many! Many or most people will end up buying your book online, where you’re not the one collecting and reporting sales tax. You’ll just get royalty checks. However, there are times you may want to do direct sales.

Questions to ask:

• How many people have requested signed copies from you? Make sure you charge enough to cover postage and your time.

• How many book signings have you set up and how many people can you expect to show up? If it’s a venue where they regularly host signings, ask for a typical number of sales, not attendees.

• Ask who’s doing the advertising. If you are a skilled self-promoter, you’ll sell more books than the person who leaves it up to the venue.

• How much money can you afford to tie up in copies, for how long?

One of the many nice things about true POD operations is that you should pay the same price per book no matter how many you order. (Shipping cost per book will go down with larger orders because that’s how shipping works, but the printing cost should stay the same.) If the company you’re using gives you great discounts on large quantities, it's a predatory company. Get out if you can as soon as you can.

It’s better to have people see your book as a sought-after item than see boxes of leftover books. If you run out of copies, have cards with the link to purchase on them and take names and addresses if they want to get signed copies directly from you. (This also builds a contact list.)

So, order just a few books more than you know you can sell.

The one exception to this is if you’re going with traditional printing, where they have to do runs of 500 or 1000 books. If you’ve set up your marketing ahead of time and know you’ll sell that many books – great! You’ll pay less per book than those of us using POD. But most books don’t sell that many copies, so POD is a great option for most of us. If you end up with a best seller, if you are the publisher and you haven’t signed a predatory agreement, you can do a traditional print run and give the buyers a discount.

So back to doing your research. Keep all rights to your book – your copyright, your ISBN, you as publisher – so whatever company you use, they are simply the printer and distributor.