When you hire an editor, make sure you let him know in advance
I once attended an event at which I was introduced to a person who worked for the newspaper. I asked him “Are you the editor or do you write a column?” He said, “No, I’m just the proofreader.” This was funny since he suggested that the proofreader didn’t think highly of his job at the newspaper. In my view the proofreader is one of the most crucial individuals in the making of any writing piece, whether it’s a book, newspaper or marketing piece.
There’s a good chance that you know someone-it could even be you, who delights in pointing out mistakes and letting everyone know about it. They’re not scared to leave a message on your blog or Facebook page to mention the spelling error you made. Even those who aren’t rude are often thinking less of a book publication when they notice the number of mistakes. The errors in a book shout out that the book isn’t of the highest quality. With the increasing number of self-published books to the market, I’m more cautious than ever before in taking a look at a few paragraphs and examining for typos before I decide whether or not to invest money on an ebook.
An editor is an essential element of the production process for a book. The traditional publishing house assigns an editor to the book, however, it may also provide an editor and proofreader. In most cases there are three or four people who are assigned to edit and proofread the manuscript prior to putting it out for publication. Self-published authors who have done their homework usually realize that they require an editor, however, they may not know that they also require proofreaders.
An editor may also take on the proofreading. However, I’d advise authors to keep in mind that editors aren’t the same. Editors have different qualifications and expertise. They may be skilled at editing content to help improve your story and characters but he’s not able to find a typo such as “lightening” when you meant “lightning” or even be proficient at spelling. An editor may be proficient at punctuating sentences correctly but does not possess the creativity to be able to create the story or develop the argument flow. Even the best editor will eventually get so involved in the book, much as the author in the beginning, that upon the initial or second read of the novel, they tend to read using his memory, thinking he can see the contents of the book and not with the eyes, which could actually be able to read what’s in the book.
The editors I have met who write quality work are horrified when mistakes appear in books they’ve edited, and they’re also willing to admit that they are not perfect. They might misspell words or one which is misinterpreted in a specific context. A good editor is not jealous, but will be happy that an author has an editor to proofread the work.
Troubles may arise while working with a proofreader therefore, authors should be clear with the proofreader on what they’d like to achieve. A lot of times, I’ve seen editor complaints about proofreaders since the authors return to them telling them that proofreaders found numerous errors in the text; the editor is then able to discover that the proofreader, rather than doing a proofread, chose to play editor and write the book without correcting any typos, however, he changed the wording in accordance with his personal style preferences. The writer who is lacking the necessary editing skills, might not recognize the difference between rewriting a grammatically incorrect sentence or making an aesthetic change. This could lead to the author believe that the editor is incompetent because the proofreader was too lenient.
To address this issue Authors should make sure to let proofreaders know they would like the proofreader to search for grammatical or typographical errors. There is nothing stylistic that should be altered. In addition, authors should be in contact between the proofreader as well as the editor. Editors should also be able to review any changes or changes the proofreader recommends and decide whether or not to accept them or even explain why they shouldn’t be accepted. The editor should be given this second look both to ensure they are aware of the places the mistake was made and also to ensure that the proofreader isn’t adding new errors to the text. I’m not sure how many times an author who hires an editor who is competent will end up with an unreadable book because the proofreader was not competent. Be aware that the fact that an individual is educated or holds an English degree doesn’t suggest that they will be a competent proofreader in the same way that an experienced mechanic is going to be the best person to design a car.
When you hire an editor, make sure you let him know in advance that you intend to hire an additional proofreader. If he gets a bit argumentative about this, you may consider hiring an alternative editor. If both of you agree that hiring it is an ideal choice You could suggest to the editor the services of a proofreader. Perhaps, he’s collaborated with a proofreader before in the past and have had a great relationship. If not, you can ask for suggestions from authors you’ve met. While you may use the internet to find a proofreader it is always best to ask for recommendations from other authors. Before hiring an approved proofreader, take a take a look at the book that which he has proofread. In the event that Mary Jane tells you that Henry read her book and did a fantastic job but you spot a typo at the beginning of the page if you go back to the book for another 10 pages and don’t see any typos, Henry might still be an ideal choice. However, no one can spot every error. Make sure to be careful and conduct a bit of investigation prior to hiring proofreaders.
In the same way that you’d ask your editor to send you an edited sample couple of pages to see if you are able to collaborate with the editor, you should also ask your proofreader for you a proofreading sample so that you can discover what kind of mistakes or problems he can spot. If he changes your manuscript reconsider or think about uncovering problems that your editor ought to have noticed. It is important to make sure you are aware of what you’re paying for prior to hiring someone.