Writers who are new to the editing process (and even some who are not so new) sometimes feel apprehensive about working with an editor. Here are a few tips that might help.
1 Don’t be defensive; approach the process with an open mind
2 Do remember that the editor’s role is to help you bring the manuscript to its full potential. The editor is on your side, and if it sometimes feels like that isn’t the case, remember that the editor is also the reader’s advocate
3 Don’t dismiss the editor’s questions without really thinking about them—let them sit in your mind for a while, take a walk around them to see what might be on the other side. If you’re unsure why the editor is asking a question or what it means, ask
4 Don’t feel you have to accept every suggestion the editor might make just to make them happy. This is a relationship of mutual respect and cooperation; it’s about getting the best result. It’s not about power and it’s not about keeping the peace
5 Make yourself familiar with the publisher’s house style and don’t berate the copyeditor for changing your double quotation marks to singles, or your -ize spellings to -ise—or, worse, undo all of those changes in the edited manuscript. If keeping double quotation marks or -ize spellings feels like an issue of life-or-death for you, discuss this with the editor and publisher before the editing process begins
6 Don’t format your manuscript with fancy headers and footers, headings, columns
7 Don’t ever submit a manuscript that contains text boxes
8 Don’t use the space bar to attempt to align lists or indent paragraphs (use tabs or indents)
9 Do hand over a style sheet, if you have one
10 Do hand over a chronology, if you have one (please have one!)
11 Do hand over any other relevant guide documents, e.g. genealogy, physical descriptions of characters, mud map
12 Do tell the editor if you’re computer-challenged and you’re unfamiliar with onscreen editing using Track Changes
I hope your experience of the editing process is as rewarding as those I’ve had—both as a writer and as an editor. Good luck!
looking up/looking down 