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Helping Authors
Achieve Their Goals As an editor, I know there is a specific job that must be done. It is to critique, correct, and polish an author's work for the publishing house. But it is really much more than that. You are helping the author achieve a goal, putting forth their work in an almost perfect light. To mold it into a presentable form without mistakes and to have it flow seamlessly. When I have been up late, rereading an author's manuscript for the third time, my eyes blurring, I start to wonder why I chose this work. I believe it was on my first edit that I realized between the correspondences with the author, how much a part of their life their manuscript was. As if I was watching or teaching their child, I had in my hands their artistic and intellectual expression that they have worked on for months to years. I was the first beyond the publishing house, friends, and relatives to read their work—what a privilege that truly is. So, when those deadlines loom and the author is asking numerous times when I will finish, I patiently plug along knowing in my heart what I have in my hands: a part of them, a part of their life. For the most part editing should be a smooth process. Along with difficult personalities put aside, the following tips should help. Keep all suggestions and corrections positive. No one likes to be criticized. Explain your changes and why you think they are necessary. If the author can see why the change would be good for their manuscript, they are less likely to oppose the idea. Keep all exchanges and correspondences with your author professional, polite, and to the point. Keep your author up to date. If there are going to be delays, make sure and let them know. Keeping the author in the dark will only aggravate the relationship. Offer your editing services for other items relating to the manuscript. For example, the author's website, author articles, etc. This will help build a relationship with your author and help to establish that you are there to help them and their manuscript. Lastly, remember this is the author's work not yours. Take care to handle the project in a timely and professionally manner. Enjoy the privilege of being able to edit someone's work. If you think of it as a privilege and honor rather then as work, you are more apt to do a thorough job. It's all in your hands. By Terra Terrell, an editor for American Book Publishing. © 2005 American Book Publishing™ *All other trademarks used by permission. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy and
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