8 Pieces of Advice I’d Give to Aspiring Book Editors
Interested in becoming a book editor? This is for you.
I first became aware of book editing being a profession back in 2016. At that time, I had my sights set on a completely different career path, but my love of writing and editing made me do a complete 180.
I spent the next couple of years learning, training, and gaining experience so that I could eventually start my business in 2019.
So, if you’re considering taking the leap into becoming a book editor, here are a few things you should know first.
#1 People may not understand or respect your job
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a book editor and writing coach is explaining to people what my job entails and having it misunderstood.
That misunderstanding may be because others aren’t familiar with the concepts of creative writing, or it could be because they don’t understand how hard and how exhausting the work is. I talk very little about my job to people in my everyday life because many of them can’t quite picture what the work entails or what a typical day looks like. Running my own business also means people can make assumptions about how many hours I work or that I can afford to take days off because I don’t have a boss.
#2 Read widely and critically
Even if you know you want to specialise in a certain genre as a book editor, it helps to read widely and have an understanding of different genre conventions, structures, etc.
Reading critically is part of our job. (And the longer you work as an editor the harder it may be to turn off that inner critic!) Learning to read published works critically can help you identify what makes those books work and how your clients can do the same.
However, being a reader does not mean you are an editor. Reading, writing, and editing are three different skills, so just because someone reads a lot doesn’t mean they are automatically qualified to give editorial advice.
#3 Keep developing your skills
Editing is a skilled profession. Being a stickler for grammar or good at writing doesn’t necessarily denote being a good editor, so it’s important that you train for editing specifically.
Take editing-specific courses to develop your understanding of the craft and learn how to give feedback. Once you have a foundation, then you can specialise your training as a developmental editor, line/copy editor, or writing coach. You can also take training for specific genres or audiences.
#4 Learn about business
If you’re going to go freelance, you have to be prepared to understand business. You need to understand how quickly you work, figure out how much to charge, create contracts to protect yourself, learn how to market and advertise your services, develop your customer relation skills, have a booking system, keep financial records, stay on top of social media.
You need to wear every hat and juggle all the balls alone. Much of the business side can be learnt along the way. At this point, I’ve been in business almost 6 years, and there is always something to learn or possibilities to discover.
#5 Make time to work on the business
It’s essential that you’re making time to work on the business, not just in the business.
In the business includes everything you get paid for — all your editing work and coaching calls. Working on the business, includes everything else. This means making time for admin, marketing, website updates, and training. To develop your business, you need to be able to work on both. Some areas of business can be streamlined, some areas of business are more fun than others, but all of it is necessary to keep your work afloat.
#6 Have a support network
Just like writers need other writers in their corner, editors need other editors. Working freelance is extremely lonely, and sometimes we just need to know that other people understand our struggles. I met my business best friend (and now real life best friend) back in 2022, and having someone who can help me through the lows and celebrate the highs has been a game changer.
Connect with other editors (or at least other freelancers) online or in person and create a support network you can rely on when things get hard and you need advice or a listening ear.
#7 Understand how you work
While it would be great if we could edit non-stop for 8 hours a day, it simply isn’t feasible for the majority of editors. Editing is exhausting. It’s a lot of screen time, a lot of typing, a lot of sitting, a lot of thinking — intense thinking.
You’re not unproductive because you “only” edit client work for 2-5 hours a day. You just need to learn how to maximise your productivity and output. (And like I said earlier, you have to work on the business, too.)
#8 Be patient
I know it’s hard, but your patience and perseverance will pay off.
It helps to be prepared before taking the jump into freelancing, but you’ll probably never feel “ready”. You need to start somewhere, so just start. You’ll be constantly learning and adapting and growing to find what works uniquely for you.
Starting a business and leaping into the unknown takes time and a lot of trial and error. I know it’s hard when you’re ambitious, but you have to trust the process.
