Buzz Words article on editing

This article appeared in the November edition of ‘Buzz Words’ – a magazine for children’s writers and illustrators.

Interview with Carole Lander

For how long have you worked as an editor? Freelance or full-time, and if full-time with which publishing house/s?

I’ve been a freelance editor since 2013. I work mainly on educational texts published by Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Insight Publications and Cengage Learning. I also edit academic texts for Oxford and Cambridge University Presses. Sometimes I work with individual writers on their books.

Where did you learn your editing skills?

Between 2010 and 2012 I was a mature-age student at RMIT in Melbourne. Their Professional Writing and Editing course is highly regarded and I consider myself privileged to have studied there. The tutors are all experienced in their field and the course is very hands-on. It also provides great opportunities for networking – vital before entering the workforce as an editor and writer.

What was the first book you edited and how many have you edited since then?

The first full-length book I edited was the history of a yacht club. Very long and very tedious but it was a good way to learn how to maintain focus, stick to a style guide, and meet deadlines. Since then I have edited about 20 books, as well as exam papers, reports, websites and much more.

Which publishing houses have you worked with?

See first answer.

Can you explain the difference between structural editing and copy editing?

When I’m asked to edit a book I always need to know the extent of work that the author requires. If they want an editor who can make suggestions about the order of events or chapters, the flow of the story, the quality of the dialogue, and so on, they need a structural editor.

However, if they think that have all that sorted, I will do a copy-edit, which is mainly checking grammar and spelling. Of course, an editor doing a copy-edit will usually find ways to improve the text along the lines of a structural edit as well.

The third stage of the process is the proofread, where it’s assumed that most of the book is in order and a final check for spelling and grammar, missing elements (e.g. spacing, headings) is all that is needed.

What is the first thing you do when you receive a book to edit?

The first thing I do is read the first chapter, or chapters if it it’s a short text. I look at the contents page and any introductory notes. In other words, I try to get an idea of what the work involves. This also shows me the style in which the author has written the text so I get a sense of how to edit without changing the writer’s ‘voice’.

Then I start a new Word document that will be the Style Sheet for the particular book. The best way to keep track of spellings, unusual words, etc. is to create one of these. Nobody is perfect and even if I think I’ll remember how the author spelt a word (for example, toward rather than towards) in Chapter 1, by the time I get to Chapter 10 I probably will have forgotten if I haven’t put this in the Style Sheet.

What are the main flaws in most of the manuscripts you edit? What are you looking for?

This depends. Some writers provide manuscripts that are very well written. Others are not. It’s interesting to note that some educational and academic writerss express themselves poorly even though they are experts in their field! That’s why I prefer to work on academic books with which I have some background knowledge so that I can guess what the writer was intending to say when I come across confusing sentences.

Do you ever have disputes with authors? How are they usually resolved?

Editors send ‘author queries’ to sort out any confusions. With academic books this is most often a discrepancy between a reference and citation, or an incomplete reference. There are fewer queries involved when I edit educational books because I am familiar with the subject matter. Luckily, I’ve never had any disputes with authors because they’re grateful that the editor discusses any issues with them.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m copy-editing The Oxford Handbook of Sovereign Wealth Funds for Oxford University Press UK. This is definitely not a subject I know much about! Also, it has to be in American English and style, whereas texts for Australian publishers use the spelling in the Macquarie Dictionary and the style of our government guide. Already this year I’ve enjoyed editing Geography and History books for secondary students.

If someone is seeking an editor to work on their children’s book manuscript, where do they find one?

Professional editors usually have their contact details on the directory of IPEd (Institute of Professional Editors) <ww.iped-editors.org/Find_an_editor.aspx> You can search for the type of editor you need on this site.

Are you available to edit manuscripts? And do you offer editing workshops?

I don’t offer editing workshops because IPEd do that. Each state has its own branch and I know that in my state of Victoria, the courses are well worth it. I am happy to receive requests for editing of all types (structural, copy, proofreading) and always try to schedule them in – especially if the topic interests me.

How can people contact you?

My website is www.checkword.com.au where I have an editing page, a writing page, and another for my book sales. Each page serves as a resume of my work in all these categories.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Budgeting for an editing job can be tricky, especially when you start out. I can now do it fairly accurately. Also, the hourly rate charged can vary from editor to editor. Most publishing houses don’t ask me to quote because they have a set fee. I have to say it’s not the most well-paid job in the world and I’m very glad I started this at a mature age, when I’ve paid off my mortgage! I do the work for the satisfaction that it brings more than for the income. Each job is different and challenging. It uses a different part of the brain to writing (my other passion) and I love the balance in my life between the two crafts. Also, I find the whole process of producing a paper book fascinating. Having published two of my own it’s satisfying to see the finished product in front of me, knowing all the layers involved in bringing that about.