Working Titlez

With the season of graduations, weddings, and high school reunions upon us, we find ourselves reminiscing about days gone by – both good and bad. Some might even be inspired to write about the past … to preserve those wonderful memories … to purge those horrible times … to inspire others.

Whatever the motivation, the Stephens Press imprint, LifeStories, is dedicated to the art of memoir and biography writing, providing an opportunity for those who might not otherwise find a publisher for their work. For a peek at LifeStories titles that have been published, or for guidelines to submit a manuscript, click here:

By Guest Blogger Jami Carpenter

Every editor needs a good toolbox. Photo by Stitch.

I was once asked what – or rather, who – makes a good editor, which raised a good question, one that took considerable thought. I have come to the conclusion that three elements are essential to an editor’s success: a skill set, a tool set, and a mind set.

Not surprising, an editor must be knowledgeable of and proficient in the rules of good grammar, punctuation, spelling, and so forth. A strong foundation in the basics is certainly helpful, but even if an editor didn’t win the spelling bee state championship or get straight A’s in high school English, these skills can still be developed through education: writing courses; a degree in journalism or English literature; an internship with a magazine, newspaper, or book publisher (or ad agency/marketing firm); and reading — anything and everything. Seeing how the masters wrote as well as how current bestselling authors challenge old-school writing is invaluable in developing an editor’s competency.

Realistically, though, an editor — novice or veteran — cannot know and remember all the rules of grammar, which makes reference material (the “tool set”) so necessary. Whether on the bookshelf or online, a dictionary, thesaurus, writing guide, and editor manual is a must. In addition to the latest editions of Webster’s dictionary and Roget’s thesaurus, I have the Chicago Manual of Style, Patricia T. O’Conner’s Woe is I, and Karen E. Gordon’s The Deluxe Transitive Vampire at my fingertips. The Grammar Girl at grammar.quickanddirtytips.com is bookmarked on my laptop. A veritable plethora of helpful material is available; even after several years of editing experiences and many years as a high school English teacher, I continue to use outside resources.

Perhaps most critical is the editor’s mindset; that is, the ability not only to be detail-oriented, consistent, and thorough, but the ability to enjoy the process — the plodding, unglamorous nature of the work itself. An editor takes great pleasure in finding an errant comma, a dangling participle, an absent apostrophe; appreciates a perfectly-worded sentence; and is willing to dedicate time and thought to improving awkward and cumbersome text.

Many people have the skills to correct and revise material, but not everyone has the desire to sit for hours and pour over page after page with a magnifying glass. I say this not to discourage potential editors (there is plenty of work for everyone), but to remind that editing can be grueling and unpleasant for those who are not well-suited to the job. Like working on a jigsaw puzzle, editing takes patience and perseverance; the challenge of finishing the manuscript (or completing the puzzle) thrills me, but in truth, does not bring joy to all.

And challenging it is! An editor walks a fine line between correcting and revising a writer’s work, while at the same time maintaining the writer’s voice and spirit. We are tasked with helping an author tell his tale more effectively, yet must remain mindful that the story is not ours. In addition to the standard grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization errors that we address, we are often asked to trim a wordy document, develop a skimpier manuscript, provide commentary, suggest improvements, and still be cognizant of the original storyline and author’s style.

When I first began editing (not counting the years as an English teacher correcting and commenting on my high school students’ assignments), I was hired to proofread, which meant sticking to the basics — no revisions or changes beyond looking for common, flagrant mistakes. Once I had developed self-confidence and a level of competency with publishers, I was given greater flexibility in editing. It was exciting to be able to offer my own analysis and contribute to manuscript development and to form relationships, even friendships, with writers.

But it is also a greater responsibility, which must not be taken lightly. Writers are entrusting their “babies” into our care, and as editors, we would be wise to respect and honor this privilege. We must acknowledge the fact that without writers, there would be no use for us! We must take care to do our best. And like good plastic surgery, our best work is seamless and invisible.

Jami Carpenter is a freelance book editor who works directly with authors and publishers to get manuscripts ready for primetime. She does all types of editing from developmental (helps an author craft the structure and tenor of the book) to copyediting (wrangling all those errant apostrophes). As a long-time Las Vegan, she works frequently with the Las Vegas writing community and other authors from shore to shore. She lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband and an adorable kitten named what else but Webster? Reach her at www.RedPenGirl.com.

“Oh, no!” You know that sick feeling you get in the pit of your gut when the realization hits. You’ve just clicked “send” and you notice a glaring error. There’s no “unsend” button. No do-over. Jiminy Cricket, what to do?

Q: My manuscript is now 150 pages. How long is the average book? Is it long enough?

A: That depends. Is your story done?

Short answers aside, there are some important issues an agent, editor or publisher will consider when evaluating your submission. First, most of us prefer to know the WORD count, not the page count. Author A’s page may be doubled spaced with wide margins and 12 point type while Author B is conserving paper, using single spaced 10 point type in a condensed font. A’s 300 pages may be 50,000 words while B’s 175 page manuscript may total 75,000 words. Most submission guidelines call for 12 point Times Roman with one inch margins all around, but as the recipient of thousands of manuscripts, I know that a good half don’t adhere to this “rule”.

Word count is a much more accurate guide. We have formulas using word counts, page trim size, ratio of images to text, and front/back matter estimates that enable a fairly accurate projection of the final page count. Word count will determine the ultimate print manufacturing costs and impact the editing and design expenses.

Fortunately, tracking your word count is easy. In Word, just go to Tools>Word Count. You can also turn on the Word Count toolbar so you can check continuously. Many authors check their word count at the end of each writing session, to keep track of their progress. Others establish goals such as 2,500 words a week. Regardless, PLEASE put the final word count on the front page of your manuscript.

Industry norms and buyer expectations will also be on the minds of agents and editors reviewing a manuscript. Publishers will need the book to retail for a specific amount in order to recover costs, pay the author’s royalties and make a reasonable profit. The reading public already has certain expectations about how long books should be and what they’re willing to pay. If the word count is too short, the lesser page count may not support the needed retail price. If the word count is too long, the increased production costs may require a retail price higher than the public will pay. Harry Potter being a phenomenal exception, here are some typical word counts:

Adult Fiction — 60,000 to 120,000 words
Novellas — 20,000 to 40,000 words
Young Adult Fiction — 30,000 to 50,000 words
Children’s Picture Books — 500 to 1,500 words

Thursday night I was invited to speak to the Las Vegas Writers Group, a dynamic bunch of writers here in the Vegas Valley. My topic was on editing and manuscript prep — how to polish your manuscript so it shines before sending it off to agents and publishers. I also talked about the editing process once your book has been selected for publication and the author’s role — and offered up some resources and tips. LVWG “Scribe” Megan Edwards wrote a comprehensive summary of my presentation and she’s graciously allowed me to post it on the Downloads page. Thanks Megan!