Getting Started in Fiction Editing
By Katherine Trail and Rachel Rowlands
()
About this ebook
Fiction editing is an increasingly popular field, but one that can be daunting to a new editor or even an experienced editor who has only ever worked on nonfiction. This guide is aimed at copyeditors, whatever their experience, who want to know more about the nuts and bolts of fiction editing. It will also be useful to those who proofread fictio
Katherine Trail
Katherine Trail is a former newspaper chief subeditor who specialised in editing fiction, mainly for independent authors and small publishers. She is a former Advanced Professional Member of the CIEP and is based in Aberdeenshire.
Related to Getting Started in Fiction Editing
Related ebooks
Marketing Yourself: Strategies to promote your editorial business Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDevelopmental Editing for Fiction Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDevelopmental Editing for Non-Fiction Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Work with Self-Publishers: Editing, proofreading and other considerations Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIndie Author Magazine Featuring Joanna Penn: Indie Author Magazine, #26 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPunctuation: A guide for editors and proofreaders Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRespectful Querying with NUANCE Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings6 Easy Steps to Customize a Style Guide: What's Your Style? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAuthor Experience Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Accidents of Style: Good Advice on How Not to Write Badly Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWriting Between the Sexes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Be an Author: The Business of Being a Writer in Australia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReimagining Your Nonfiction Picture Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow To Pants A Novel: Writer's Reach, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSlap Him with a Fish: A Crash Course in Fiction Writing Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPortable Magic: How to Write and Publish a Great Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLast But Not Least: A Guide to Proofreading Text Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLetters and Life: On Being a Writer, On Being a Christian Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ring by Spring: Dating and Relationship Cultures at Christian Colleges Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGuide to Crafting Bestselling Short Stories with Ease: Master the art of short story writing with expert tips and techniques Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEbooks and Editors: What you need to know Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCharacter: The Heartbeat of the Novel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Conscious Style Guide: a flexible approach to language that includes, respects, and empowers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow To Write a Novel in 20 Pies: Sweet and Savory Secrets for Surviving the Writing Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAndroid Paradox: Android X, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Extreme Novelist: The No-Time-to-Write Method for Drafting Your Novel: The Extreme Novelist Writes, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking, Second Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Language Arts & Discipline For You
Get to the Point!: Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It's the Way You Say It: Becoming Articulate, Well-spoken, and Clear Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Everything Sign Language Book: American Sign Language Made Easy... All new photos! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Show, Don't Tell: How to Write Vivid Descriptions, Handle Backstory, and Describe Your Characters’ Emotions Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Verbal Judo, Second Edition: The Gentle Art of Persuasion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Chicago Guide to Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Win Your Case: How to Present, Persuade, and Prevail--Every Place, Every Time Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Summary of Lessons in Chemistry Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Learn Sign Language in a Hurry: Grasp the Basics of American Sign Language Quickly and Easily Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lost Art of Handwriting: Rediscover the Beauty and Power of Penmanship Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Writing to Learn: How to Write - and Think - Clearly About Any Subject at All Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Barron's American Sign Language: A Comprehensive Guide to ASL 1 and 2 with Online Video Practice Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations That Matter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Economical Writing, Third Edition: Thirty-Five Rules for Clear and Persuasive Prose Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Road Not Taken and other Selected Poems Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5500 Beautiful Words You Should Know Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5As We Speak: How to Make Your Point and Have It Stick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Top Rated Books From Reddit Et Alia Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Read This Next: 500 of the Best Books You'll Ever Read Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Craft of Research, Fourth Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Speed Reading: How to Read a Book a Day - Simple Tricks to Explode Your Reading Speed and Comprehension Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Getting Started in Fiction Editing
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Getting Started in Fiction Editing - Katherine Trail
1| Introduction
Editing fiction has much in common with editing non-fiction. In general, a good fiction editor needs to have the same eye for detail, the same love for and knowledge of language, and the same commitment to ensuring a positive and satisfying experience for the reader. However, a good fiction editor also needs to understand the art of writing: the importance of author voice; how to differentiate between author style and mistakes; and, perhaps most importantly, how to communicate changes sensitively. After all, a novel is most likely a labour of love. The author has probably dreamed of publishing their novel for years – and could well have taken years to write it. As fiction editors, it is up to us to carefully guide our clients through the various pitfalls and potholes on the road to publication.
Fiction editing starts with a love of reading and of books. So much of the knowledge needed for fiction editing comes from having experienced a huge variety of different genres and authors. When you read a book, you know if the story is good and engaging. You also know when it’s not. Sometimes you might not be able to pinpoint exactly why something jars in the text, but you know something’s wrong. That innate sense of understanding what makes a good story is something that can’t be solely taught; it’s something that someone who loves language and books learns on their journey through life.
This guide is an introduction to fiction editing. Its aim is to give the budding fiction editor some practical insight into how to work on fiction, be it for a publisher or for an independent author who is planning to self-publish or submit their work traditionally. It will also be useful for proofreaders who are interested in working on fiction.
It’s important to know what you can and can’t offer an author.
2| Different kinds of editing
The phrase ‘fiction editing’ spans a wide range of services and levels of intervention. Developmental editing, structural editing, substantive editing, content editing, line editing, copyediting, proof-editing, proofreading, manuscript assessments … With so many different levels of editing, it’s easy to see how clients might become overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that some of the editorial stages can overlap, depending on how an editor approaches the work, so terminology and descriptions can vary quite substantially. In many respects, what you call a specific type of editing doesn’t matter; the important thing is that your client knows exactly what to expect.
Some authors need help with the foundations of their story: plot, characterisation, pacing, narrative arc, point of view, etc. These authors won’t be well served by a copyedit or proofread, both of which focus on word- and sentence-level matters. Authors who need this type of help are looking for what is variously called a developmental edit, a structural edit or a substantive edit. This often involves a hands-on approach to the text, where an editor will make extensive comments and suggestions throughout a manuscript on how to resolve problems with the foundations of the story. While copyediting concerns might be noted, the editor’s focus is on making the story satisfying.
A critique, manuscript appraisal or assessment, which usually takes the form of a written report, is a good option for authors who prefer less hands-on involvement. It can be helpful to authors who are more experienced in receiving feedback, and are confident in their abilities to implement it. The length of the written report can vary depending on the editor – these can