Manuscript Evaluations/Critiques and Copy-editing
By Dorrie O’Brien
I’m one of those editors who say that you should never change your book based on what an agent or book-buying editor says would be "a good idea," or "just the thing your story needs" . . . unless that agent or editor says he will represent you, or will put your book under contract if you do so. If you changed the book on every thought/suggestion from every rejection letter you get, you’d not even recognize what you’ve written.
You have to trust in yourself once you’re in the submission stage of writing. You have to know that what you’ve written is solid or you’ll go crazy with rewriting. You have to know that the plot hangs together, that you haven’t loaded your story with adverbs and adjectives, adverbial phrases, undeveloped characters, and whacked out, disconnected chapters.
You have to know that you haven’t written that a character is seven years old and another is five and when they meet they are the same age. You have to know that one character who has green eyes in the beginning of the story doesn’t end up with blue ones by the end of it. You need to know that though you’ve written a story set in 1940s England, that it doesn’t have 1980s American slang or products in it. You need to know that when you compare a character or a chair or a TV show to a real person (i.e., Elvis Presley), a real chair (i.e., an Ethan Allen rocker), or that TV show (i.e., Home Improvement) they aren’t spelled Elvis Pressly, Ethan Alan, or Home Improvment.
How do you come by that assurance? Most writers don’t come by it naturally. I don’t say that lightly; it’s a fact that people cannot see what’s not on a page, or written incorrectly, or includes “out of book time” references. Writers by nature see what’s in their heads and just think it’s been faithfully transcribed into their books. So in comes the need for a manuscript evaluator and/or a copy editor.
I try to look at everything in a manuscript evaluation: characterization, plot, facts, structure, writing style, POV, tense, paragraphing/layout/flow, and time, etc., but in the end, I only report on the things that are wrong or missing. I generally get about halfway through any manuscript before the problems begin banging away to get my attention. Sometimes I don’t get to the problem until I’ve read the whole manuscript:
One author had a hero/protagonist who never did any of the things that moved the plot along; there was no need for that character. Another author wrote a beautifully crafted mystery, and included clue after clue after clue (and I was thinking how clever I was because I was sure I’d figured out who done it) and then wrote an ending which had no relationship to the clues.
Once I’ve found the problems in a book, I do a combination of writing a report (and I try to be as direct as possible without being scathing, though one author, who has become a good friend, thought that’s how I sounded), marking up the manuscript with my notes, and talking with the author to determine what to do about any of the problems. I often brain-storm with authors for weeks after completing a critique.
I’ve seen a good many form-letter evaluations and I don’t think most of them are worth diddly, because no book ever fits a particular evaluation formula. So, from me you get kind of a stream-of-consciousness report with a tidied-up overview, which is sometimes short, sometimes long.
A critique or manuscript evaluation isn’t the complete answer for making you totally comfortable with submitting your book to editors or agents, however. It’ll get you on the right track, but you have to do the rewriting work (and thus put back in the same writing mistakes you could’ve been making already); evals are read-only, not hand’s on copy-editing. For total confidence, you need a copy editor who’ll do a line-edit and find all the niggly problems that just fly past your brain and fingertips on the keyboard.
A critique is a less-expensive good start on the road to self-assurance, but a full copy-edit that includes a manuscript evaluation is the best confidence-builder you can get.
Dorrie O’Brien
Should You Meet Your Editor Before You Sign A Contract?
By Dorrie O’Brien
My publishing house was located in Aurora, Colorado, not exactly a known hub for publishing. I’ve been doing freelance editing for eight years now, about half of that time in Texas. Between the two jobs, I’ve probably critiqued and/or copy-edited somewhere between 300 and 400 manuscripts. Granted, some were repeat authors, but I only remember meeting six before I either signed them to a book contract for the publishing company, or they hired me as their copy editor.
It is important to get to know your editor before you hire him or her, but these days it isn’t a necessity to meet to do that.
We are in a different world from when a handshake ensured a deal. The reason there are so many copy editors out there is precisely because of the new world of communications. Think about all the ways authors and editors can establish a relationship without ever meeting these days:
Email is #1. (I’m still partial to emoticons to put some personality in my correspondence.) You can send pictures and attachments through it, as well as the contracts and the manuscripts.
There are hundreds of social networks for any author who wants to “see” his editor to confirm he’s not talking to a fictional human, such as FaceBook, My Space, LinkedIn, NetLog, and Plaxo to name a handful. I have to admit I find it very annoying when someone posts a picture of his dog, instead of himself, on FaceBook. It was named “Face”Book for a reason, after all :).
Google makes it almost impossible for anyone who has cheated his customers to hide in anonymity anymore (and thus able to continue his cons), by hosting consumer complaints, all those gazillion articles about any subject under the sun, and because there are good Web sites, like this one, and like Preditors&Editors, that make it a point to expose iffy editors, agents, publishing houses/e-pubbers, or vanity publishers.
And let’s not forget: There’s still the telephone! We’ve grown up listening to people on the other end of a phone, which is not the same as talking across the back fence, but which we’re comfortable with. We’ve learned that the entire world is right outside our back fence these days; to hobble yourself with arbitrary old world practices is, well, old world.
I have met many of those 300-400 authors (who live all over the planet) now and I count at least two dozen as friends. Not surprisingly, I’ve never met a single one of the authors who were afraid to hire me/pay me to make his book the best it could be because we couldn't meet first.
Dorrie O’Brien
The Difference Between Agents, Publishers, and Editors
by Dorrie O'Brien
Almost all freelance editors, at one time or another, get the question: "Can you edit my book and get it published?"
The simple answer is no. The two are totally separate.
Freelance copyeditors or substantive/development editors do not publish books. They prepare your book for submission to agents and/or publishers, or for you to self-publish the book. They are experts in editing, not publishing. Freelancers rarely have the contacts, or marketing knowledge, or printing knowledge, necessary to see the book through to full publication. Some freelancers are also published authors, of course, and have good to fantastic relationships with their own editors/publishers, and perhaps know agents they could refer a writer to, but on the whole it's up to the writer to market his/her own bookwhich begins, usually, with finding an agent --- after the writer has had the book edited.
Agents are as diversified as publishers. Know what kind of book you're writing (i.e., fiction--children's, genre, or literary), or non-fiction (i.e., a biography, a math book, a cookbook, a self-help book, etc.) and then do your research to find out which agents rep that type of title. Agents make their money by taking a percentage of your advance or continuing royalties, and they can only do that if they successfully place a book in a publishing houseand they can only do that if the publishers trust the agents to hand them only titles that will be right for their houses, which makes the agents as picky as the publishers. They don't accept just anything and guess/hope that they can get the book in good enough shape to offer to a publisheror spend their own money on copyeditors on the off chance that their "feel" for the book will pay off. Sometimes, yes they do, but on the whole, you're better off to have had the copyediting done prior to submission.
Publishers are, well, the ones who spend all the money and take all the risks. They pay for everything, in a market that's fiercely competitive, shelf space limited, and readers' subjective opinions the only ruler for success or failure.
In short, you want to obtain the best editor for your manuscript and then look for agents with a proven track record. It is not in YOUR best interest to shop for a "package deal."
Dorrie O'Brien
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An Interview with My Editor Dorrie
http://drtombibey.wordpress.com/
Posted March 15, 2010 by drtombibey
Categories: The Monday Morning Post, Writing
Tags: editors, Finding an editor, writer/editor
I thought it might be fun for my readers to get some insight into the working relationship of an author (me) and an editor. The idea came from the writer’s conference I went to in Chattanooga.
I’ll never forget Robert Morgan, the author of Boone, on stage with his editor, Shannon Ravenel. Morgan struck me as a quiet, intellectual man. (I’m more akin to the Rodney Dangerfield of literature) Ms. Ravenel knew how to coax the best out of him. While he was the author, even a scholar like Morgan needed a collaborative effort and a strong writer/editor relationship to get the project to press.
I figured if he needed help, I knew I was gonna need a lot. I prayed I’d find some tough, honest, but fair editor to polish my project to publishable form. I found her; and her name was Dorrie. Here’s our brief interview.
Bibey: Talk to me about voice. When you finished my edit, it still seemed like “me.”
Dorrie: Pretty much the point of what an editor does, really to make the book work without taking anything away from the author, to make it work with who you are.
To me, “voice” is the author’s ability to show a good story that’s been told thousands of times, but in a different way, his own way. You’ve written a legal thriller with the slow and comfortable rhythms of a small Southern town and county. That voice is also the one you use with your patients and with your family and with your bluegrass bands. Your voice is as much a part of you as your eyes being blue. (Author’s note: one is green)
There are authors who can change up their voices, but it’s not common, any more than it’s common that a gospel singer can comfortably sing heavy metal, or a quarterback can throw with his left hand as accurately as with the right.
Bibey: I am a “Southern” writer. What do you like or dislike about editing Southern fiction?
Dorrie: You’re not a “Southern” writer, really. You happen to be a writer who was born and raised in the South and you sound like it. Your voice has Southern overtones, phrases, slant. I like it, but I also like science fiction from British or Aussie or Scottish writers who put their own sound to their works. I don’t think I like or dislike any sound; I just work with what presents itself.
Bibey: I was impressed that while you were unfamiliar with my subject (doctoring, malpractice suits, bluegrass music) you were still able to get inside my head and understand it. How do you do that?
Dorrie: It isn’t so much getting into your head, though I like it that you think that’s what it is, it’s that I can see what’s missing in the story, and ask you to fill it in, in your voice. I’m only bringing out of you what you forgot to put in . . . and every author knows 100x more about his story than I ever will. I just get you to use that knowledge where it does the most good. The question here might be: How do I know what’s missing in a story? Truthful answer? I haven’t a clue.
I still don’t know much about bluegrass music, by the way. [I do know more about the Ancient Tones, though.] Your story isn’t about bluegrass, or even how medical malpractice court cases work; it’s about friendship and loyalty. Bibey: My story is essentially a legal suspense story. What other types of work do you edit? Dorrie: I work on all genres. Even do trade non-fiction. There is only one genre I stay away from: Pure romance. And I won’t touch sub-genres that include sadistic brutality, especially involving children, nor do I take on works that are pro-Islam.
Bibey: Give me a sense of what different types of editing a writer needs. For me you were a “voice editor,” not a line editor. Also, my grammar wasn’t too bad, but punctuation . . . Lawd have mercy.
Dorrie: Oh, that really depends on the book, and every book is different. I offer two services: manuscript evaluation, and full copy-editing. I don’t do any hands-on editing with the eval; I just point out what I think the book needs to make it better. I do that, and everything else that I think a book needs, in a full copyedit job. Some books require a lot of help; I just sail through others. Just so you know, your grammar and punctuation weren’t major difficulties, so don’t be worrying any more about your mama being disappointed in you. Yes, I had to fix a lot of it, but that’s normal. This may not mean much to you in scale parlance, but I’d rate your book as just two notches below “sail through.” (Author’s note: We’re sailing now!) Bibey: I went through a number of edits with friends, family, and a creative writing teacher before I brought the ms to you. What level of development do you want a ms to be at before you get it? Dorrie: At whatever level the author is ready to pay me to work on it, frankly. I don’t take all jobs that come to me, only those I see potential in. I think it’s a ripoff to take money from people who simply can’t write. I’m not totally altruistic, though, for sure: I can only take on about 15 books a year; if I’m working and working and working with one troublesome one that will never be right, I can’t take on the sail-throughs that might come my way. Bibey: How long is your turnaround? Dorrie: Again, that depends on the book. I do have specific time frames in my contract, but sometimes the author and I determine we’ve got to tweak the timing a bit (it’s always with the author’s agreement), and sometimes I come in way under the time frame. I can guarantee, though, that I don’t do instant edits. Just like the writing process, editing is a creative endeavor and it shouldn’t be hurried. Bibey: This one starts with a story. A hot-shot rock n’ roll guitar man came through town to do a clinic. He asked for a volunteer among the locals to sit in. The guy we sent up can hold his own with anyone, a fact that was soon apparent.
The hot-shot guy said, “Hey, man, you’re pretty good. What style of music do you usually play?”
Our buddy replied, “Whatever pays.”
It was as true an answer from a musician in two words as I’ve ever heard. Give my readers some notion of the costs involved in an edit.
Dorrie: I charge by the word, and I determine that per-word cost based on the book itself. How much work do I see in it? How long do I think it will take me to do the first read and first edit? Will I mostly be doing punctuation, or am I going to be doing a whole lot of fact-checking? Am I going to be doing a lot of chapter rearranging, or does the book have the feel of an author who understands flow? I’ve no limits on the size of a job, but most authors limit themselves because of the cost.
Author’s note: I believe Dorrie would say she liked the flow of The Mandolin Case. It wasn’t bad when I sent it to her, but she added just the right touches to turn it to honey. I’m a rough old country boy, and I believed from the start I needed a female editor to give it at least a touch of sophistication.
Dorrie: Editing can get pretty pricey. The author is the only one who can determine if the cost is worth it.
Well, folks, Dorrie’s \ good’un. I am convinced without my agent and editor Dorrie my book would have never made it to print. I believe we should always write the truth. The truth is I’m just a country doctor, and I needed a lot of help.
But when the Ancient Tones whistle through the night air and the moon is full, I might just jump in a phone booth and come out as an artist. If you have the right people around you dreams can come true.
Thanks, Dorrie. Y’all look her up if you’re trying to get by the last barrier to publication. Dorrie’s a pro.
Dorrie O'Brien - Self-Interview
What levels of editing do you perform and what are your definitions of each level?
I don't have levels; as a copyeditor, I do it all, whatever it takes to make the book as good as it can be before the author starts the submission-to-agents process. That means working flow, structure/layout, characterization, plot, punctuation, grammar . . . anything. If I think something needs work, it makes no difference to me if it could be considered to be in some other level of editing. Well, I don't do proofreading; I'm not that perfect.
Describe your perfect client.
One who understands that when I critique a work, it is the work I'm critiquing, not the author. And secondly, the author takes my suggestions without bristling . . .
Describe your nightmare client.
One who tells me what I'm to do with his/her book. Why hire me if you already know what you think the book needs? That has happened once; it was a nightmare, for both of us.
What do you consider to be the main element of great fiction?
That the reader never sees the words.
Do you like genre fiction? If so, which genre(s), and why?
Yes, I'm big on genre. I've no particular favorites; all of it is fine with me. I tend to think that genre writing is always a mystery (and I'm a mystery fan) just dressed up in different descriptions, i.e., fantasy, or science fiction, or historical fiction, or thrillers, whatever. There is always a problem to be solved in fiction; the author's own favorite subject leads them to choose the genre that best fits his problem.
Is there any material you refuse to edit?
Brutal, mean-spirited, obscene filth hidden behind a genre category. I won't take on books w/a pro-Islamic slant (and to the opposite level, I love working with books that have a strong pro-America slant). I also won't take on a manuscript if I can't see that there'll ever be a way the author could sell it, no matter how much we worked on the writing. Some people just don't have the gift of writing; I don't see any reason to give them false hope and encouragement.
Do you refer clients to literary agents, and how much do you charge for that?
No, I don't. I think offering that service skates too close to the unethical promise that says, in effect, "You hire me and I'll get you published."
What is the most common piece of advice you give to new authors?
"You're not the only one who's ever asked the questions you're asking. Everyone has to start somewhere, and you've chosen the best start you can: looking for an editor to help you."
What does a writer get out have having her/his book edited?
Two things: a manuscript he doesn't have to worry will be turned down immediately because it's badly written and presented, and secondly: He will have learned how to work with editors, and probably a great deal about the publishing industry. Both give him considerably more confidence in his work and himself to tackle the industry than he likely had before hiring me.
What do you like most about your job as a freelance editor?
What I do changes people's lives. In most cases, I get the honor of polishing an author's dream until it IS the book he wanted to write. I rarely meet my authors, but that doesn't stop me from hearing the joy in their email (and phone calls, of course) when they say: "This! This is what I wanted the book to say! Now it does! Thank you!" And then I remind them that exclamation points are not their friends. :)
What led to you become an editor?
I originally wanted to be a publisher, after reading Treasure Island at seven years old. My thought was: (probably not exactly this) Wow! It'd be really cool to get this kind of stuff out to all my friends! Eventually, I did own a publishing company, so I could work with manuscripts and help authors and put out fun books. Ha. I was an executive with a business. When I gave that up, and found this network, I realized I could make money at editing, and that was the answer to MY dream.
My guess is that most of my authors don't realize that I get as big a kick out of helping them, as they do in getting the help. It's a win-win relationship.
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