how to become an editor
Occasionally, I’m asked how to become a book editor. There is no single way to do this or official qualification to become one, but I’ve compiled some information here for people who are sticklers for grammar, love words, enjoy curling up with a good book, get regularly asked to correct their friends’ writing, and are considering editing as a career path.
All the editors I know came to be so by vastly different means. Some interned at a local publishing company; some started as authors; some went to university for English or journalism; some didn’t have any post-secondary education.
As for my own journey: I received a BA in English and a certificate in publishing, and I did an editing internship at a periodical. After my education, I worked in graphic design before becoming the managing editor at a nerdy magazine and then a small press. Now, I’m an independent editor.
There’s no “right” or “wrong” way along this career path, but read on for some questions you should ask yourself and resources you can explore for training.
should i freelance or work in-house?
To be a book editor, you can either work for yourself or for a publishing company, and there are pros and cons to both. Getting an in-house job at a publishing company may require formal training and experience, but if you intern or get hired as an editorial assistant, they may train you on the job. Large houses tend to take on authors with commercial potential, though small presses are an option as well. Regular salaries and health benefits, if they offer them, are a big plus too. (Though it should be noted that no one goes into publishing for the money, because publishing staff are notoriously underpaid.)
Starting your own editing business should be taken on with just as much, if not more, care as working for a publishing company. Yes, anyone can start a business, but you’re positioning yourself as an expert in a field, so you should actually be an expert in the field. You need some sort of training and experience to ensure your clients are in good hands. When you freelance, you manage your own finances and set your own hours and rates (for an idea of what many editors charge, check out these median numbers from the Editorial Freelancers Association).
Technically, you can pick and choose what projects you work on as a freelancer, but, particularly when you’re first starting out, you may not have the privilege of doing so. You’ll likely be taking on any writer who comes to you and is willing to pay your rates.
You can also send your resume to book publishers and ask to be added to their freelance pool. They will likely ask you to take an editing test before sending work your way.
What Type of Editing Should I Offer?
Some editors specialize in one type of editing, while others offer multiple services. Here is an overview of the four types of editing, each geared toward a specific phase of the manuscript’s progress.
1. Developmental Editing
Also known as structural or content editing.
Developmental editing is all about the big picture. It is the first step after a writer has taken their manuscript as far as they can on their own, and it should occur before correcting grammar, punctuation, or word choice, because this stage usually includes substantial rewriting. There’s no need to worry about that run-on sentence when the entire paragraph is likely to change!
Developmental editors analyze many elements of a story, including structure, tone, point(s) of view, worldbuilding, pacing, dialogue, consistency, plot development, and character arcs. Fixing plot holes, deleting or recommending changes to scenes, assessing foreshadowing—this is all within the realm of developmental editing.
These editors also tend to spend the most time back and forth with the author as they work together to solve macro-level story issues. A significant part of the job is learning how to communicate with the author and helping them write their story the way they would write it, not the way you would write it. Some authors feel threatened or irritated when receiving feedback on work they’ve spent years refining. Developmental editors can help put their minds at ease by being willing to work together to solve problems instead of dictating solutions.
2. Line Editing
Also known as stylistic editing.
Line editing can overlap with copyediting in some ways, but line editors are more concerned with tone, clarity, and word choice than with grammar or spelling. Line editors focus on paragraph-level issues; they want to make the author’s manuscript as tight as possible. Some common areas line editors focus on: writing in the passive voice too often, using too many adverbs or adjectives, telling in places where showing would be more effective, redundancy, repetition, awkward phrasing, and inconsistent tenses.
3. Copyediting
Copyeditors fix inconsistencies and grammar. They focus on technical things like commas, capitalization, spelling, dangling modifiers, etc.
Copyeditors rely on a style guide (provided by the publisher or author or created themselves) to ensure consistency when there is no right or wrong answer. For example, does the book use American, Canadian, or British spelling? Are there spaces around em dashes? Is the serial comma used? Are subheadings labeled consistently in paragraph styles? Are numbers spelled out or written in numerals? Style sheets will also track made-up words or unique names specific to the novel.
Some editors combine line and copyediting into one service. Particularly for indie authors on a budget, it can get expensive when you need a different editor for each stage. It can be helpful when a single editor offers both, but there is a trade-off in the effectiveness of the copyedit, since the writer will still be revising at a line level. Some editors even combine developmental, line, and copyedits into one service, but I only recommend doing that if the manuscript doesn’t need a lot of big-picture changes.
4. Proofreading
A proofread is usually done after a book has been laid out, or typeset, into a file ready for print. This is one last chance to double-check spellings, remove wayward commas, fix widows or orphans and other formatting issues, and catch any last grammatical errors. Proofreaders also attend to indentation, line spacing, and header styles, and they consult the copyeditor’s style sheet to ensure consistency.
This type of editing should not be combined with any of the others, because it is the last check for minor errors in text and layout before the book goes to print.
You may want to try out each of these editing styles to determine what area you’d like to focus on (or if you’d like to focus on multiple areas). They each require different skill sets and approaches. Taking courses or reading books on the topic can be a great place to start.
will i specialize in a particular genre?
Developmental editors in particular may wish to focus on one genre, or a group of genres, as a specialty. Every genre has a unique style and set of conventions and tropes, and understanding these on a deep level will allow you to provide more valuable critiques. Editor Sophie Playle’s post “Should I Hire an Editor in My Genre?” is a useful overview of what an author might be looking for in regards to their editor’s familiarity with a genre.
where should i receive training?
Many editors have degrees in English, communications, or journalism. There are no official requirements to become an editor, but these can be helpful to lay a foundation for reading, writing, and communication. However, editing comes with its own set of professional competencies.
If you’re looking for some training in editing specifically, the following are some of the organizations, universities, and individuals that offer courses.
You don’t necessarily need to limit yourself to your own country of origin when choosing where to take online training, but note that Canada, the US, and the UK do vary in their spelling and mechanical conventions, and there may be a few other differences. As an editor, you’ll probably want to be aware of what those are anyway, unless you only intend on working with clients from your home country. Universities and colleges may offer internships and local opportunities that you can only take advantage of if you are a resident of that country, as well.
Editorial Organizations
Editorial organizations around the globe offer various benefits for members, including discounts on conferences, webinars, and courses; professional training; freelancer directories; certification; job listing services; networking opportunities; and more. You don’t necessarily have to be a citizen of that country to join, either.
Editors Canada (CA)
University/College Programs
All of the programs below can be taken online. They vary in costs, time commitment, and required number of courses.
Professional Editing Extension Certificate, Mount Royal University (CA)
Professional Editing Standards Certificate, Queen’s University (CA)
Publishing Certificate, Toronto Metropolitan University (CA)
Copyediting Certificate, University of California San Diego (US)
Individual Courses and Webinars
In addition to the training offered by the editorial organizations and universities above, here are some organizations and editors that offer individual courses.
You don’t need to take courses or get a degree to become an editor. This is only one route; it’s a quick way to get a lot of information and training in one place, but it’s also expensive.
Other opportunities for training include internships and mentorships at publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, or other publications. Large publishers will have a submission process, while you may need to approach small companies to ask if they’re willing to take you under their wing. Small presses can be a great way to get some training, but make sure they are run by people who actually know what they’re doing (check out the books they’ve published—the covers, blurbs, designs, and stories—to see if they produce quality content).
You can also start teaching yourself by reading books or free resources on the topic.
other resources
It should be no surprise that a great way to learn about editing is to read! In particular, read books in the genre you intend to specialize in, and read them critically, noting what techniques keep your attention, why the dialogue is interesting (or not), how the author implies questions that keep you turning pages, how characters are developed, etc.
It’s also helpful to read books about the craft of writing and editing. Below are nonfiction books and podcasts that you may find helpful.
Books
The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction by Amy J. Schneider (2023). Written by a longtime editor (and member of the Editors Tea Club), this official companion to The Chicago Manual of Style answers many of the questions that fiction editors have grappled with when using a style guide that originally targeted nonfiction.
The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications (Fourth Edition) by Amy Einsohn and Marilyn Schwartz (2019). This is helpful if you want to get into copyediting, as it goes in-depth into topics like punctuation, spelling, capitalization, treatment of numbers, tables, graphs, and markup.
Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer (2019). Written by Random House’s copy chief, this is a useful style guide that I’d recommend over the older resource The Elements of Style (William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White).
An Editor’s Guide to Working with Authors by Barbara Sjoholm (2010). This is a useful place to start for developmental editors, with information on how to read a manuscript, organize your notes, write an editorial letter, and more.
Grammatically Correct: The Essential Guide to Spelling, Style, Usage, Grammar, and Punctuation by Anne Stilman (1997). This is one of those books you’ll want to buy and keep for reference after you read it. It includes helpful reminders on frequently misused words, punctuation, structure, syntax, style, and more.
How to Write Dazzling Dialogue: The Fastest Way to Improve Any Manuscript by James Scott Bell (2014). Poor dialogue is one of the most common issues you’ll see in new writers, so it’s helpful to know what problems to look for and how to fix them. This book is geared toward writers, but it contains the best advice on dialogue I’ve read.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King (1993). Useful if you are just starting to learn the nuts and bolts of editing. It’s intended for writers, but it includes helpful advice on showing vs. telling, which is something you want to look out for as a developmental or line editor.
The Subversive Copy Editor: Advice from Chicago (Second Edition) by Carol Fisher Saller (2009). Editing isn’t just about the mechanics—it’s also about working with authors, and this book gets into that topic extensively.
What Editors Do: The Art, Craft, and Business of Book Editing, an anthology edited by Peter Ginna (2017). This is a collection of articles by a variety of editors on topics like acquisitions, the editing process, case studies, and more.
Podcasts
The Editing Podcast. Hosted by fiction editor Louise Harnby and nonfiction editor Denise Cowle, this podcast is gold. There’s so much wisdom here, especially if you’re just starting out.
The Editor’s Half Hour. This podcast discusses the craft of editing, industry trends, and editorial resources. It’s hosted by Editors Tea Club member Nadia Geagea Pupa, co-founder of Pique Publishing.
Grammar Girl. Founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips network, Mignon Fogarty, delves into words and language every week in this delightful podcast.
The Modern Editor Podcast. Hosted by Editors Tea Club member Tara Whitaker, this podcast gets into what it takes to run an editorial business.
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing. Hosted by author Bianca Marais and literary agents Carly Watters and Cece Lyra, this podcast is helpful if you plan to offer query letter critiques.
Story Chat Radio. In this podcast, book editors Carly Hayward and Jeni Chappelle break down the structure and storytelling techniques in movies with a dash of humor.
The Worldbuilder’s Tavern. Geared toward writers, this podcast is particularly useful if you plan on working with sci-fi and fantasy. It’s co-hosted by Editors Tea Club member Allison Alexander (that’s me!).
Writing Excuses. Though this podcast is also for writers, the episodes delve into many topics that are useful for editors too.
Editing is a rewarding field, but like other professions, it can bring some unexpected challenges. As with any skill or vocation, you need experience and practice to become a seasoned editor. But the ways you can get there are many!
Allison Alexander (she/her) is a writer and editor specializing in sci-fi, fantasy, and nerdy nonfiction. You can find her playing D&D, chasing otter penguins off the Normandy, or co-hosting The Worldbuilder’s Tavern, a podcast for speculative fiction writers.
