editors are midwives

I had the pleasure of attending the May 14th conference of the Manitoba Editors’ Association event in Winnipeg playfully titled, “Elementary, My Dear Writers: Demystifying the Publishing Process.”  It was a terrific symposium with great speakers covering a wide gamut of topics that affect those of us working in the book publishing industry.

The keynote speaker who started off our day was Mary-Ann Kirkby, the author of “I am Hutterite,” the autobiographical look at being raised a Hutterite child on the Canadian Prairies. Kirkby has had tremendous success with her self-published title, selling 75,000 copies primarily through word-of-mouth before signing on with a US publisher to gain a distribution network south of the border.

Kirkby had some tremendous advice for authors, expressing some frustration on how she was dismayed at the lack of interest in her book east of Manitoba. “The book has sold very well in Manitoba and west, but there has been little to no interest in Toronto and the rest of Canada.”

It was stressed that 90% of book sales are dependent on promotion, and that writers must be comfortable with the promotional side of the business if they are to consider self-publishing, or going it on their own without the help and guidance of an agent.

But Kirkby emphasized the importance of an editor, and thanked her own editor, Arvel Gray, repeatedly for the assistance and guidance she provided throughout the seven-year journey it took to write her book. “Editors are midwives,” said Kirkby. “A good editor can draw you out and help you get the job done. A good editor can transform black and white into colour.”

Very powerful words from a successful author proving the importance of an editor to any writer or author.

Jenny Gates is a Toastmaster, fabulous speaker, and a great editor.

The May 14th event included an all-female panel focusing on the birth of a book … taking us through the early stages of research and writing, the pivotal editing process, and the ultimate publishing and promotion of the book. Winnipeg-based editor, Jenny Gates, had some great advice for authors. “An editor should partner with the author, not oversee their work. You won’t know how the relationship with the editor will go until you’re into it, so be prepared to walk away it if is not a comfortable fit.”

Gates has served as an independent (freelance) editor for many self-published authors and charges $60/hour for her services, advising us that the range of fees is generally about $25/hour for proofreading or copyediting and can be as high as $125/hour for substantive (major) editing.

She said that a good way for writers and authors to select an editor is to check out other books that the editor may have done. “Or give the editor 10 pages of your book for them to edit, to see if you like what they’re doing to your work.”

The Editors Association of Canada does have a certification process that editors can go through, but Gates cautions that this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get a better editor if you choose one that is certified as it is an optional program and many independent editors choose not to go for certification.

Have you had a terrific experience with an editor? I must say, I’ve had many. The most recent being my editor at the CAA (Going Places) magazine, Sheila Hansen, whose advice on my article “Flying with Solace” brought it to the level of being nominated for the Western Magazine Awards to be handed out in Vancouver on June 17th. (Wish I could be there, but I’ll be in Montreal at that time for the PWAC conference.)

Have you had a dreadful experience with an editor? I must admit I’ve had one of those, too. The editor I worked with on my first book back in 2003 left a very sour taste in my mouth, distancing me from the book writing business for several years. I was so fortunate that the next editor I worked with on the bestselling “Manitoba Book of Everything” in 2008 was marvellous.

That positive experience opened my mind and the door to my first solo project, “Before You Say Yes…” in 2009. That editorial experience was positive, but not outstanding, verifying that book authors can expect a full range from awesome to awful in the editing process. Please tell us about yours. We all learn from the experience of others.