6 tips for working with an editor

One of the great things about self-publishing is that you get to choose the editor who edits your books. It could be a professional editor or it could be a kindly-yet-constructively-critical friend you’ve managed to bring on board to help, but whoever they are, they will play an important part in the development of your novel. This means that you need to choose the right person for the job, and you need to manage your relationship with them well.

How can you get the most out of working with your editor?

Be clear about what you’re looking for from them. Your editor needs to know whether they’re there to review everything about your novel with no stone to be left unturned, or to offer more of a proofreading and polishing service. This way, there’s less chance of you getting your wires crossed.
Be clear with them about what you’re trying to achieve with your book. If they’re uncertain about what you’re trying to do, it will be harder for them to see whether you achieve your goal. Even if you don’t tell them everything straight away – there’s something to be said for seeing what they think with no preconceptions – it’s still an important conversation to have.
Take their advice seriously, even if you don’t always agree with it. There will be times when you disagree with your editor. There will be times when you don’t make the changes they are suggesting. That’s fine, but you should still look to see where they are coming from. Most of the time, if they make a suggestion or highlight a passage of your book that they think needs changing, they’re probably right.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek clarification. If you’re not sure what your editor means by something or want to know more about their opinion on something it never hurts to ask. Much better to ask than to misinterpret and end up making the whole thing worse.
Be upfront about timescale and make sure you have an agreement with them about how long the process will take. If you’re aiming to publish your book within a certain timeframe, it’s important your editor knows this. It might sound obvious, but find out how long they are likely to take before sending your book back to you so you can make revisions.
Think how the working relationship might progress after the first book. Even if all you can think about is your current novel, it’s worth thinking about whether you’d like to continue working with your editor on future projects. Developing a good support structure is important for self-publishers, and having a reliable editor is definitely a benefit.