As a professional book editor, I hear a lot of the same questions over and over (and over) again. So today, I’m answering them all in one place!
Hi, I’m Kaitlin, and I edit indie romance novels for a living. If you’re an indie author, chances are you’ve wondered one or more of the questions below. Check them out and let me know if any of my answers surprised you!
I have four school-aged kids, so my workday generally revolves around their schedules (which are all bonkers!). I like to wake up before everyone else, exercise, and then get at least 30 minutes of work done before my house gets loud. This usually means creating a to-do list for the day, scanning through emails, and handling some smaller admin tasks. Completing these small tasks makes it way easier to sit back down later and do the more brain-heavy editing work.
Once the kids are out the door around 7:30 a.m., I finish getting ready for the day and head to my office for some concentrated editing. My brain functions best in the morning, so that’s when I try to complete most of my heavier tasks.
I set page goals for each project I’m working on, so I try to finish those before anything else. And since editing requires significant mental energy, I caffeinate with lots of tea (Lady Grey by Twinings is my fave!) and take frequent short breaks to stand up, stretch, and/or scroll on social media.
After a few hours of work, it’s time for lunch and then emails. I intentionally answer emails just once a day because that allows me to focus the rest of the day. Then I will spend a few more hours either editing or handling other business tasks, like blog work, social media planning, author contracts, or a zillion other tasks that come with running a freelance business.
I stop work for the day around 2:30 p.m. when I leave to pick up my kids from school. Once all my chauffeur and homework duties are done, I don’t have time or energy for work in the evening, so you’ll usually find me curled up on the couch with my kiddos, a sparkling water, and some sudoku. Often we’ll watch a show together before heading to bed, where I’ll stay up way too late reading on my Kindle.
Rinse and repeat the next day!
This is the question I hate the most! First of all, it’s completely subjective. People think different books are good for completely different reasons. Second, I don’t like the pressure. My job is to edit your book based on publishing standards, not on my personal, subjective opinion of what is “good.”
Instead of asking whether I think your book is good, try asking yourself:
Did my book tell the story I wanted it to tell? Does my book mean something to me? Is the feedback I’ve gotten from readers in my genre (via beta readers) mostly positive? Have I worked to create a story I am proud of?
If your answers here are yes, that’s all that should matter to you. Period.
As a professional editor, I believe it’s just not my place to publicly review books. My job is to edit your book, not market it, so public book reviews feel like a gray area for me that I’m just not comfortable with. Whether or not I have worked or hope to work with a particular author, I prefer to keep my professional work completely separate from my personal opinions on the internet.
With this in mind, please don’t take it personally—I probably really like your book! Declining to publicly review books is simply a boundary I’ve set that helps me run my business with integrity.
Yes, because they serve two different purposes!
The goal of a copyedit is to create consistency in your book’s language, story, timeline, grammar, and style choices. The goal of a proofread is to catch small errors left behind after the other kinds of editing are done.
If you choose to only get copyediting, there could be errors left in your manuscript, either because your copy editor couldn’t catch them all (remember, every book is published with errors because we are all human!), or because you accidentally introduced errors while accepting or rejecting your copy editor’s changes.
On the other hand, if you choose to only get proofreading, your book could have consistency errors that pull readers out of the story. A proofreader will correct blatant spelling, grammar, and formatting errors, but they won’t fact-check, catch timeline inconsistencies, or edit many other elements of your story that can distract and confuse your readers if left in the text.
In a perfect world, every book would undergo both services. However, budget is often a big concern for indie authors. If you can only afford one type of professional editing, I would recommend copyediting, because this type is more complex and requires more knowledge. This means you will then need to handle the proofreading yourself—going back through your manuscript slowly and methodically to catch any lingering errors.
I’m frequently asked about the specific types of editing services I offer. If you need copyediting or proofreading, I’m your gal! Otherwise, my answer will likely be no.
No, I can’t give you content feedback—that’s a developmental editor’s job.
No, I can’t help you rework your story—it’s too late for that if we’re already in the copyediting process.
No, I can’t switch your manuscript to third person (this is a real request I received!)—that’s your job as the author.
No, I can’t beta read for you—but there are plenty of great beta readers out there.
No, I can’t do a line edit (a specific type of sentence-level revision performed by a line editor).
Tailoring my services allows me to focus my expertise and become even better at what I do. I offer these services a la carte or as a package deal for authors looking for a more comprehensive edit at a discounted rate.
Yes! I love getting this question. A good editor should always be professionally trained. (And if they aren’t, don’t waste your money!)
Here are the qualifications I have obtained during my career:
Member, Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA)
Member, Freelance Editors Club
Copyediting Fiction, EFA
Copyediting: Intermediate, EFA
Copyediting: Beginning, EFA
Developmental Editing of Fiction: Beginning, EFA
Editing Romance, EFA
Macros A–Z, EFA
MSED, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Kansas
BS, Secondary English Education, University of Kansas
Thank you for asking! I love being mentioned in acknowledgments and front matter. It’s such a thrill, and most times I will happily say yes.
However, there are certain instances where I may decline, and that does NOT mean I didn’t like working with you or don’t like your book!
I might say no if . . .
. . . The work was outside my typical genre.
. . . You have done content edits after my copyedit.
. . . Our contract was canceled before I finished the project.
. . . You opt not to accept a majority of my editing suggestions.
Basically, it just doesn’t make sense for my name to be associated with a book that, in the end, doesn’t accurately reflect my genuine contribution. Thankfully, this rarely happens. Most of the time I will be delighted to give permission for acknowledgments!
This is an easy one: Because generative AI steals work from artists.
In my opinion, AI-generated manuscripts are not real books, and I don’t want to be associated with work I believe was created unethically. As your editor, I’m passionate about helping you tell a genuine story and get your creative work into the world in its best light. An AI-generated book does not reflect real, human-created work, and I’m just not interested in being a part of that.
Cool? Cool.
The short answer: maybe!
The long answer: This isn’t really something I have control over. After working with lots of indie authors, I know they usually don’t make money on their first (or even second or third) book. Momentum in indie publishing is critical, and I do believe if you stick with it, create compelling stories, and market yourself well, you will start to see a return on your editing investment.
Consider another angle to this question. If you’re writing a novel and putting all that work into it, don’t you want it to be the best it can be? Making money back shouldn’t determine whether or not editing was a solid investment. As a published author, your investment should focus on creating something you can feel truly proud to share, market, and have anyone read.
If you’ve ever been scammed by someone pretending to be an editor, I am so sorry. That should NEVER have happened.
I won’t sugarcoat it: Scammers can be tricky. But here are a couple things to look for as you search for an editor: One, do they have professional training? Two, do they list deliverables in their editor contract (and are they the correct type of deliverables)? Three, can they provide testimonials? Four, are their rates reasonable compared to other editors offering similar services?
As with any professional service, doing your research ahead of time will help you avoid sketchy or unqualified editors and find a great professional to work with on your story!
All your burning questions finally answered? If not, send me a message. I’ll steep a cup of Lady Grey and answer any questions you have about my services. I also offer potential clients a 1,000-word sample edit to see if I’m the right editor for you. Sound good? Let’s talk!
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Before you find a copy editor to work on your manuscript, read these five signs to make sure you are ready for copyediting.