An Interview with Freelance Editor Liana Holmberg

Liana Holmberg is a developmental editor and consultant working with self-published and mass-market authors. As an editor at the acclaimed journal Manoa, she worked with writers from around Asia and America. She has also been a production editor at a university press and art director at the internationally recognized online journal Public Library of Science. Liana is a graduate of the Stanford Publishing Course, where she received first place for her business proposal. As a freelance editor, Liana has worked with accomplished as well as beginning writers, in genres across the spectrum. She also advises authors on marketing and publishing strategies. For more information visit lianaholmberg.com/editing.

Liana Holmberg

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What is a freelance editor? What do freelance editors do and not do?

Freelance editors are hired by authors who want professional help getting their work ready for an agent or for independent publication. There are many kinds of editors. Developmental editors work with authors during the writing process to help them produce the best, most polished manuscript possible. A developmental editor works with the author on big picture issues like character, plot, style, theme and execution. Copyeditors and proofreaders are part of the publishing process and are usually hired by the publisher (which may be the writer if she is going the independent route). Copyeditors correct your punctuation and spelling as well as note inconsistencies or factual errors. Proofreaders make sure the copyeditor’s changes were entered correctly and catch other small errors. There are great resources out there that describe the different kinds of editors and summarize the value of editing.

The most important step in choosing an editorial service is for the writer to understand what she hopes to get out of it, how much effort she’s willing to put into it, and what her budget is. The writer-editor relationship can be a very personal one. I strongly recommend that writers contact several editors to find one they click with. The editor to hire is the one who acts as your ally and gives specific feedback, and, most importantly, who you trust to tell you things about your writing that may be hard to hear.

How does pricing work?

Pricing varies widely depending on factors like the type of writing (e.g. technical article vs. novel), the level of editing, and whether it’s a rush job. The Editorial Freelance Association publishes some average rates across the country, and there are lots of other sources that’ll help you understand the range of costs and services. This can give you a ballpark idea, but you’ll need to talk to an editor to get a real quote.

Speaking for myself, each job is different enough that I create a custom quote for each client. For some, an hourly rate might be most economical, for others a flat rate. The first step is for a writer to send me a sample of her work, with additional information including target audience and level of editing desired. I’ll return these pages with some high-level feedback and sample editorial changes, all free of charge. I think of this as the getting-to-know-you phase or first date, and I pick up the tab. If the writer decides to go further, we scope out a statement of work, agree to fees, and then we’re off and running on the great journey of taking your manuscript to the next level. If a writer wants to take smaller steps, we can take an incremental approach, charged by the hour or flat rate, where I might line edit a couple more sample chapters or read the whole work and give high-level feedback only.

Why is developmental editing important? Is it always necessary? 

The publishing market is flooded with writers – absolutely flooded. Anyone serious about catching the eye of a publisher, let alone readers, has to find a way to rise above the rest. The best way to do that – before building an “author platform” or developing a “viral marketing” strategy – is to create a well-written, highly engaging work that your target audience will love. Duh, right? I’m stating the obvious because it really all comes back to craft, and that’s what a developmental editor can help with. What you will get from a good developmental editor is someone who has the skills, patience, and time to show you how to raise the level of your craft and improve the impact of your work. Writers rarely have someone in their lives who can give them detailed, sometimes hard, feedback that they can use to substantially improve their writing.

Who should consider working with a developmental editor? Anyone with ambitions for a mass audience. Anyone who is fundamentally driven to improve their writing muscles and wants a “coach” to help them get to there. Whether you’re aiming at a mainstream publisher or going the independent route (e.g., self-publishing), good writing is fundamental to getting noticed. Beginning writers are more likely to need line-by-line editing, whereas seasoned writers may only need feedback on pacing, organization, and missed opportunities in the text.

Who shouldn’t hire a developmental editor? It’s usually over-kill for people working on personal projects, like a family history, or works aimed at a very narrow audience. Developmental editing is definitely not appropriate for anyone who can’t take criticism.

The author needs to do some soul searching and decide what his goals are, if those goals are realistic, and what he needs to reach them. If your goals could be furthered through developmental editing, then shop around and find an editor who speaks your language.

How subjective is developmental editing?

The obviously right and egregiously wrong parts of your book will be noticed by everybody – from your mother to your writer’s group to the agent you’re pitching. The devil is in the details between those two extremes, and there are few people outside the editorial profession who can help you sift through the millions of choices you have to make to swing the pendulum in your favor. Developmental editing is a conversation between the writer and editor, who each have experiences and perceptions of the craft and the audience that influence their opinions. A lot of that is subjective. A good developmental editor should always be able to give you a clear reason for her opinions, so that you can make your own decisions. The bottom line is, choose an editor whose opinions you trust.

If it’s all subjective, how is developmental editing going to help me get my book published?

It may not. There are no guarantees. I’d be extremely wary of any editor claiming to be able to get you published. It just doesn’t work that way. The market is fluky, agents and acquisitions editors are saturated with low quality work, and even with all the dedication in the world, sometimes the best work takes a very long time to get noticed. Again, you’ve got to ask yourself why you write and what you expect to get out of it. Hiring an editor is a personal decision. If you find a great editor, the outcomes could be: At best, that your manuscript is vastly improved and has a better chance of getting noticed; at worst, that you spend some time and money working with a professional who wants you to become a better writer.

What are the pros and cons of getting line by line or page by page developmental editing vs. an overall look? 

Every story is moved along by the words on the page – the choice of words, tone of sentences, order of paragraphs and so on. You can’t address big picture problems without making line-level changes. Some writers are very clear about the mechanics of how to implement big suggestions. Others need to see examples of how to make improvements. After the initial round of sample reading and edits, the author and editor will work out the level that’s right for that particular project.

When should authors hire a freelance editor? 

Developmental editing can be helpful at all stages of the writing process. At the beginning, when you've got an idea and want to figure out where to start, how to organize the work, what style to use, and who your audience is. In the middle, when you've gotten stuck and need help getting out of the weeds and back on track.

Usually, though, writers contact me after they’ve taken the manuscript as far as they can on their own. This might be after finishing the first complete draft, or it might be after they’ve pitched the book and been rejected. The important thing is to understand that the outcome of developmental editing is that the writer will go back to the page and do more work. If you’re not at a place where you’re really ready to roll up your sleeves and rework parts, or maybe all, of a manuscript, then you’re probably not in the right state of mind for late-stage developmental editing.

What should authors look for when researching freelance editors? How should authors check freelance editor backgrounds? How do they know who to trust?

Look for professionalism, from their website content to the way they handle communications with you. Look for someone who is very clear and specific in their feedback. Look for someone who sincerely loves working with writers.

Once you’ve found a few editors you’re interested in, then contact them and start a conversation to see if their skills and interests are a good fit and would help you further your goals. Ask for references, these can include clients or other industry professionals. Trust your gut.

How does your process differ with authors seeking self-publication?

In terms of the level of quality I bring to the work, there’s no difference. There may be differences in the writer’s objectives, though, and we would tune the process to reflect that, e.g., the size and nature of the target audience the writer is trying to reach.

The following questions were submitted by readers:

Is developmental editing more or less important in the self-publishing world?

Raw talent is a wonderful thing, but it rarely sells books all by itself. I think developmental editing, copyediting and proofreading are equally important steps regardless of the publication route a writer pursues. These professional services (not to mention typesetting, design, and marketing) make authors look better, help sell books, and make readers feel like they are spending their time with a work of quality. What makes self-publishing a challenge for most authors is that they have to wear all these other hats, and that takes time away from writing. For some people though, that amount of input and control is just what they want.

E-publishing tools, like blogs, can make anyone a published author over night. That makes for a very noisy marketplace, and readers need cues to help them hone in on a quality signal. Those cues are often great cover art and a first page full of polished, engaging prose.

Self-publishing sensation Amanda Hocking’s work became so popular that she reportedly made $2 million on her e-books before St. Martin’s Press picked up her next four books for another $2 million. Her advice for aspiring writers? “Write a lot, and read more than you write. Learn to take criticism. Edit a lot, and find a good editor.”

When the onus and cost of paying a developmental editor falls on a writer who may never see that money back in their wallet once the book is released, how do you make a case for the benefit of your services?

Each writer needs to look at their goals realistically and decide whether editing holds enough value for them. If you do a straight cost-benefit analysis of editorial fees vs. book sales, for most people the numbers don’t add up. If you look at developmental editing as an investment in you becoming a better writer, then the cost of editing is not much different from attending a writers’ conference, taking writing classes, or purchasing a new computer to write on. The real value of developmental editing is getting one-on-one attention and professional expertise tailored to your particular needs. It’s up to the author to decide what that’s worth to him.

What role beyond focused literary advisement might an editor play in the game of self publishing?

Some editors offer a wide range of services beyond the manuscript stage. As an example, I have experience in many other parts of the book production process, including design and e-publishing. I’ve also worked in the social networking space and can assist authors with their marketing plans. 

How do you 'tune' your editing to an author's project, so that your suggestions advance her/his goals rather than your own goals or ideas about 'good' or 'marketable' fiction?

It’s a process. I ask a lot of questions and get feedback from the writer. My mission as an editor is to help you understand what you want to achieve and then break down the steps to get there. Ideally, I teach you to be a better self-editor as well.

What do you do when an author's ideas about what their project needs differ so sharply from yours that you believe the author is 'out of touch with reality' with respect to how her/his manuscript aligns to her/his goals?

I take as much care in selecting clients as I hope they take in selecting me, and I ask a lot of questions up front to try to surface any irreconcilable differences. If we’re well aligned at the outset and encounter a big difference of opinion later on, then we do our best to hash it out. We might seek second opinions, sleep on it, test different approaches, whatever is going to help the author move forward. If I think I can no longer be useful to the author, I’ll suggest we find an equitable way to terminate the work.  

As a writer and/or an editor, which excites you more--the traditional publishing market or the emerging self-publishing market? Why?

My hopes are high for both parts of the industry. Traditional publishing is adapting, albeit slowly, to new technology and a changed marketplace. And independent publishers, including self-publishers, have great tools to help them compete for readers’ attention. My sense is that more and more serious authors will independently publish their work, and, thinking of themselves as publishers as well as writers, they’ll approach the process with an increasing level of professionalism. It’s an exciting time. Writers have more choices than ever, and more responsibility for guiding their own careers.