I've sent my book to an editor. Now what?
TL;DR: Relax
As creatives we always want to keep working on our projects. There’s so much that goes into a book and it’s hard to stop tampering with it, but at a point we have to. The book will be better for it.
But it’s hard to relax once our book’s been sent off. It’s a tense experience – for many, the editor is the first person who has read their book, and that’s scary. So, here I’ll address some of the most common worries and questions from the perspective of an editor.
“What if they hate it?”
If an editor tells you they hate your book, they’re not someone worth working with. The job of an editor isn’t to judge an author, nor is it to rewrite what’s there and compare it to every other book on the market.
The job of an editor is to work with the author to take what is already there and pull all the good stuff to the top. Whether that’s through developmental editing (where we focus on the story itself), copyediting (where we focus on the prose and style) or proofreading (where we focus on the grammar, punctuation, and consistency).
At the end of the project, a good editor will become your biggest supporter. We love books and we want to see yours reach its full potential.
“What if it’s so bad they send it back with red lines under every word?”
Most copyeditors/proofreaders offer FREE sample edits, and you are under no obligation to work with any one editor. So, take the sample edits and see which editor’s approach you like the best. Discuss the project, your goals, preferences, and ambition, and a be honest with yourself about which editor you like the most.
The motto of an editor is to change the author’s voice the least while improving the text the most, and red lining and cutting every other line goes against that core principle.
“I reread my book and realised I need to change something, what should I do?”
Once your book is with an editor and the editor has started work, sending a new copy will slow their work and possibly force them to start again, so avoid doing this as much as possible.
However, if you find yourself unable to accept the mistake, consider sending your editor an email and detailing the change you’d like to make. It may be that they have passed this point in the story and cannot go back and change it without increasing the fee, but if they haven’t reached this point then many editors will be more than happy to change that section for you (within reason).
This is where I would also recommend not touching your book until you have those precious edits back. Leave it alone for a month, get some space and allow yourself time to work on a sequel, catch up on that ever-growing TBR list, or start an entirely new series. You’ll find combing through the edits much easier and much more enjoyable once you’ve had some space to think.
“What if they steal my book and publish it themselves?”
If this is a worry of yours and you have yet to hire/work with an editor, check out this post How to Choose an Editor. If you follow the advice here, some of your worries regarding book theft may be calmed.
However, there are still some bad actors out there who you may have already sent your work to and are currently worried about. Firstly, your written word is copyrighted the moment you write it. To prove a work is your own, I advise people to duplicate a draft and work on the copy. This can help you back date your work to its first inception and allows you to revert to old copies if you dislike your current edits.
If somebody does steal your work (this will only be scammers – no professional will steal your work, copyrights are often addressed in T&Cs) then you can contact the platform your book has been posted to and request it be removed. Keep your communications with the scammer and use it to prove authorship.
No matter what, it’s inevitable to have some worries when sending your book out to the world. But as hard as it is, the best thing you can do once your book is with your editor/readers is to leave the book alone. You can distract yourself by:
Writing the sequel
Planning another book/series
Catching up on your reading list (you know there’s a book you promised you’d read and haven’t got around to yet – now’s your chance!)
Researching topics of interest
Engaging with the community (you’ll find you’re not alone in your worries!)
Or any number of other things that take your fancy.
No matter what you choose to do, know that your editor will be happy to hear from you. If you want updates on your book, most editors will be keen to share them, whether that’s on a weekly basis, fortnightly, or whenever you ask.