Thursday 2 November 2017

Discovering A Career As A Developmental Editor

By Sharon Edwards


Whether writing creatively, technically or creating non-fiction books and materials, these items often need to be reviewed prior to publication. In many cases, these individuals work as business or technical editors. Whereas, an independent author working on a creative or non-fiction project often needs a Developmental Editor.

Most often, those working in this position work on full length manuscripts. Although, there are others who may accompany a writer from the onset to completion of a project. For, while checking for correct grammar and spelling errors, these individuals also assure that material is easy to read and enjoyable with the information being paced appropriately.

While there is currently a demand for these type editors, pay can often vary. As such, individuals looking to become involved in this type work might want to check the average pay rate or salary before accepting a position. It should be noted that those working as consultants are often the highest paid, followed closely by freelancers and contractors.

Whether reviewing an entire manuscript, or sections at a time, it is important to note any errors such as misspellings, grammatically incorrect content and pacing, then inform the writer of these errors as soon as possible. For, in some cases, a writer may be working against a deadline, especially if one has received an advance payment in relation to the project. Otherwise, the next time an advance is requested, it could be denied based on the writer having not met a previous deadline.

It is important that an individual working in this position enjoys reading. In most cases, editors need to put oneself in the place of an intended audience. For, while writers are often at the helm of the project, the goal is to create a publication which a reader can read and enjoy. As such, when reading as an intended audience, editors can assure this is the case.

It is also important to take breaks as necessary during the course of a project. Otherwise, an individual might easily overlook an error. As such, whether reading the material for the first, fourth or fifth time, it is important to pay attention to detail.

In the final phase of the project, editors are often the last eyes to see the publication before it goes to a publisher. As such, most writers count on these individuals to catch any and all mistakes prior to this point. For, once a manuscript is published, it can often be far more expensive to fix errors.

Upon submitting the final version to a publisher, most will return the project to the editor and writer for one last final review. During this phase, it is important to check all aspects of the book or other project including the title of contents, content, covers, bibliographies and any other information before returning the item back to the publisher. For, once a book is bound, or a project finalized, it can often be far more costly to edit and republish.




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