What does an Editor do when he says, “I’m working”

If you want to know what does an editor do, then you should understand that there are three kinds of book editors. They have different roles and responsibilities that dictate their action.

man in a carme - just sitting in a car

By Raza Hasnain Naqvi

Today we are going to understand the answer to your question “what does an editor do?”. I am assuming that you know who is an editor and maybe you also have some idea what he does. 

I am just saying that you have an idea, but not much more information about it. Of course, you can get all the information you can have on this topic from a Google search, I am not denying it. But the important difference between that information and the information you get here will be one: my insights. 

You will get my insights on your question ‘what does an editor do’ only in this article that can come up in a Google search. In simple words, you will get 51 well-written blog posts and articles that will tell you everything you need to know about the work of an editor. But if my article (this article) is not there in those 51 articles that you scrolled through on Google, then you don’t have my thoughts and views on this topic. 

I hope you understand what I am trying to tell you. 😊

Let me first make it clear that there are three different kinds of book editors that we are going to talk about for the purpose of your query. I will tell you about their mindset and what they do when they start working on a book.

Think like an editor when you ask, “what does an editor do?”

Like many other jobs or work that people do, book editing is also a specialised job. The person who edits books is a person who understands grammar and structure well. At least, this is what is expected from a good book editor. 

More often than not, a book editor is a good writer and book reader. You will rarely find good book editors who don’t write well and who don’t read books. 

To understand ‘what does an editor do’, you need to understand the thought process of an editor, specifically a book editor like me. 

I did tell you that will talk about three kinds of book editors here.

Let me give you some more details about these three categories of editors.

  1. Traditional Book Editor with a Publishing Agency

  2. Freelance Book Editor

  3. Self Book Editor (there is such a thing)

1. Traditional Book Editor with a Publishing Agency

Let me tell you about the traditional book editor who works in a publishing agency. What is such an editor doing in this agency?

Here, the editor is playing the role of a Project Manager. Yes, the book editor is not doing as much book editing as he would like to. Why? Because, his main responsibility is like an overseer for the entire book lifecycle. What does it mean?

It means, the editor is going through a book discovery and management process. He checks manuscript submission by authors and approves those manuscripts that his publishing house can decide to publish. He also works closely with authors so that he can provide guidance and feedback on their approved manuscript. 

Now, you have a better idea of while working in a traditional publishing agency.

This editor is also keeping an eye on the book cover design and what kind of target audience would be the best fit for the books that are being readied. Basically, he manages a number of tasks, including book editing, when he gets time.

Now, you have a better idea of ‘what does an editor do’ while working in a traditional publishing agency.

illustration of man working on a table with a cat on it

2. Freelance Book Editor

Then there is the freelance book editor like me. The freelance book editor takes on an assignment or an editing project, usually through his personal contacts and even through online platforms like Fiverr or Reedsy. 

I have proofread and edited 6 nonfiction books so far. All the authors of these six books were recommended to me by an author-cum-publisher friend of mine. Once I had finished editing for his book that elaborated on the history of a university, he recommended my name to other authors. 

I have my work portfolio and account on Fiverr too, you can check it out, if you would like to work with me. I edit nonfiction manuscripts.

As a freelance book editor, what I do is firstly try and understand the mindset of the author who wants his manuscript edited. I have my first welcome chat with him via a video call or in-person and I ask what is required in the manuscript. 

The answer I usually get is, “Nothing much, just some copy editing and grammar corrections, if errors are there.”

I nod my head in agreement while suppressing my smile. I know what I am going to find in the manuscript. There won’t be just grammatical errors, but errors and doubts on paragraph content and chapter placings. Once my work starts, I begin to leave queries in the manuscript using the ‘Track Changes’ feature in Microsoft Word. The author sees those queries and begins to answer them. 

This process continues until the whole manuscript is edited and ready to my satisfaction and the author too is happy with it.

The freelance book editor works from home and uses online tools to make his editing work easier and efficient. He gets paid by the author and the author then gets the manuscript to his chosen designer and publisher. This will help the author get a good book cover and format for the book. 

Now, you have decent knowledge of ‘what does an editor do’ while working as a freelance book editor.

3. Self Book Editor

Now there is the self book editor. It means an author who does his or her own editing of her manuscript once he feels that the final draft is ready. 

There are many authors and wannabe authors who are good writers. They understand grammar and sentence structure and how book chapters and sections need to go together. This category of writers usually take the path of self-editing their own work. They even start editing the work of other writers and authors and become professionals in this field. 

There are writers who feel they won’t be as good as a professional editor. Yet, they still edit their own manuscripts for one important reason: financial challenge. They are unable to manage funds to pay a good book editor, so they do their best with grammar correction software and keep their fingers crossed that the final manuscript is decent, if not good. 

These are the three categories of editors I have told you about. I hope your main query ‘what does an editor do’ is finally answered to your satisfaction.

illustration cover of a book editing checklist

I have prepared a three-page free book editing checklist that would be helpful to many writers who are working on their first novel or book. You can download it by clicking on the pic or from the link below 👇🏼 (While downloading, just input '0' below the 'Name a fair price' box)

Download checklist: Book editing checklist for first-time authors

You can also connect with me on my other social platforms on the link: https://linktr.ee/bylineraza