The Key Role of an Editor: Putting Readers First
You’ve poured hours of work, thought, backspacing, rewriting, coffee brewing, and frenzied typing into your work — and finally, the words that you frenziedly typed were “The End.” What an accomplishment!
Now, what comes next?
You’ve spent months or years alone with your project. You know it through and through, but maybe you know it a little too well. How can you tell what is good and what needs to go? How can you identify the parts that need to change when the whole thing is so tied together into a cohesive whole in your mind?
Enter the editor.
An editor is a skilled and experienced professional who can help you take a step back from your work and evaluate it objectively. Their job is to look at your work with a fresh eye and suggest changes, additions, or deletions that will make it even better than before.
When you make the decision to hire an editor, you decide to invest in the future of your writing dreams. It’s an investment in yourself—and one that will have lasting benefits.
Once you hire an editor, you might think that they work for you, but that’s not the case: the editor is there to represent the interests of your readers!
Let’s take a look at the role of the editor and discover why their job is to challenge you and why that function is so important to the success of your work.
What Does an Editor Do for a Book?
First, let's explore what an editor does.
Your editor’s focus depends on the type of editing service that you choose. If you have completed your draft, you will likely hire an editor to conduct a draft evaluation to identify the next steps that will improve your novel. If you have not yet finished a manuscript, then you may be a good fit for story coaching to help you complete your draft.
Whichever path you choose, the editor will provide an objective evaluation of your work. They will focus on improving the structure, flow, and overall quality of your work. They are your second set of eyes, and they aim to make your writing the best it can be.
Regardless of the type of service you have chosen, your editor will play an important part in the development of your story. An editor should challenge you to make sure that your book is engaging and accomplishes what you set out to do.
They may offer suggestions for cutting or rewriting some sections of your book. An editor will help you identify potential areas of improvement and provide advice on how to make them better.
To identify target areas for revision, your editor will assess your work, employing a methodology and toolkit to determine the most effective actions to improve your story.
However, elevating the quality of your work demands direction. It requires a vision for what you want your story to be.
When you and your editor work to improve your story, it’s not according to your taste, or theirs. So who are they thinking about when they evaluate the story?
An Editor Works for Readers
When you hire an editor, you’re not hiring them to tell you what you already know about your work. You’re also not hiring them to tell you whether they like your story. You’re hiring them to get your story where it needs to go.
That destination depends on why you are telling the story, and who needs to hear it.
It's important to keep in mind that readers are your ultimate audience. You may have written your book for yourself, but ultimately, it's your readers who will be investing their time, money, and emotions into your book. An editor understands this and will work diligently to make sure that your manuscript resonates with readers. They help to ensure that your writing is easy to follow, that the content is relevant, that the tone is appropriate, and that the pace is engaging.
Your role in this process is to determine who your ideal reader is, so that you and your editor can align on a vision for the work.
You can empower the editor to do their job by deciding on your ideal reader. Who needs to hear the message of your work? If you could reach one person, who would it be?
By answering these questions, you can discover who you want to write for.
An Editor Represents the Reader's Interests
An editor is more than just an unbiased pair of eyes. They are advocates for the reader, and it's their job to ensure that your work will be enjoyed by your target audience.
This means that they will provide constructive feedback on any parts of your manuscript that don't resonate with readers or that lack clarity. They will work with you to improve these sections and make sure they meet the reader's needs.
As you work with your editor, they may offer opinions that conflict with your personal preferences, but that’s an important part of their role in improving your work. They are standing up for your readers.
The Importance of Working with an Editor
It's not uncommon for writers to be so invested in their work that they lose sight of its flaws. This is where an editor comes in. Their fresh, more objective perspective can offer the necessary constructive criticism that will help refine your manuscript and take it to new heights.
It can be especially difficult to identify and fix your own blind spots, but an editor can help to eliminate inconsistencies, fill in gaps in your narrative, and provide valuable insight on how to improve overall flow.
With their expertise and guidance, your manuscript will not only be polished and professional but also capable of appealing to a broad audience—and most importantly, to your target reader.
Finding the Right Editor
Now that we've discussed the role of an editor, it's important to find the right one for you. It's essential to work with someone who's experienced, who understands your genre, and who you feel comfortable working with.
Be sure to discuss your project goals and your target audience with any potential editors. Pay attention to how your editor candidates respond to your vision for the work. They should take your goals seriously. They should be enthusiastic and knowledgeable about your target audience, and willing to do the work and research necessary to deliver an impactful manuscript.
Your editor plays a crucial role in the success of your story. They work not just for you but for your readers, advocating for their interests and aiming to improve their reading experience.
When you are ready to hire an editor to invest in your writing goals, Writers by Night can help you take your story to the next level. Book a consultation today!
