The Sample Edit

You've just finished your rewrites and you're finally satisfied. You've decided to seek out a freelance editor before you begin shopping your manuscript to agents and publishers, because you know another set of eyes is essential. You need someone who can look at your manuscript objectively and see things that you've looked at a hundred times and missed. You know that already, otherwise you wouldn't be in the market for an editor.

Many editors offer free sample edits; this is something you should definitely take advantage of, but before you do, there are a few things you should know so that you can better help your editor.

That's right—you have to help your editor. You're the only one who can.

Communication is the key factor

If either you or your editor are not willing to carry on open and honest two-way communication before, during and after the editing is completed, then you should not only look for another editor, you should look at what you expect of that editor. Perhaps your expectations are unrealistic.

What you do before the editing process begins can go a long way toward getting the best possible edit. Before you send a portion of your manuscript to an editor who offers free sample edits, contact him first and find out what he requires in the way of pages or number of words to submit. Different editors have different requirements.

When you make your first inquiry, tell the editor whether your manuscript is an article or essay, fiction or non-fiction, short story or novel, and what genre it is. While there are general editing rules, there are different ways of editing each type of work. What works for one, won't work exactly the same for another.

Your vision

Next, be sure to state the length of the finished manuscript, and what you envision for your book. Naturally you envision it as a best-seller. But do you see it as a gritty detective story, with your protagonist using sharp language and clipped sentences? Is it an old world romance with flowery language, or modern erotica with explicit words? A sci-fi or fantasy novel in which you have made up words and changed the laws of physics? Or is it a mystery, where certain things can't be explained until late in the book?

Does one of your characters speak with an accent or a have a particular way of speaking, such as formally, at all times? Perhaps you don't have the character use contractions when he speaks, but your editor will change that unless he knows you want that character to speak that way. Does your character have a peculiar gesture that gets repeated throughout the book, and even though it's repetitive to the point of being annoying, is there an important reason to keep it? Did you work hard to make one character particularly rude, overly sweet or ignorant and it's essential to the story to keep him or her that way?

If so, your editor needs to know these things before he begins the sample edit. Otherwise, he can't maintain your style and would likely change your words according to the norms of writing and editing. It's impossible to do a completely accurate edit on just a few trial pages, because changes that might seem to be required, may not really be needed, depending on the rest of the manuscript. But your editor has no way of knowing this unless you communicate.

Why bother with a sample edit?

A sample edit is important because it will give you an idea of how thorough your prospective editor is and what kind of help you can expect to receive in the way of notes and explanations of changes. It will give you an idea of how well the two of you can communicate and work together, and how your editor will respond to your needs.

It will also help you with one of the most important lessons you can learn—how to develop a tough skin. You sweated, slaved and agonized over every word you wrote. Each one is precious to you, and your editor will be cutting and changing them. It's not easy to take, but you can minimize the pain with ongoing communication. After all, it's about keeping  your story, your voice, not the editor's.

But it's also about getting an agent or publisher to accept your work by submitting a tight, crisp manuscript. That's the editor's area of expertise, but you must help by looking with an open mind at changes and suggestions the editor has made. If you have a question, ask; if you disagree with a change, find out why it was made and discuss it with your editor.

Your editor is not a mind reader

Don't expect him to know things you haven't told him. Not only is it unfair to your editor, but you will not receive the best edit you can if he doesn't understand what you want from it. Nor will you get the edit you're happy with if you have unrealistic expectations of what an editor can and cannot do. This can all be avoided with proper communication.

Editing is a two-way proposition. You and your editor are a team. Anything less is unacceptable.

Part 2: The Full Edit.