Any book that encourages writers to think more like editors is a good bet–this one gets strong reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. Thinking Like Your Editor could make the difference for a new writer trying to land that first book proposal. This one’s not for magazine or blog writer/editors, it’s aimed squarely at the book writer.
So what’s this doing on EditorWriter? It’s our belief that any book explaining the editorial mindset is a valuable resource for people who want to make the leap from writer to editor or editor/writer. There’s a lot of initial self doubt that can come with your first journey towards editing someone else; it’s good to have a few references to help you understand what your colleagues in the industry are thinking when they get to work on other people’s writing.
And this book makes a good gift from a kindly editor to a new book writer…a gentle nudge in the right direction is never a bad thing.
This one falls squarely in the writer category of EditorWriter, but one thing’s for sure–when Robert Bly puts out a new book, it’s definitely worth a look. Bly has been writing about the craft for many years and has more than enough street cred to write ex cathedra on the business and mechanics of writing.
On the surface, 88 Money-Making Writing Jobs may look like an excellent reference for beginners, but if you’re the kind of writer who has been in one specialty far too long and are looking to branch out, you could get quite a bit of inspiration from this book.
One reviewer criticized the book for being potentially out-of-date practically the moment it hits the shelves, and while this may be true in many cases, Bly has set himself up here to issue yearly updates; could this be the start of an annual issue from Robert Bly? We can’t say for sure, but since this book came out earlier in 2009, we daresay it’s far from irrelevant.
The Editor’s Toolbox is a reference volume for editors. It’s aimed mostly at those working in print, but the book doesn’t stop with basics like grammar and spelling issues–emphasis on proper fact checking and proper layout principles make this a more well-rounded print guide.
Can online writers learn anything from this book? There’s certainly nothing wrong with applying the same fact checking and layout concepts where appropriate. In fact, I think many websites could use with a bit more thinking time in the visual presentation–perhaps a move towards more print-based visual aesthetics could be a good thing.
In spite of the Amazon Kindle and other gadgets which intend to put the axe at the root of the trees of the print industry, print isn’t in its deathbed quite yet. This book should prove valuable to anyone with a vested interest in keeping print alive in the early days of their editing career.
If you are asked to follow the Chicago Manual of Style, you can either buy a copy or subscribe online. Sometimes having things at your fingertips on the web can be more convenient than looking them up in a book. Take a look and see if this type of reference works for you.
Jeff Anderson’s Everyday Editing is really aimed at teachers who want to create more effective writing workshops and educate students on how to self-edit, but this teaching perspective has a lot of value for the everyday writer.
Imagine how this book could change your perspective as a freelance writer editor or a newcomer to the world of editing. Got your eye on that editor slot? Are you still taking on reduced pay editing gigs or doing work for free? Scoop up a copy of this book and give yourself a leg up.
By learning editing and writing concepts from a teacher’s point of view, you’ll have an easier time getting your head around what future clients and employers expect from your work. Anderson’s book includes a lot of great ideas, especially on mechanics like proper verb choices, paragraphs, even how to use dialogue appropriately.
It goes without saying that any student of writing has the potential to become a teacher of the craft at some point in time. Want to mentor new writers? Everyday Editing by Jeff Anderson is a good tool to have on hand to prep for that mentoring.
Since 1995, The Slot has provided advice and resources on the fine art of copy writing and editing. This site is packed full of information including a great especially-for-newcomers definition of what a copyeditor does (and does not do).
The site is aimed at copyeditors, but anyone involved in freelance editing or freelance writing should have a look. There is so much valuable information on the mechanics of writing and editing that I’m shocked The Slot’s Bill Walsh hasn’t written a book with this stuff.
Oh, wait–he did. Walsh is the author of Lapsing Into A Comma, and The Elephants of Style, which includes some evolutionary thoughts on writing and editing that FINALLY seem to be creeping into the mainstream. Have a look at Walsh’s site to learn more about striking a balance between “Once wrong, always wrong” (which I used to believe in exclusively until I took off the necktie and got a life) and “Everybody does it.”
Don’t miss TheSlot.com, especially if you are new to the editor/writer game. Especially great–the recent post titled “A Common Mistake”. Priceless.
I have long objected to the titles of the “For Dummies” title as fairly insulting. After all, isn’t purchasing one of these books a tacit admission? The tag line “A resource for the rest of us!” doesn’t soften the blow.
That said, if you want to get educated about copyediting and proofreading, Copyediting and Proofreading For Dummies is definitely for you. Rave reviews abound for the For Dummies series in practically any topic, but this one is being called a copyediting bible, a lifesaver, confidence booster, you name it.
What’s the difference between proofreading and copyediting? Do you know how to develop your own system of checking a body of text with confidence, knowing that you didn’t overlook a stray comma or abused semi-colon?
That’s where this book comes in. If you’re fuzzy on publishing terms, copy editing symbols and other technical details, you won’t be after reading Copyediting and Proofreading For Dummies.
Editors on Editing: What Writers Need To Know About What Editors Do is not the most lightweight book title in the universe, but it is a handy volume to own if you’re just getting started as a writer or editor.
Editors on Editing has gotten rave reviews from readers who recognize the power of this collection of three dozen essays on the art, craft, and career path of editing. Editor writers take note, this book not only tackles nuts and bolts, it also covers a variety of different needs across many genres.
The 377 pages of this beauty are just want any newcomer needs to read in order to get a leg on up the competition–surely anyone ignorant of the contents of this book will suffer when they go up against someone who has absorbed this materal and taken it to heart.
I’ve said it before…before you can realistically start editing other people’s work for pay, you need to be able to edit yourself. New writers and editors would do well to have a good long read of Claire Kehrwald Cook’s Line By Line. How do you self-edit your own work? Everybody has their own tricks, but this book is a way to give you a head start to developing those editing practices and take some cues from others.
The tough thing about self-editing when you are in the early days of your work as an editor writer is learning what to keep, what to lose, and what to leave well enough alone. Line By Line can help give you perspective on all that. Every good writer is also an editor. Anybody can bang out text on a page, but the real writing comes with plenty of editing.
Line By Line has gotten rave reviews from writers who literally believe this book has changed their lives. That’s a pretty bold claim. Will it do the same for you?
“Dear Editor–can you be a freelance editor writer all in one?”
I won’t try to fool you–this site is far too new to have people writing Dear Editor questions to it already. But this is one I get a lot from newcomers who want to give themselves as much of a chance as possible to get freelance jobs, so I am using it to kick off this featured portion of the site.
Can you be an editor writer? A writer/editor? An editor slash writer?
The short answer is yes. The longer answer is, you have to understand the craft of writing in order to be an effective editor. Are you still struggling with possesive apostrophes and where to use a semi-colon? If so, you might not be ready to be an editor writer or writer/editor just yet.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t try. You can improve your craft greatly by editing the work of other writers–look at the weaknesses of others and you’ll soon recognize your own shortcomings. Just don’t try to be an editor for money until you feel you have a commnad of English grammar and sentence construction. You should also buy a copy of the McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Usage and Grammar. It’s a great tool to help you get intimate with English so you can become that double-threat editor writer.
