Today I’m excited to welcome author Stacy Ennis for a Q&A about the book editing process — and the many misconceptions writers have about it.
Stacy is a book and magazine editor, writer, book coach, speaker, and author of The Editor’s Eye: A Practical Guide to Transforming Your Book from Good to Great. A few months ago, Stacy’s publisher Night Owls Press reached out to me with a copy of the book for review — and I fell in love!
On the surface, this book seems like a resource for self-editing, but really, it’s a detailed overview of the writing and publishing process. Whether you’re self-publishing, or seeking or working with a traditional publisher, you probably have some misunderstanding of what editing your book really looks like (I did!). Stacy wrote The Editor’s Eye to demystify this process for writers and give them the tools they need to assess their writing properly and work cooperatively with editors to polish their books.
Pick up The Editor’s Eye to get a rich, deeper understanding of the process of writing a book in a simple, digestible guide you’ll want to keep close at hand throughout your career. Visit StacyEnnis.com for more about the author and free resources for reviewing your manuscript and working with editors. Check out our Q&A below.
Q&A with Stacy Ennis, Author of The Editor’s Eye
DIY Writing: With all that’s involved in writing and publishing a book, why did you decide to dedicate your book to the editing process?
Stacy: So many authors misunderstand editing, and yet an editor can have the single greatest impact on the success of a book. My goal in writing The Editor’s Eye was to empower writers with information and give them the tools to help transform their books from good to great, while also demystifying the editing process.
What is the greatest issue you see during writing/editing process?
In short: ego. Few people are able to objectively assess their work. Many of the new authors I meet think their books simply need proofread, when much more work is needed. Approaching a book with an “editor’s eye” is, in part, about being honest about your needs and willing to accept feedback.
What’s the greatest misconception about writing a book that you have to deal with as an editor/book coach?
New authors often become frustrated when their books don’t “come to them.” But writing a book is a skill that needs to be learned just like anything else. Additionally, planning, in the form of a book outline, is an important part of the book-writing process — and a step people often skip or don’t invest enough time into.
What should an editing team look like (especially for a self-publisher)? Do you need a different editor for each stage or one for all of them? Can an author reasonably DIY any of the stages, or should she enlist an editor at every stage?
An editing team usually includes at least one editor and three proofreaders. I detail the various roles in The Editor’s Eye.
Authors can’t completely separate themselves from their work, so it’s nearly impossible to do a great job DIY-ing any of the stages. That said, there are some self-editing techniques to help lessen the work editors have to do; again, I detail tips in my book. Experienced authors also often don’t need to pay for a full round of developmental editing because they’re experienced in planning their books.
With all of that said, I recognize budgets vary. For some, hiring all levels of editing isn’t possible.
If a writer is determined to publish on the tightest possible budget, what is the ONE place in the writing process that you recommend he spend his money on?
Ah, this question! It’s hard to answer because each stage is important. But, if I have to pick one, I’d suggest the substantive/content editing stage, which focuses on the book’s structure, clarity, flow and other “big picture” elements. Then, when a little more money frees up, hire proofreaders.
Stacy Ennis (stacyennis.com) is a book and magazine editor, writer, book coach, and speaker. Her greatest joy is helping people achieve their book-writing dreams, and she has had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of authors in varied genres, editing several chart-toppers. After teaching writing and English language arts in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam, Stacy returned to the U.S., where she was the founding managing editor of a lifestyle magazine. She is also the former executive editor of Healthy Living Made Simple, a Sam’s Club magazine that reaches over 8 million readers. She has a bachelor’s in writing with a minor in visual art and is completing her master’s in professional writing and editing from the University of Cincinnati.
Stacy lives in Boise, Idaho, with her husband, daughter, and two cats. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading, traveling, and spending time outdoors.
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