A couple weeks ago, I talked with The Language Agent (Nancee-Laetitia Marin) about how she started editing and proofreading full-time, what she believes a great editing and publishing team looks like, how important marketing is when you publish a book, and the importance of developing a relationship with your editor. We cover so much more, too! It’s a great chat to listen to if you are thinking about getting into editing or another professional service related to writing because we talk about some of the struggles behind the scenes and her ideal clients as well. You may be surprised to learn that not everyone gets into this business for money or seeks clients who have all the money.
I met Nancee a couple years ago through a FB group… though we can’t remember which one! She is one of my go-to editors and proofreaders since I switched from editing and ghostwriting full time to spending most of my time coaching people how to write their own books. Even as a ghostwriter, I always worked with a team of editors because it is so important. The reason so many self-published books are lower quality than publishing house books is because authors don’t hire a developmental editor, line editor, copy editor, and proofreader. It sounds like a lot of people to involve on the team, but it is needed because without all of the various types of editing, things can fall through the cracks. When clients are looking to save money due to their budget and we skip these steps, I notice the difference because copy editing and line editing is so different from developmental editing. Copy and line editing involves looking at the details, really zooming in on each page and line whereas developmental editing looks at the big picture and how to write your book in a way that connects with audiences.
Nancee and I talk about publishing from start to finish. We talk about the importance of having the right team as well as the things to consider when jumping into this line of work. Degrees are great but you don’t have to have a BFA or MFA to become a great editor! You need to have a passion for writing and a love for all things writing. Education comes as you write and edit for many of us who got into this business by “accident” when friends ask us to help them.
Remember to come back next Thursday for the takeaways from this chat. There is so much to digest that it will be hard for me to pick only one or two points, but I will try my best!
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