Unfortunately, the term editors is often assumed by writers with manuscripts to sell (as well as by the organizers of writers conferences) to mean acquisition editors. These are a writer’s first contact with a publishing house. Their job is to screen submissions for manuscripts likely to be appropriate for the company they work for.
(Appropriate in the publishing world means: will possibly generate revenue. The fact that most don’t is a complex topic which I will defer to an acquisitions editor to tackle.)
For a large publishing house, writers are not likely to meet these people because acquisitions editors only deal with agents – people independent of the publishing companies, who have prescreened all the manuscripts submitted to the acquisitions folks.
The acquisitions editor has to work with an “editorial” committee that likely involves people in every department of the company. Together they decide which manuscripts fit their established market – and they have a lot to consider: the financial situation, the changing technology of publication, advertising budget, what topics are currently hot, projecting what might be hot in a couple of years when the manuscript first appears in print, whether they already have competing titles, their production commitments, staff capacities, etc.
(I had the owner of a largish small press meet with his editorial committee for five Wednesdays in a row to convince them to accept my own manuscript about the practical philosophy of Gustav Stickley. The owner wanted to publish it, but the staff kept insisting that people nowadays like picture books instead. That was nearly fifteen years ago – and their view of the book buying public (at least the one they market to) devastated me. (But I haven’t given up hope – I’ve learned to focus on my likely audience.)
I’m a freelance editor – not because that company rejected my manuscript, but because I love the process of bringing forth logical, efficient, and engaging writing. Sitting in the reader’s seat is an intriguing practice. As is communicating with writers about how to “speak to” their readers most effectively. In fact, sometimes the written word is not the most effective medium – which can be hard for a Self-Identified Writer to hear.
I also love the breadth of subjects I learn about. And the invitation to call on the learning, experiences, and insights of a long life fully lived to expand and enliven the writer’s vision.
(I also love most of clients. Beware: you may be signing on as a lifelong friend if you hire me. The challenge is that when we’ve finished our intensive time together and the manuscript goes to its next step toward publication, my work time will be devoted to the next client in line. I’ve seen this lead to a grieving period despite the excitement of moving toward completion and print.)
There are a lot of us freelance editors “out there” – some who are good at certain aspects of the process, few who are great at both structure and language – and fewer who have the counseling skills to keep a writer focused through all the hard work, self-rejection, and emotional turmoil that seem inevitable challenges to the writer’s art. For some clients, it’s more important to keep them writing – enabling their creativity to flow unobstructed – than to perfect a manuscript.
I guess that’s the real difference between acquisitions and freelance editors. The acquisition folks are dams with tiny outlets, the freelancers can be creative enhancers.
But it still irks me that I have to share the word “editor” with them because it misleads writers. I notice this in my consultations with attendees of the San Francisco Writers Conference (Valentine’s Day weekend each year). They think they are going to have fifteen minutes with a publisher’s representative, but I’m among the dozen freelancers who are there to help them take their writing to the next level or their pitch to the acquisition editors and agents (three minutes – if they are lucky).
Until next time, delight in the process.
Download PDF: Acquisition vs. Freelance