What Editors Do: the Art, Craft, and Business of Book Editing

October 2, 2017
Ginna, the former publisher of Bloomsbury Press and a blogger at Doctor Syntax, collects essays by editors from many different segments of the industry, shedding light on the nature and value of their work. The book explores all aspects of the editing process from acquisition and manuscript development to ensuring sales success after a book hits the market. The book is peppered with memorable case studies, such as Erika Goldman’s account of acquiring Paul Harding’s much-rejected Tinkers manuscript and turning it into a Pulitzer Prize–winner for Bellevue Literary Press. These examples give an insider’s view of the combination of skill, hard work, and good fortune needed to succeed in the editorial profession. The book’s value comes from the diverse perspectives of the contributors, who range from Hachette Book Group CEO Michael Pietsch to freelance medical editor Katherine O’Moore-Klopf. This variety ensures a multifaceted view of the many roles—including critic, mentor, salesperson, and business executive—encompassed by the job of book editor. These honest and unflinching accounts from publishing insiders are a valuable primer on the field at a time where the value of editors and publishers has been increasingly questioned.

Starred review from November 1, 2017

This useful, down-to-the-bedrock collection of essays from 27 industry leaders on the art, craft, and business of book editing might very well qualify as exhaustive. For the generally curious, and those earning all or even part of their livelihood in some editorial capacity, this is a sturdy guide through often-hazardous textual terrain--an Art of War, if you will, for professional and neophyte alike. Ginna's (Doctor Syntax blog) contributors might not be names familiar to the reading public, but "editing is an invisible art where the very best work goes undetected." A little-known aspect of traditional publishing: best-selling authors often turn in manuscripts peppered with typos, poor grammar, and errors in continuity and logic. Explaining what distinguishes good from great books, literary agent Susan Rabiner's piece "The Other Side of the Desk" addresses conceptualization, that nebulous quality that ignites facts, narratives, and events into enthralling reads. Two authors represented by Rabiner's agency garnered Pulitzer Prizes. VERDICT A vital resource for writers and readers seeking a comprehensive exploration into the author-editor relationship, the lifecycle of a book, and how editors for publishing houses big and small have adapted to an industry in constant flux.--William Grabowski, McMechen, WV

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