Confession: I haven't read all of
Perfect Bound: How to Navigate the Book Publishing Process Like a Pro yet. My paperback copy of it is
shipping out to me now. So this isn't a book review, but I already know I want to use the book for two purposes:
- To help my book authors understand what to expect
- To teach myself more about the current indie publishing processes
If you are an editor too, consider doing the same.
I've worked in the publishing industry, both as an employee of publishers and as a self-employed editor, for 30 years. And things have changed a lot since I started out in 1984. I'm at the top of my game as an editor, polishing manuscripts until they sparkle the way their authors intended. But truly good editors know that to maintain their expertise, they must constantly take part in continuing education about their industry.
What I've read of Perfect Bound so far has convinced me that it will be an excellent continuing-education tool. And I intend to recommend it to my authors, whether they plan to work through traditional publishers or to self-publish.
The book covers these topics:
- Choosing a publication route
- Copyediting and query resolution
- Proofreading, author review, and final revisions
- Printers, distributors, and e-book companies
Why do I think this book is going to be top-notch industry tool? First, author Katherine Pickett has worked in publishing for 15 years, working for major publishers McGraw-Hill Professional and Elsevier before
choosing self-employment. Second, on her blog, Jane Friedman
has shared an excerpt about developmental editors from Pickett's book. You know—
that Friedman, the cofounder and publisher of
Scratch magazine, the web editor of the
Virginia Quarterly, and the former publisher of
Writer's Digest. Third, Pickett works with authors, doing developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading for them, so she knows their needs. Fourth, I've followed posts that Pickett has made in various online arenas frequented by fellow editors, including the email discussion list of the
Editorial Freelancers Association (which we're both members of), and she knows what she's talking about. And fifth, I've read some
chapter excerpts, and you can too.
continuing education publishing process how-to editor EditorMom
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