{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-blog-post-js","path":"/earning-potential-developmental-fiction-editors-2027","result":{"data":{"page":{"yoast":{"title":"","metadesc":"How much can a developmental fiction editor earn? Explore real rates, what affects earnings, and examples from side gig to full-time."},"title":"The Earning Potential of Developmental Fiction Editors (in 2027)","content":"<p class=\"highlighted\">How much do developmental fiction editors typically earn? What should you charge? Why do rates vary so much, and how you can aim for those higher ones?</p>\n<p>If you’re thinking about becoming a developmental fiction editor, or adding this service to your editorial business, or creating a side gig that turns your passion for storytelling into extra income, this post will help you figure out if it’s financially feasible for you. </p>\n<p>It covers: what editors are charging, why some charge far more than others, how to work out what you need to earn, and what you could realistically make.</p>\n<p>Not sure what developmental editing actually is? Read this post first: <a href=\"https://www.liminalpages.com/what-is-developmental-editing\">What is Developmental Editing?</a></p>\n<h2>What developmental fiction editors are charging in the real world</h2>\n<p>These figures are based on publicly listed rates published by professional bodies, manuscript assessment agencies, a large freelance marketplace and established independent editors in the UK and US. They show what editors <em>charge</em>, not what they <em>earn</em>. </p>\n<p>Dollar figures have been converted to pounds at roughly £0.75 to the dollar, the mid-market rate when I checked at the time of writing (11 November 2026), and everything is rounded. Per-1,000-word figures are my own calculations from the published rates, and the novel-length examples assume 80,000 words.</p>\n<h3>Developmental editing</h3>\n<ul class=\"separated-list\">\n<li><strong>Per 1,000 words:</strong> Most editors charge around £20–27 ($27–36), though the full range runs from about £18 to £80 ($23–107).</li>\n<li><strong>Premium end:</strong> Established independent editors charge £60–80 ($80–107) per 1,000 words.</li>\n<li><strong>Per novel:</strong> An 80,000-word manuscript typically costs £1,600–2,200 ($2,100–2,900). At the premium end, it costs £4,800–6,400 ($6,400–8,500).</li>\n<li><strong>Hourly:</strong> Published rates run from about £34 to £53 ($45–70). The suggested UK minimum is £42.66 ($57).</li>\n</ul>\n<h3>Manuscript critique, appraisal and assessment</h3>\n<ul class=\"separated-list\">\n<li><strong>Flat fees:</strong> For a novel-length manuscript, the typical fee is £500–870 ($670–1,160), usually with a report of around 2,000–3,500 words.</li>\n<li><strong>Per 1,000 words:</strong> That works out at roughly £6–11 ($8–15). The marketplace average is higher at £19.50 ($26), or about £1,560 ($2,080) for an 80,000-word novel.</li>\n<li><strong>Premium end:</strong> Established independent editors charge around £30 ($40) per 1,000 words, or £2,400 ($3,200) for 80,000 words.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a simplified view:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Editorial-Editing-Rate-Comparison-Table.png\" alt=\"Table comparing typical and premium rates for developmental editing and manuscript assessment, in pounds with US dollars in brackets. Typical rate per 1,000 words: developmental editing £20–27 ($27–36), manuscript assessment £6–11 ($8–15). Typical fee for an 80,000-word novel: £1,600–2,200 ($2,100–2,900) for developmental editing, £500–870 ($670–1,160) for assessment. Premium rate per 1,000 words: £60–80 ($80–107) for developmental editing, £30 ($40) for assessment. Premium fee for an 80,000-word novel: £4,800–6,400 ($6,400–8,500) for developmental editing, £2,400 ($3,200) for assessment. Hourly rate: £34–53 ($45–70) for developmental editing, with no figure given for assessment.\" width=\"2168\" height=\"725\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2011\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Editorial-Editing-Rate-Comparison-Table.png 2168w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Editorial-Editing-Rate-Comparison-Table-300x100.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Editorial-Editing-Rate-Comparison-Table-1024x342.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Editorial-Editing-Rate-Comparison-Table-768x257.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Editorial-Editing-Rate-Comparison-Table-1536x514.png 1536w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Editorial-Editing-Rate-Comparison-Table-2048x685.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2168px) 100vw, 2168px\" /></p>\n<p><em>I couldn&#8217;t reliably work out an hourly rate for manuscript assessments, as editors don’t publish one and the deliverables (such as report length and depth) vary. However, they typically take much less time than a full developmental edit.</em></p>\n<h2>Key factors affecting earnings</h2>\n<p>The rates above vary widely, with some editors charging two to four times the typical amount for the same service. I believe several factors explain the gap, and while some depend on an editor’s circumstances, others can be shaped over time.</p>\n<h3>Individual situation</h3>\n<p>Some factors depend on an editor’s own circumstances and the path they choose.</p>\n<ul class=\"separated-list\">\n<li><strong>Experience:</strong> As with all jobs, the more you do, the more you learn. Experienced editors can apply more honed, real-world knowledge to a project, which is value worth paying for, especially if their past clients have been successful.</li>\n<li><strong>Background:</strong> If an editor has a relevant skill or experience (such as time spent as a commissioning editor in a publishing house, or being a published author), this can give them a competitive edge.</li>\n<li><strong>Client source:</strong> Editors must decide for themselves whether they will thrive by working for a larger agency or through a marketplace, or whether they are better positioned to go it alone. With the former, they lose part of their fee to commission, but with the latter they must spend more time marketing. Successful editors know which works best for them.</li>\n</ul>\n<h3>What all editors can control</h3>\n<p>Other factors are within every editor’s control, whatever their background.</p>\n<ul class=\"separated-list\">\n<li><strong>Reputation:</strong> Not quite the same as experience, reputation is affected by client successes and their experience of the service and editor (were they good to work with &#8230;?), and authority and competency signals (such as awards, media appearances, memberships to reputable editorial societies, and more).</li>\n<li><strong>Brand positioning:</strong> This has a massive effect on earning potential. Editors who present themselves in a way that appeals to their ideal clients and demonstrates their individualism and professionalism stand out for all the right reasons.</li>\n<li><strong>Efficiency and boundaries:</strong> The quicker an editor works on a project with a set fee, the more they earn per hour. Similarly, editors who are clear on the project boundaries and do not allow for ‘scope creep’ operate with greater capacity.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Want to learn more about branding and building an editor website that converts? Take a look at this course: <a href=\"https://www.liminalpages.com/courses/the-visible-editor\">The Visible Editor</a>. </p>\n<h3>Where does training fit in?</h3>\n<p>Anyone can call themselves an editor and start trying to find paying clients. There are no regulating bodies or legal requirements like there are for lawyers or doctors.</p>\n<p>Some editors have enough background knowledge and transferable skills and experiences to become successful without formal training, but when you don’t have these things, <a href=\"https://www.liminalpages.com/book-editing-courses\">editorial training</a> provides an essential foundation.</p>\n<p>Training won’t guarantee higher rates, but it can certainly help. It builds your skills, helps you work more efficiently, and gives you credentials that feed into your reputation.</p>\n<h3>Doing the sums</h3>\n<p>Earning potential isn’t only about what editors charge. Earning potential is just that: potential. You can’t just copy what another editor is doing because, as we’ve just seen, there are lots of factors that go into whether that editor can be successful charging that rate. </p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/What-you-need-to-earn.png\" alt=\"Venn diagram with three overlapping circles labelled ‘What you need to earn’, ‘Your capacity’ and ‘What your clients will pay’. The point where all three overlap is labelled ‘Your rates’.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2012\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/What-you-need-to-earn.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/11/What-you-need-to-earn-300x225.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/11/What-you-need-to-earn-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" /></p>\n<p>You also need to think about whether what you can earn from developmental editing matches what you personally need financially. Setting your rate is part of the puzzle, and there are a few things that come into play here.</p>\n<ul class=\"separated-list\">\n<li><strong>What you need to earn:</strong> This depends on your circumstances and where you live. Remember that the fee isn’t what you keep. Tax and social contributions (which vary by country), business costs, unpaid time (holidays, sickness, marketing and admin) and exchange rates all reduce it.</li>\n<li><strong>Your capacity:</strong> This is how many projects you can realistically complete in a year, which depends on how quickly you work, how much time you spend on running the business and finding clients, and how much time you have available. (Raise your hand if you, too, can only work during school hours!)</li>\n<li><strong>What your clients will pay:</strong> The rates in the table above show what the market currently supports, from typical to premium. As you can see, these vary widely. A potential client is more than ‘someone who is looking for an editor’. There are loads of factors at play, but the bottom line is that you need to position yourself in a way that appeals to clients who are capable of hiring you.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Where these three things overlap, you have workable rates. </p>\n<p>Where they don’t, there are options: increase your capacity, build the reputation that supports higher rates, or add other income. </p>\n<p>In fact, many editors who offer developmental editing don’t rely on it alone. It’s usually one service among several, such as copy-editing or proofreading, and for some it’s a side business alongside other work.</p>\n<h2>What a developmental fiction editor could actually earn</h2>\n<p>Let’s look at some concrete examples. I’ve used the fees from the table for an 80,000-word novel here, and all figures are before tax, business costs and unpaid time. Developmental editing and manuscript assessment are two different services, so I’ve separated these out. </p>\n<p>Remember: rate, speed and the number of projects you can take on make the biggest difference, which is why many editors combine developmental editing with other services, work towards premium rates, or do it as a side income.</p>\n<h3>Developmental editing</h3>\n<p>Six typical edits a year would bring in about £9,600–13,200 ($12,800–17,600), a realistic side income or as part of a wider mix of services. One a month would gross about £19,200–26,400 ($25,600–35,200), and this is closer to a full-time workload. At premium rates, six edits a year would bring in £28,800–38,400 ($38,400–51,200).</p>\n<h3>Manuscript assessment</h3>\n<p>Assessments are priced much lower, so they take more projects to add up – but you can earn more per hour with assessments, and they take much less time overall. Ten a year at typical fees would bring in about £5,000–8,700 ($6,700–11,600), as a side income or as part of a wider suite of services, while ten at premium rates would bring in about £24,000 ($32,000) – much rarer, but not impossible.</p>\n<p><strong>Developmental editing can be a rewarding income, whether it’s a side gig or the heart of a full-time business. The editors who do best build their skills, reputation and business sense over time. If you’d like help laying those foundations, my self-paced <a href=\"https://www.liminalpages.com/book-editing-courses\">developmental editing courses</a> at Liminal Pages are a good place to start.</strong></p>\n<p><a href=\"https://www.liminalpages.com/courses/developmental-editing-fiction-theory/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/DEFT-Blog-Ad.png\" alt=\"Banner advertising the online course ‘Developmental Editing: Fiction Theory’ for freelance editors, with a smiling woman holding an open orange book and a ‘Learn more’ button.\" width=\"1320\" height=\"500\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2013\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/DEFT-Blog-Ad.png 1320w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/11/DEFT-Blog-Ad-300x114.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/11/DEFT-Blog-Ad-1024x388.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/11/DEFT-Blog-Ad-768x291.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\" /></a></p>\n","excerpt":"<p>How much do developmental fiction editors typically earn? What should you charge? Why do rates vary so much, and how you can aim for those higher ones? If you’re thinking about becoming a developmental fiction editor, or adding this service to your editorial business, or creating a side gig that turns your passion for storytelling [&hellip;]</p>\n","date":"11th November 2026","author":{"name":"Sophie Playle","description":"worked as a professional editor for 15 years, specialising in developmental editing and copy-editing fiction. Her favourite part of the job was working on imaginative speculative fiction with a literary slant, and reading manuscripts in the bath. She has been teaching editorial skills online for over a decade, and offers online courses and resources to help other editors run their businesses with confidence and skill. Find out more: [url]","acf":{"biographyImage":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1,"src":"/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/2c512/sophie-playle.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/7ede2/sophie-playle.jpg 195w,\n/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/9f700/sophie-playle.jpg 390w,\n/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/2c512/sophie-playle.jpg 780w,\n/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/05233/sophie-playle.jpg 1170w,\n/static/8cccfe2fbb2ab2bbba977eb6be6ab7f6/2c1bb/sophie-playle.jpg 1281w","sizes":"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"}}}}}},"featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.7727272727272727,"src":"/static/17f980abdad31d51f2e3e37239cee30a/2c512/earning-potential-developmental-fiction-editors.jpg","srcSet":"/static/17f980abdad31d51f2e3e37239cee30a/7ede2/earning-potential-developmental-fiction-editors.jpg 195w,\n/static/17f980abdad31d51f2e3e37239cee30a/9f700/earning-potential-developmental-fiction-editors.jpg 390w,\n/static/17f980abdad31d51f2e3e37239cee30a/2c512/earning-potential-developmental-fiction-editors.jpg 780w,\n/static/17f980abdad31d51f2e3e37239cee30a/05233/earning-potential-developmental-fiction-editors.jpg 1170w,\n/static/17f980abdad31d51f2e3e37239cee30a/b24a9/earning-potential-developmental-fiction-editors.jpg 1560w","sizes":"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"}}},"ogImage":{"childImageSharp":{"resize":{"src":"/static/17f980abdad31d51f2e3e37239cee30a/b1395/earning-potential-developmental-fiction-editors.jpg"}}},"twitterImage":{"childImageSharp":{"resize":{"src":"/static/17f980abdad31d51f2e3e37239cee30a/5926f/earning-potential-developmental-fiction-editors.jpg"}}}},"categories":[{"name":"Freelancing","slug":"freelancing"}]},"form":{"wordpress_id":230,"acf":{"title":"Liminal Letters","subtitle":"The newsletter that shares lessons and reflections on the art and business of editing.","introduction":"<p>Course updates, special offers and honest opinions on the editing and publishing industry – plus insights into the life of a small business owner: how I juggle a toddler (not literally), limited hours and high ambitions while trying to cultivate meaningful work.</p>\n","cta_button_text":"Sign up","note":"I will never share or sell your email address. You can unsubscribe at any time. Form not working? Go here: https://liminal-letters.subscribepage.io","mailchimp_url":"liminalpages.us6.list-manage.com","mailchimp_user_id":"5eae0b68be96658ab68947d28","mailchimp_list_id":"5cdff76c1a","mailerlite_user_id":"1255214","mailerlite_form_id":"142431918007256385","success_message":"Thanks for signing up to Liminal Letters. Check your inbox to confirm your subscription. Thanks!","generic_error_message":"Uh-oh. There was a problem signing you up to the mailing list. Please try again later.","already_subscribed_error_message":"You are already subscribed to Liminal Letters. No need to sign up again!","background_image":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":2.6666666666666665,"src":"/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/f422e/newsletter-form-background.jpg","srcSet":"/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/e75b5/newsletter-form-background.jpg 160w,\n/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/c01e2/newsletter-form-background.jpg 320w,\n/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/f422e/newsletter-form-background.jpg 640w,\n/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/a6352/newsletter-form-background.jpg 960w,\n/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/ec6c5/newsletter-form-background.jpg 1280w,\n/static/0ad74ba12e77392825463290d9f3e625/7019e/newsletter-form-background.jpg 1870w","sizes":"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"}}}}}}},"pageContext":{"id":2010,"relatedPosts":[{"node":{"title":"AI and Book Editing","slug":"ai-and-book-editing","content":"<p class=\"highlighted\">AI is a hot topic with editors. The big question on everyone’s mind is: Are the robots going to take over our editing jobs?</p>\n<p>My take is no – not yet anyway.</p>\n<p>Why? Because ‘artificial intelligence’ is just that &#8211; artificial. It doesn’t have true intelligence. To be an editor, you need <em>emotional</em> intelligence and you need <em>judgement</em>.</p>\n<p>At the moment, AI editing tools simply make best guesses based on huge amounts of data. Not all of that data is ‘correct’, and AI tools can’t make intelligent judgements using nuance and context.</p>\n<p><strong>There are loads of examples on the internet where editors have put AI tools to the test and demonstrated how they’ve come up woefully short.</strong></p>\n<p>In my own experience, I tried getting ChatGPT to write an explanation of a grammar issue, and it basically got it wrong.</p>\n<p>Why?</p>\n<p>Because the issue was complicated and it had exceptions and nuances that needed to be considered. ChatGPT was pulling information from badly written, incomplete, contradicting and sometimes incorrect data sources.</p>\n<p>Since it didn’t have the intelligence to simply write a correct explanation of the rule, I certainly wouldn’t expect it to be able to accurately apply the rule to a piece of writing.</p>\n<h2>AI editing tools do have their place, though.</h2>\n<p>They are going to be standard tools in an editor’s arsenal very soon, if they aren’t already.</p>\n<p>Proofreading tools are going to be just as useful as spelling and grammar checkers, which we’re all already very used to using.</p>\n<p>We already used these kinds of tools not to <em>dictate</em> edits but to <em>inform</em> them.</p>\n<p>We still have to apply our own understanding and judgement.</p>\n<h2>Will editing roles change?</h2>\n<p>As AI tools at the proofreading end of the scale get stronger and more sophisticated, I can see proofreading as a standalone job becoming assimilated into the copy-editor’s role.</p>\n<p>This has already been happening, over the years, with tighter publishing budgets, but I can see the onus of catching errors falling into the combined hands of computer and editor, rather than editor and proofreader.</p>\n<p>What about other kinds of editing?</p>\n<p><strong>A lot of people think that developmental editors are harder to replace with AI tools, and I tend to agree.</strong></p>\n<p>Though there are AI tools designed to help with big-picture story analysis, I’ve studied these and they all fall short.</p>\n<p>All of them.</p>\n<p>They can write convincing editorial reports, sure. But how useful and applicable are these reports?</p>\n<p>Not very, in my view.</p>\n<p>They seem to either churn out generic advice that isn’t tailored to the piece of writing its supposed to be analysing, or they spit out data-driven analysis that isn&#8217;t accompanied by useful creative interpretation or suggestions for improvement.</p>\n<h2>Ethics? Real-world application?</h2>\n<p>I’m not even going to touch on the ethics of the creation and use of AI tools because that is such a huge topic, but it’s fair to say these tools are being built on some very sketchy ethical foundations, and unfortunately I don’t think governing bodies are going to give two hoots about creating laws around this any time soon.</p>\n<p>There’s something else to consider, though, and that’s the <em>potential</em> AI tools have versus the <em>real-world application</em> they end up having.</p>\n<p>Why do people write? Why do people read?</p>\n<p>Partly for entertainment, yes, but an even bigger reason – I believe – is for human connection.</p>\n<p>HUMAN connection.</p>\n<p>Novels written by AI lack heart and soul – do we want that?</p>\n<p>And if not, why would we put novels through an editing process that also lacks heart and soul (as well as creative judgement)?</p>\n<p><strong>Writing and publishing are industries with heart.</strong></p>\n<p>I can’t see how outsourcing a huge part of that industry to robots is going to be something anyone really wants.</p>\n<p>Yes, publishing is a business. Yes, the bottom line matters. And that’s why editors will adapt to using AI tools – to make the editorial process more accurate and efficient.</p>\n<p>But honestly, though the role of the editor will change, I don’t think editors will be disappearing anytime soon due to the rise of AI.</p>\n<p><em>Have you been putting off taking the leap into freelance editing because you&#8217;ve been worried about AI? If this post has made you think again, take a look at my <a href=\"/courses/\">editorial training courses</a>.</em></p>\n","excerpt":"<p>AI is a hot topic with editors. The big question on everyone’s mind is: Are the robots going to take over our editing jobs? My take is no – not yet anyway. Why? Because ‘artificial intelligence’ is just that &#8211; artificial. It doesn’t have true intelligence. To be an editor, you need emotional intelligence and [&hellip;]</p>\n","date":"1st August 2024","wordpress_id":1766,"categories":[{"wordpress_id":8,"name":"Freelancing","slug":"freelancing"}],"featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"aspectRatio":1.7846153846153847,"tracedSVG":"data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='400'%20height='225'%20viewBox='0%200%20400%20225'%20preserveAspectRatio='none'%3e%3cpath%20d='M190%2022c-10%203-18%209-19%2015-1%203-2%205-7%208-6%204-11%2010-8%2011v8l-2%2011v5c2-2%204-2%204%200l-1%201c-1-1-3%204-4%206v4l2%203%201%201%201-1c1%200%202%201%201%202%200%201%200%202%202%201%201%200%202%200%202%202%200%201%202%200%204-5%204-5%205-6%206-4%202%203%201%208-3%208-1%200-2%201-2%203%200%205-1%207-3%207-1-1-2%200-2%202l-1%205-1%204%202-3%203-4%206-2c1-1%201%201%201%203-1%204-1%206-3%208l-3%204c0%202-2%203-2%201-1-1-1%200-1%201%200%203%201%205%203%204l3%203c1%205%201%205%206%206%205%200%205%200%205%203-1%204-3%205-6%205-4%200-4%200-3%208%201%203%200%202-3%200-4-3-7-11-9-18l-5-18-1-3-1-4c-2-2-1%205%200%209%202%203%204%2012%202%2010-2-3%200%208%203%2017a96%2096%200%20015%2017v7c-2%202-2%204-1%207l-1%207-1%206c-1%204-1%205-8%208-6%203-7%204-11%2011l-5%209c0%201-1%202-3%202-2%202-1%202%2015%202h17l-1-5c0-6%200-6%202%201%201%203%202%204%204%204l3-1v-3c1-3%205-2%204%201%200%203%201%204%204%202%202%200%202-2%200-4-1-2-1-2%202-2l3-1-2-2c-4-3-5-9-2-17%202-7%202-13%200-31%200-5%201-7%202-5l5%203%204%203%202%204c2%202%203%207%205%2017l-1%203c-2%200-3%206-3%2014%201%205%200%208-1%209-2%204%200%204%209%203l10-2c3-2%208-2%2010-1v1c-2%200-2%200-1%202h2c0-2%203-1%203%201s-5%204-9%204l-4%201c-1%201%200%201%204%201l6-1%201-1%201%201a1215%201215%200%2000122%200l-4-4-3-4h3l9%202c7%200%2013%202%2016%205%202%202%204%202%2017%202h14v-15l-2%201c-3%202-6%207-6%209%200%203-2%203-6%200-9-7-15-9-24-9h-14c-5%200-10-2-8-3v-1l-9-3c-9-4-9-5-9-23%200-9%200-13-2-15l-1-2%201%202a156%20156%200%2001-1%2030c0-2-2-3-3-3v-1c2-1%201-2-6-10l-7-11-5-10c-5-9-6-10-8-25%200-5%200-5%205%201%204%205%203%203%200-3l-7-11-5-8-1-3-1-5c-1-3-1-3-1-1v3l-1-3-2-9-1-8-3-6c1%200%202%201%202%203l2%201c0-1%200-2%201-1%203%201-1-5-4-7l-2-3-3-4-3-5c0-3-10-15-14-18-3-1-5-3-5-5l-20-16-10-6-12-1-15%201m-26%2030l-5%206-4%2017c1%201%208-3%2010-6%203-4%204-4%201-4-2%200-1-7%201-12%202-4%201-4-3-1m6%2016c-3%202-3%2010%201%209l1%201v2c1%200%201%204-1%206l1%202%201-1h3l4%201c1-1%202%200%202%201%200%202%202%201%203-2%200-3-4-6-8-6-2%200-2-4-1-8%202-5-1-8-6-5m5%2043c-2%203-3%206-1%206%203%200%206%200%207-2h1c0%203%204%204%206%203%202-2%201-6-1-7h-3c-1%202-1%202-2%200-2-3-4-3-7%200'%20fill='%23d3d3d3'%20fill-rule='evenodd'/%3e%3c/svg%3e","src":"/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/f7fa3/AI-and-book-editors.jpg","srcSet":"/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/c96d8/AI-and-book-editors.jpg 116w,\n/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/12243/AI-and-book-editors.jpg 232w,\n/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/f7fa3/AI-and-book-editors.jpg 463w,\n/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/ce8db/AI-and-book-editors.jpg 695w,\n/static/b201c9644c414160b632d2b79d0197d9/2c512/AI-and-book-editors.jpg 780w","sizes":"(max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px"}}}}}},{"node":{"title":"What to Do If Authors Can’t Afford Professional Editing","slug":"what-to-do-if-you-cant-afford-professional-editing","content":"<p class=\"highlighted\">An author enquires about your editing services, then replies that it&#8217;s too much money. What do you do?</p>\n<p>How wealthy someone is shouldn&#8217;t be a barrier to publication (and it doesn&#8217;t have to be, with the ability to self-publish and all the free information out there on how to do so), but there&#8217;s no denying that a good editor can help elevate a manuscript.</p>\n<p>But it&#8217;s also true that the cost of editing is simply impossible for some. Here’s my advice on what to do.</p>\n<h2>Highlight the value of your edit.</h2>\n<p>Editing can be a lot of money. (<a href=\"/editing-expensive/\">Here&#8217;s why.</a>) Maybe the author didn&#8217;t expect to spend that amount. If so, highlight the value they’ll get from editing. Let them mull it over with all the information, but never be pushy and always accept their decision.</p>\n<h2>Suggest writing groups and beta readers.</h2>\n<p>Perhaps the author can&#8217;t afford a professional developmental edit but they have enough in their budget for copy-editing and/or proofreading. To get some big-picture feedback, you could suggest the author sends their book to beta readers. (See: <a href=\"/what-are-beta-readers/\">What are Beta Readers?</a>)</p>\n<p>A beta reader might not have the same level of knowledge as a professional developmental editor, but it’s always valuable to have several pairs of critical eyes assess a manuscript.</p>\n<h2>Quid pro quo.</h2>\n<p>Not everyone will be open to this arrangement, but if an author has a highly specialised skill that could be helpful to you (such as website building or professional headshot photography), you might feel happy to make a trade! Just make sure you both feel you&#8217;re getting a fair exchange of value – and be warned, this can be a little tricky.</p>\n<h2>Adjust the scope of your service.</h2>\n<p>If an author isn&#8217;t able to afford to have their whole manuscript edited, offer to edit a smaller section instead. For example, perhaps you could edit 10,000 words and provide extensive notes on what you&#8217;ve done and why so the author can better self-edit the rest of their novel.</p>\n<p><strong>Remember, you don&#8217;t know the author&#8217;s situation. Don&#8217;t feel guilted into offering prices that aren&#8217;t sustainable. Focus on trying to offer a balanced exchange of value, but at the end of the day if an author doesn&#8217;t value your services, you can&#8217;t always change that – it&#8217;s better to focus on the next potential client!<br />\n</strong></p>\n<p>Saying that, do you feel confident that <a href=\"/courses/the-visible-editor/\">your brand and website</a> are portraying your value &#8230;?</p>\n","excerpt":"<p>An author enquires about your editing services, then replies that it&#8217;s too much money. What do you do? How wealthy someone is shouldn&#8217;t be a barrier to publication (and it doesn&#8217;t have to be, with the ability to self-publish and all the free information out there on how to do so), but there&#8217;s no denying [&hellip;]</p>\n","date":"1st July 2019","wordpress_id":1138,"categories":[{"wordpress_id":8,"name":"Freelancing","slug":"freelancing"}],"featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"aspectRatio":1.7846153846153847,"tracedSVG":"data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='400'%20height='226'%20viewBox='0%200%20400%20226'%20preserveAspectRatio='none'%3e%3cpath%20d='M160%208a75%2075%200%2000-25%2053l1%2016c1%203%201%202%201-6a87%2087%200%200133-69c4-1%204-2%201-2-2%200-5%202-11%208m85-6c6%203%2011%207%2011%208h1c2%200%206%204%205%205l-2-1-2-1v2c1%201%201%201%200%200l-2%202-2%204c-3%202-2%2013%201%2015l1%2013-2%204c0%203-1%204-2%204h-4c-4%201-6%209-2%2012l2%203%202%203s2%201%202%203l2%202c1%200%202%201%202%203l1%202%201%202%204%201c5-1%205%201%202%206l-3%204-2%201c-1%201%200%201%202%201l3-1%201-1c2%202%2015-4%2015-6l1-1%202-1c2-3%201%202-1%207-2%204-2%205-6%205-3%201-4%201-3%202l1%203%201%202v3c-2%202-2%204%200%202s3%201%202%203l-11%2010-4%201c-3%202-5%202-4%201l-5%202-6%202c-1-1%200-1%201-2l2-2c-1-1-3%200-4%201-3%202-4%202-4%200h-2l-5%203h-3l3-2%203-4c0-3%201-3%202-2l7%202c6%201%208%201%2012-3l2-3h-2l-4-1c-2-2-2-2-7%201l-6%202%203-3c2-1%206-3%207-5l7-3h4l1%201c0%202%201%202%203%202%205-1%208-5%204-5l-4-2-5-4-4-3-4-1-6-2c-2%200-6-2-9-5l-7-6%201-2c2-1%202-1%201-3l-2-3c0-2-2-3-7-1-2%201-2%201%200%202l2%203v4c1%203%203%206%205%207%205%203%204%204-7%204l-16%201-15%202c-9%200-15%202-12%203%206%204%208%206%208%209l-1%203c-1%200-2%201-2%203s-4%203-5%201c0-2-3-4-4-4l1%203%202%203c0%201%203%202%207%202l2%201c0%201-2%202-7%202l-7%202c-1%201-9-5-16-11-9-9-8-5%201%205l2%203-5-5-5-4%206%209%202%203-2-1-2-1-6-4-5-5%205%208c3%203%202%204-4%204l-8%202-4%203-4%202c-2%202-3%202-24%203l-9%201c-3%201-5%201-3-1%202-1-5-2-16-2l-13-1-12%202c0%202%202%204%204%203l1%201c1%201%200%201-1%201l-3%201%2012%201c16%200%2019%203%2010%208-6%205-4%206%2015%206l14%201%2015-1c16-2%2016-2%2016-4l1-1%201%201c-1%201%200%201%201%201l1-1v-1l2%201%205%201%205%201c-1%201%200%201%202%201l4-1c0-2%2012-1%2016%200l3%203c0%202-6%206-8%206l-2%201%202%201%207%202c7%202%208%202%205-4l-3-5c1-1%205%201%205%202l2%204c2%201%202%201%203-1%202-1%202-1%202%202l-1%204c-2%200-1%203%201%204%204%203%207%206%206%207l-5%203c-5%203-10%207-9%209l5%201%209%201h6c3-1%208-1%208%201l-4%202-4%204c-3%203-13%203-18%200-7-4-8-5-16-6a1820%201820%200%2001-14-3l-5-7c-5-5-6-6-6-10l-1-4h-10c-17%201-29%200-34-1s-5-2-5-5l-1-3a416%20416%200%2000-31-1l-18-1h-5l-7-1%204%203%207%205%204%203%208-2%2021-1c16-1%2017%200%2013%205l-2%202%202%202%203%201%209%201%2018%201c24%200%2025%200%2023%206v4c2%203%201%205-1%206-3%201-4%203-2%203s4%203%204%204l-5%202c-4%201-5%201-8-1l-4-3c1%200%200-2-2-2-3-2-3-4%201-7%202-2%202-3%201-4-2-1-35-3-36-2l-11-1-10-1%203-2%203-2-2-3c-4-2-4-2-26%200-13%201-20-2-10-4%205-2%205-2%201-5l-4-2-2-1c-2%200-3%202-2%207l-2%201-1%202c2%207%202%208-2%2012-3%204-3%204-1%204l8%203c7%203%2019%205%2031%203%205%200%206%200%208%207%202%2013%201%2016-10%2018-4%200-5%200-9-3-3-3-4-4-13-4l-13-2c-5-2-6-1-5%209a1209%201209%200%200081-2c-3-3-3-5%201-6%208-1%2013%200%2017%202%206%203%2012%204%2017%204l8%201c3%200%203%200%204-2%201-5%206-7%2013-5l9%201%206-2%206-1c2-2%2012-2%2014%200%201%202%203%203%203%201s5-2%208-1c3%202%2012%200%2021-4%206-2%208-2%2014-2h45c5%202%205%202%209-1s5-3%206-2l2%202%202%201c1%201%205%200%205-1%200-2%203-5%205-7%202-1%202-1-1-1-6-2-3-7%204-9%204-1%205-1%206%201%203%203%202%204%200%206-3%201-3%201-1%203s1%206-2%209l-3%204-3%206-3%205%2043%201h44v-24l-1-21c0%202%200%203-1%202-3-2-16-4-18-3l-1%201%202%201%201%201%205%202h5l2%201c2%200%202%200%202%202s-5%205-12%206c-6%202-8%202-6-1%202-2-2-5-6-6-4%200-5%201-4%203%204%204%204%206%202%207l1%201c5%201%203%208-2%208-2%200-2%200-2-3v-3h-6c-7%201-7%200-11-4s-5-5-10-5l-6-2-5-2c-9-3-14-7-11-11%201-1-3-7-5-6l-1-1c-2-2-13-2-16-1-3%202-4%201-2-2h18c1-1%208-2%2012-1h11l11%201c1%202%202%202%203%201l6-1a2878%202878%200%200017%201l9%202c7%200%209%200%2015%202%203%200%203%200%203-2v-35l-20%201a478%20478%200%2001-69-1c-2%201-1-5%203-15%206-13%207-17%203-16l-4-1c-1-2-3%200-3%202l-1%204-12%204h-2l-1%201v1l-1%201h-1l2%202c4%202%200%207-4%205l-6%205c-5%206-16%2014-26%2019-6%203-7%203-21%204s-16%201-15%203-4%2014-7%2017l-2%204c2%201%2019%202%2023%201%202-1%204-1%208%201%206%202%207%203%205%206l-1%202c3%201%204%205%203%207-2%203-12%201-13-3l-4-2c-2-1-3-2-2-3%200-3-8-6-22-8-7%200-9-2-4-2%204%200%2010-8%208-11l1-2c1%201%201%200%201-1l-1-3-1-1%202-1%201-1c0-1-5%200-7%202h-5c-3%201-7%201-7-1l3-1%202-1v-1l2%201c1%201%206%200%207-3l2-2-1-3c-3-3-3-3-1-4%206-4%2025-4%2032-1l5%201h2c1%201%201%202-1%206-1%203%205%201%2014-6%206-4%209-7%204-4h-2v-4l5-6%206-4-5%205-4%205%202%202c3%203%2023-21%2026-33%201-2%201-2-1-2s-2%200-2-2a548%20548%200%20006-17c2%200%204-5%204-9l2-5%201%202-1%202v2c1%201-1%2014-4%2023-2%207-3%2011-1%208%205-8%209-32%207-43%200-7-4-22-5-24-1-1-1-1-1%201%203%2011%205%2021%204%2022l-2-6c-3-15-12-34-23-46l-7-7h-16c-15%200-15%200-12%202m66%200c0%202%200%202%201%201%201-2%204%200%205%203l2%205v3c-1%202-1%203%201%206%203%208%203%2012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116w,\n/static/b8a6e8f78e7a79b04aedd50c0631acc6/12243/cant-afford-professional-editing.jpg 232w,\n/static/b8a6e8f78e7a79b04aedd50c0631acc6/f7fa3/cant-afford-professional-editing.jpg 463w,\n/static/b8a6e8f78e7a79b04aedd50c0631acc6/ce8db/cant-afford-professional-editing.jpg 695w,\n/static/b8a6e8f78e7a79b04aedd50c0631acc6/87cea/cant-afford-professional-editing.jpg 926w,\n/static/b8a6e8f78e7a79b04aedd50c0631acc6/b24a9/cant-afford-professional-editing.jpg 1560w","sizes":"(max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px"}}}}}},{"node":{"title":"12 Things Authors Want Editors to Know","slug":"authors-want-editors-to-know","content":"<p class=\"highlighted\">Once you’ve been a professional editor for a while, it’s easy to get a bit cocky. You think you know it all. But every once in a while, it’s useful to step out of your editing bubble and really consider things from the author’s perspective …</p>\n<p>At the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading&#8217;s annual conference, I had the opportunity to hear about the other side of editing. A panel of authors got together to share their experiences.</p>\n<p>Though nothing they revealed particularly surprised me (which I took to be a good thing), much of what they said helped me see editing work more acutely and empathetically from the point of view of clients.</p>\n<p>Here are twelve things I learned authors want their editors to know.</p>\n<h2>1. &#8216;Cover letters are really useful!&#8217;</h2>\n<p>A covering letter that goes along with your copy-edit or developmental edit is much appreciated by authors.</p>\n<p>It helps set the tone of the editor–author relationship and can provide an overview summary of what they should expect when working through their edited manuscript.</p>\n<p>It doesn’t have to be long or detailed, just thoughtfully considered.</p>\n<h2>2. &#8216;Please … give us a few compliments.&#8217;</h2>\n<p>Receiving a manuscript file covered in red mark-up can feel like death by a thousand cuts!</p>\n<p>Even though authors are grateful to editors for helping them improve their work, each edit is a small criticism, highlighting that the author has done something ‘wrong’.</p>\n<p>For the love of chocolate, make sure you’re throwing them a compliment every now and then!</p>\n<p>Tell them when you think they’ve written a particularly beautiful turn of phrase or when something happens in the story that makes you eager to keep reading.</p>\n<h2>3. &#8216;Different writers find different types of editing more emotionally challenging.&#8217;</h2>\n<p>We all have our strengths, and when you face criticism on something you feel you’re pretty good at, it can hurt.</p>\n<p>An author might feel as though they need a helping hand with their grammar, but they’ve worked darn hard on plotting an exciting and emotionally resonant story, so a developmental edit might feel particularly fraught with emotion for them.</p>\n<p>On the flip side, an author could have sweated over every single word choice, every single comma placement, but they’re eager to hear ways the story itself could be improved, in which case, a meticulous line and copy-edit could be painful but a developmental edit received with enthusiasm.</p>\n<h2>4. &#8216;We love seeing your reactions as a reader.&#8217;</h2>\n<p>More often than not, editors are the first critical readers of a novel!</p>\n<p>Developmental editors should not only provide objective feedback but also offer some of their personal reactions. Copy-editors, too, should throw some of their emotional reactions into the mix.</p>\n<p>That’s not to say that we should be telling authors to change what we don’t ‘like’ about their story (because we can’t claim to be completely representative of the novel’s whole intended readership, it’s not our story, and if we’re copy-editing it’s not our place to criticise the story anyway), but we should think about letting the author know where we gasped, where we cheered, where we cried.</p>\n<p>It’s confirming for the author, and just a nice thing to include.</p>\n<h2>5. &#8216;We want to work with editors who like our genres.&#8217;</h2>\n<p>Authors can tell if you’re not a fan of their genre.</p>\n<p>It will either come across in inappropriate edits or lack of enthusiasm and understanding in your comments … and that can not only be disheartening, but make authors worried that you won’t be doing your best work because your heart won’t be in it.</p>\n<h2>6. &#8216;Getting edits back too fast can make us feel raw.&#8217;</h2>\n<p>It takes a long, long time for an author to finish their novel draft. If they receive editorial feedback too quickly, it can be hard to process.</p>\n<p>On top of that, if it takes them a year to write their novel and you finished editing it in a week, it will make them wonder how carefully you’ve read, digested and worked through their writing. Hmm …!</p>\n<h2>7. &#8216;Don’t just tell us the problem – suggest a solution!&#8217;</h2>\n<p>Authors have already done their best. So when you flag up problem after problem, you’re pilling more and more work onto their plates – work that takes time, imagination, energy and emotion.</p>\n<p>If you’re going to suggest an author changes something, it’s much more useful to provide a suggestion.</p>\n<p>Not only does it reduce their workload if they decide to go with your suggestion, but it can help spark more ideas for the author to consider.</p>\n<p>Further, if they have trouble understanding your criticism in the first place, providing a solution can help the author truly understand the problem.</p>\n<h2>8. &#8216;When you explain your edits, it makes us better writers.&#8217;</h2>\n<p>As a copy-editor, it’s so tempting to just fix the problems you see – but if you take the time to explain your edits, authors are much more likely to be receptive to your changes and it helps them improve their craft.</p>\n<p>That’s not to say you should explain every tiny edit (because that could take a loooong time) but if you see an author making the same mistake over and over, or you’ve untangled something particularly tricky, it’s definitely worth explaining.</p>\n<h2>9. &#8216;We hate it when you mess with the flow and pacing of our words.&#8217;</h2>\n<p>‘It’s house style’ is not a catch-all for every edit you make. Arguably more important than house style is the author’s style, voice and creative intentions.</p>\n<p>And when your edits start to mess up sentences carefully crafted for flow, pacing and rhythm, that really makes authors grind their teeth.</p>\n<p>Sure, what you’ve proposed might be more technically ‘correct’, but correct isn’t everything when it comes to creative writing.</p>\n<p>That doesn&#8217;t mean just leave everything as it is (otherwise, what&#8217;s the point of editors?), but you should try to be aware of the musicality of a sentence before you change it.</p>\n<h2>10. &#8216;We’re all different when it comes to how close we want to feel to our editors.&#8217;</h2>\n<p>Some authors like to feel as though their editors are also their friends, someone they can be a little less formal with while still maintaining professionalism.</p>\n<p>Others like to keep things strictly business, with the minimum amount of contact necessary. It’s (probably) not because they don’t like you – it’s just preference!</p>\n<h2>11. &#8216;Make us feel confident that you understand what we’re trying to do.&#8217;</h2>\n<p>Authors especially appreciate it when you ‘get’ what they’re trying to do in their writing, even if they haven’t quite achieved it.</p>\n<p>If you’re able to work out where things have gone wrong and how things can be made even more effective … authors will truly love you.</p>\n<p>Even if you don’t quite manage to pull it off, authors understand that writing can be hard, so they won’t begrudge you for trying.</p>\n<p>In fact, you might just bring enough to the table to prompt them to figure out for themselves exactly what needs to be done.</p>\n<h2>12. &#8216;We’re happy to invest in good editing, as long as it works with our budget.&#8217;</h2>\n<p>Authors are more than happy to pay for quality editing.</p>\n<p>Contrary to what you might think, they aren’t trying to find the cheapest deal possible. Though not always the case, often when you pay peanuts, you get monkeys – people know that.</p>\n<p>Saying that, pockets aren’t infinitely deep, so there needs to be a balance struct between what’s fair and what’s realistic, so don’t be offended if what you charge doesn’t match with what your client is willing to pay. Sometimes those numbers just don’t match. (If that happens to you, <a href=\"/clients-wont-pay-what-service-worth/\">here’s how you can deal with it.</a>)</p>\n<p>A big thank you to the panel for sharing their insights!</p>\n<p><strong>Josie Lloyd</strong> and <strong>Emlyn Rees</strong> are co-authors of seven best-selling novels, have their own solo writing careers, and in the past jointly ran a successful novel-editing business.</p>\n<p><strong>KJ Charles</strong> worked as an editor for twenty years. She is now a full-time romance novelist with twenty-three novels under her belt. She moved from traditional publishing to self-publishing.</p>\n<p><strong>Alison Ingleby</strong> is a USA Today best-selling author of sci-fi and fantasy fiction. She is self-published, and I’m privileged to say was one of my clients!</p>\n<p><strong>Kia Thomas</strong>, both a writer and an editor of fiction, chaired the session.</p>\n","excerpt":"<p>Once you’ve been a professional editor for a while, it’s easy to get a bit cocky. You think you know it all. But every once in a while, it’s useful to step out of your editing bubble and really consider things from the author’s perspective … At the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading&#8217;s annual [&hellip;]</p>\n","date":"21st November 2019","wordpress_id":1289,"categories":[{"wordpress_id":8,"name":"Freelancing","slug":"freelancing"}],"featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"aspectRatio":1.7846153846153847,"tracedSVG":"data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='400'%20height='226'%20viewBox='0%200%20400%20226'%20preserveAspectRatio='none'%3e%3cpath%20d='M10%201l3%204%202%204%201%202%205%207%205%207%201%201v3l1-1c0-1%201-2%202-1v-1c-2-2-3-9-1-9%202%201%201-1%200-2-2-1-2-4-2-8V0h-8l-9%201m31%200c-2%200-1%207%201%2010s3%203%203%200c-1-3-1-3%202%200l4%202%202%201-2%202h-3l2%202%204%206%202%204%201%201%201%204%202%207c0%203%203%209%204%209v-3c0-3%201-4%203-3l1-1-2-1v-1l-1-1-1%201c-1%201-1%200-2-1-1-2-1-3%201-6l2-5%201-2c1%200%203-2%203-4%202-4%202-4%200-6l-3-2-3-1-2-2c-2%200-1%202%202%205l2%203c-1%200-10-5-11-7l-3-1-2-1c-1-2%203-2%206-1h1V8l-2-1-2-1c-1%201-2%200-3-1l-2-1-1-2c-1-2-2-2-5-1m47%200l-8%203-5%202%202%202%202%202%203%202c1%203%202%202%202-1%200-5%202-7%205-6%203%200%207-2%207-4h-8m35%201c2%202%202%202%201%203-6%204-7%206-7%207%201%202%205%203%205%201%201-2%203%201%203%204%200%202%201%203%202%203l1%201h2v-3c-3%201-3%200%201-4%203-4%206-5%206-3l6-4%207-5%202-1-16-1c-15%200-15%200-13%202m15%2012c-1%200-3%201-3%203-2%203-8%209-10%209-5%200%200%202%206%202%206%201%206%201%206-1%200-3%202-4%204-1s3%201%202-4c-2-5%200-5%204-1%203%204%205%204%205%202s-9-10-10-10l-4%201m136%2023c0%203%200%203-1%202h-1l1%203%201%205c0%204%200%205%202%206l1%201-1%201h-2l1%201%201%202c0%202%200%202%201%201%200-3%203-6%203-4v4c0%202%200%203%202%204%202%200%202%200%200%203v3h4l4%201%2023%208%2013%203c15%202%2014%202%2012-4-1-5-4-8-5-6s-11-3-11-5-2%203-2%207v3l-7-1c-11-2-31-13-31-18l2-5%202-4-5-1c-4%200-5-1-5-2l-2-11v3m-136-1l-8%207c-6%205-7%206-7%2019l-2%206-2%204c0%209-4%2023-6%2024s-4%2023-3%2024%201%201-1%201-2%200-1%201c2%200%203%202%201%202l3%202c3%202%204%203%205%206l2%209c0%202%200%202%203%200%206-5%2017-6%2024-2%206%202%205%203%2024-8%2013-8%2015-9%2020-9h7c2%200%201-2-2-3l-4-5c-3-8-6-7-2%200%202%207%200%207-4%200l-6-5c-3%201-6-1-5-3v-3l-1-1c-2%201-2%200-2-1s0-2-1-1l-11%201-7%201v-5l2-9c2-4%202-4%204-2l2%203c0%202%205%206%207%206v-2l-1-4-1-1-2-2-2-2c-1%200-2-1-2-3%200-3-2-4-2-2l-5-27-1-15c-1-2-8-2-13-1m63%2061l2%203c3%202%202%203-3%203-3%200-5%205-4%209%200%203%200%203%203%203h11l1-1c-1%200-5-10-4-11l-2-5c-3-2-4-2-4-1M63%20112v3l1%206c0%202%201%204%204%207a154%20154%200%200112%2014c2%200%201-3-1-5-3-2-3-2-1-4l1-2-2%201c-2%202-7-3-6-7l-1-3-1-2-1-2-2-3-3-4v1m-5%204l-2%201c-2-1-1%206%202%209l2%208c0%204%202%208%204%207%200-1%202%200%203%202%204%203%205%202%201-3-2-2-4-7-5-12l-3-9c-2%200-2-1-1-2l1-2-2%201M0%20181v45h3l4-1%202-2%209-5a574%20574%200%200143-23l4-1h-5c-8-2-13-5-19-10-5-5-6-8-4-6l1-1-2-1c-1%201-1%200-2-2l-4-5-3-3-1-1c-2%201-9-7-8-8l-1-1c-2%201-8-7-12-16l-3-3-1-1v-1l-1%2046'%20fill='%23d3d3d3'%20fill-rule='evenodd'/%3e%3c/svg%3e","src":"/static/f0bc3fdf49985ffff893bf07bd6c500f/f7fa3/authors-want-editors-to-know.jpg","srcSet":"/static/f0bc3fdf49985ffff893bf07bd6c500f/c96d8/authors-want-editors-to-know.jpg 116w,\n/static/f0bc3fdf49985ffff893bf07bd6c500f/12243/authors-want-editors-to-know.jpg 232w,\n/static/f0bc3fdf49985ffff893bf07bd6c500f/f7fa3/authors-want-editors-to-know.jpg 463w,\n/static/f0bc3fdf49985ffff893bf07bd6c500f/ce8db/authors-want-editors-to-know.jpg 695w,\n/static/f0bc3fdf49985ffff893bf07bd6c500f/87cea/authors-want-editors-to-know.jpg 926w,\n/static/f0bc3fdf49985ffff893bf07bd6c500f/b24a9/authors-want-editors-to-know.jpg 1560w","sizes":"(max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px"}}}}}}]}},"staticQueryHashes":["1904826805","3610551545","930678125"]}