Timeframe for editing a MS

Dru · Sep 21, 2005

I'm faced with a bit of a quandary. I've asked someone I've worked with in the past to edit my MS. The trouble is that the person is working on the editing 'after-hours' from their primary job, and seems to keep slipping on delivery of edits/comments.

Now, I haven't paid anything for the edit yet, but I was wondering what was a reasonable timeframe for someone to work through a fairly short MS (65k). I can't tell if I'm being too impatient or not. They've had it since the beginning of August.

I don't tend to shift story gears well, so getting this MS out and into a final 'agent-ready' form is kind of critical for me to get into the flow with other WIPs.

How long would a typical editor take for something this size? I don't have a good gauge, since I'm still very new at the process. Also, what would the general fee structure be for something like this (ballpark of low to reasonable to high to 'scam/book doctor')?

I know most of this is my fault for not setting up a timeline and deliverables schedule for the edit. I've definitely learned from the experience so far, but I want to carefully handle this person in a positive way. I trust their feedback and the quality of work, just frustrated by the lag.

What kind of timeframes do people give to editors/betas when they give them an entire MS? I know people here use the SYW forum, critters, and some of the freelancers on the board, so I figured I would ask.

Thanks in advance,

--Dru

scarletpeaches · Sep 21, 2005

I'm puzzled as to how someone else could be expected to edit something you've written? Surely only the author would know what they want to see down on paper, unless you're talking about simple 'punctuation' editing, as I call it, in which case I could do 65k in a few days on a computer.

Cathy C · Sep 21, 2005

I've never hired an editor like this, but my editor at the publisher takes from 1-3 months on the book --- and that's working on it as a full time job. Part-time, with no up front pay, though? I'd think that around Thanksgiving would be a fair timeline to shoot for. Unfortunately, since you didn't discuss a timeline before she took on the project, she probably assumes the schedule is up to her. You might consider contacting her and asking for a goal date. Use whatever excuse you need to. "I just found out that so-and-so will be accepting submissions in November!" or "Wow! An agent I'd love to submit to is taking on new clients." Then, if you set the deadline for the end of October, and she can't meet it, you can take it back without hurt feelings on either side.

Just a thought... Good luck!

maestrowork · Sep 21, 2005

It depends on what kind of edits (proofreading? copyediting? developmental?) and if the person is working on it full-time or WIC (whenever I can)... I'd say it goes from a few weeks to a couple of months. Usually you go back and forth, and you should expect to see the first pass or first batch of edits within a couple of weeks. If it's been a month and you still haven't heard from the person, it's probably time to follow up.

It's a good idea to set up some kind of timeline. I always ask. I also understand that sometimes things happen in real life but if you don't have a timeline, it's very difficult to communicate and expect results in a timely fashion.

It'd help if you pay a portion of your fees up front. I'm sure that would speed things up a bit.

Jamesaritchie · Sep 21, 2005

Edit

How long? Tough question because part of the answer depends on how much work the novel needs, and how fast the individual editor works. If only editing is going on, no actual rewriting, it really shouldn't take all that long. 65K is not much of a read.

The last time I had an editor work on a novel that was around 65K, and worked only on it, it took her only a few days to do the job. She started on Monday, and called me on Thursday morning. But all she had to do was go through and make sure the grammar and punctuation were correct, and to catch any typos. A good editor can do this almost as fast as she can read.

The longest I've ever had an editor take was two weeks. That novel was 72K, and her job was to cut it to 65K so the page count would be what the publisher wanted. After two weeks, she gave up when she got it down to 69K. Cutting can be easy or difficult, depending on how tightly the novel is already written, and how much needs to be cut.

But if a novel has major plot problems that you expect the editor to fix, and/or it needs line edited front to back, up to two or three months isn't out of line.

If the editor only finds the problems, and then you fix them, the timeline can depend largely on how fast and efficiently you work.

In other words, timeline can vary greatly, but no matter how much work the novel needs, it's only 65K, and I'd really start to worry at the two month mark.

KTC · Sep 21, 2005

I promise a month. But as someone else said, the writer is the best editor of their own work. When I take on a MS it has usually already been through at least the 2nd draft. I too do this part time...outside my full time job. But, as a writer, I understand the desire to have a quick response. Unfortunately, it sounds like you did not sit down and go over a time schedule first. I would say, unless of course you are for some reason in dire need of your MS, let it come back to you when she/he is finished with it. Of course, there is no reason you cannot be in dialogue with this person. The last MS I took on, I had it back to the author in three weeks...but we kept in constant touch with daily emails back and forth. And, as I said, her MS was already through the 2nd draft stage. You also have to consider the amount of work that needs to be done in the edit. Good luck. Don't be discouraged.

reph · Sep 21, 2005

scarletpeaches said:
I'm puzzled as to how someone else could be expected to edit something you've written? Surely only the author would know what they want to see down on paper, unless you're talking about simple 'punctuation' editing....

I don't understand this response. Editors edit other people's writing all the time. One reason is that it's too easy for authors to think that

scarletpeaches said:
what they want to see down on paper

matches

reph said:
what actually appears on the paper.

Dru · Sep 22, 2005

Thanks for the input

Everyone,

Thank you so much for the thoughts on the matter. This edit is for structural and story-impacting errors, not a hardcore copy edit. That being said, since I haven't seen anything yet, I cannot comment on what is actually being edited. Essentially I asked for commentary/corrective suggestions for places where errors or pacing conflicted with the flow of the story.

This is either draft two or three, depending on how you define drafts. I've passed through the spelling, and the style gotchas scans already, and have hand-edited and then retyped the MS after those corrections now.

The reason I asked for this is that I trust the feedback this person has provided in the past, and I know the commenting style. Plus, since I've been working on the story and the MS so long, I've developed an acute tunnel vision when it comes to self editing from a story perspective. Line edits I can do, but keeping everything in context and flowing is the struggle for me when what is in my mind and on the paper might not match.

I'm going to re-ping today. Last week we agreed on drop-dead final deadline for the delivery, and will confirm that we're on track for that. Next time I will definitely know how to respond appropriately. From everyone's comments, if the work is proceeding at WIC for someone with another full-time job, the response rate is within the boundaries of reason.

In the future, I will definitely work out a timeframe, deliverables and payment prior to submitting. I should have come here first!

Thanks!

Timeframe for editing a MS

Dru

Professionally Paranoid

scarletpeaches

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Jamesaritchie

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

reph

Fig of authority

Dru

Professionally Paranoid