Editors are feeling stuck right now, with a reduction in work and an increase in client reluctance to pay professional-level fees amid a rise in costs of just about everything.
Whether we blame AI, changing economics, an unstable world, or something else, it’s clear that editing is taking a big hit these days.
Editors everywhere are stepping back and considering their options. Should you expand your editing services to capture more projects? Maybe you should acquire a new skill set to offer a related service. Or maybe you should get out altogether.
This isn’t the first time editing has experienced a big shift in how it’s done and who’s doing the work. And of course, we all get tired or bored sometimes. Originally published in 2016, I wrote a two-part series, “A Dozen Ways to Advance Your Copyediting Career,” to show the options that exist for editors. Part 1 tackled word-related opportunities, including different levels of editing, indexing, and social media. Part 2 looked at publishing services that stepped away from words, such as designing. They didn’t cover everything, of course. And now there are more options—or options that have become more popular.
Today, I’ll look at 11 more opportunities in detail and end with a handful more ideas to explore.
Services for Book Authors
Whichever level of editing you do (and I include proofreading in that), the self-publishing space offers several ways to support authors on their publishing journey.
Manuscript Evaluation and Beta Reading
Manuscript evaluation and beta reading are related to developmental editing. A manuscript evaluation is similar to developmental editing, focused on high-level concerns, such as structure, story, and organization. But where a developmental edit would go into detail and might make changes, a manuscript evaluation gives an overview and doesn’t make changes to the manuscript.
A beta reading is a read-through of a completed but unedited manuscript. This could be a general review, a peer review (as with a journal article), or an authenticity reading (reviewing the manuscript from the perspective of a specific group). Here, too, the resulting report covers items at a high level, and there’s no editing done to the manuscript.
When prospective clients balk at the cost of a developmental edit, you might offer one of these services instead. They’re quicker to provide so they can be offered at a lower rate. You might even find that the client comes back later for another level of editing with you.
If you’re already a developmental editor, you likely have all the skills you need already. For targeted training, check out:
- DE 5: Manuscript Evaluation from ClubEd
- “Sensitivity Reading 101” by Crystal Lang
- “What to Know to Become an Authenticity (Sensitivity) Reader” by Crystal Lang
- Sensitivity Reads: A Guide for Professional Editors by Ebonye Gussine Wilkins and Lourdes Venard
Self-Publishing Consultant
Most freelance editors end up giving their indie authors at least some self-publishing advice. Why not make your advice more comprehensive and get paid for it?
We can pick up a lot of what we know just from working in the field. To fill in any gaps, check out the publishing courses from Coursera and books, blogs, and training from Jane Friedman.
Query Letter and Book Proposal Writer/Editor
For writers looking for a contract with a traditional publisher, you can offer services focused on query letter and book proposal creation. Once again, most of the skills for these services come from what you already know from your experience. Check out Jane Friedman’s offerings to learn more.
Sales Copywriter and Marketer
Maybe you’re interested in helping authors sell their books. If so, you can offer to write the book’s metadata and keywords (crucial for the book’s ISBN record, book retailers, and libraries), a blurb for the back cover and promotions, and Amazon sales copy.
You can do even more to help book authors market their books by drafting marketing plans and creating content. Help their book get listed in all the right places and create a successful website for them.
To fill in any gaps in your knowledge, check out IngramSpark and (once again) Jane Friedman. You can also take my website course to learn the basics of building a professional website.
Services for Organizations
Some editors, including myself, work for companies and other organizations rather than book and journal publishers. Here, too, you have skills that transfer easily to related services.
Style Guide Creation and Governance
This one is my favorite. I love reviewing client copy to figure out what style rules they’re following unconsciously and analyzing what rules might help them increase the readability and quality of their writing.
If you’ve created style sheets, you can create a style guide. The trick is in writing the guide in a way that its users can easily follow. You’ll need to determine how much information the guide needs to contain, how the guide’s users learn best, and what format the guide will be put in (e.g., a Word or PDF file, a knowledge management system, even an AI tool).
Digital Accessibility Compliance
Websites, apps, and other digital media should be accessible to all users. Helping an organization ensure their digital properties meet the regulations of their geographic area can include writing alt text, revising copy for plain language, advising on the use of color and audio control, and more. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 are an excellent place to start. Also check out the laws and regulations in your client’s geographic area, such as the US, UK, and Canada, so you know what your client’s responsibilities are.
AI Content Auditing and Humanization
Now please don’t throw rotten tomatoes. I’m not talking about creative work, scientific research, or legal documentation, rather, those documents that an organization might reasonably direct an AI to write, such as project proposals, reports, and case studies.
You already have the skills to work with … let’s say less-than-stellar copy. Particularly if you have some subject expertise, you can rewrite the sloppy first draft AI puts out.
Want to bolster your skills? Check out Coursera. Just keep in mind that AI is advancing nearly weekly, so any article or course could be outdated as soon as you access it.
Services for Fellow Editors
There are many editor training programs out there, from university programs to offerings from individual editors. Those programs need someone to teach the material. And as the Chartered Institute for Editing and Proofreading demonstrates in its Competency Framework, it’s experienced and advanced editors who train the next generation.
You already know how to do the job of editing. University programs and some other educational organizations will have courses already laid out for you, telling you what to teach and when. What’s left is to work on the how of teaching. You’ll want to evaluate your skills in:
- Listening effectively
- Responding to students’ questions
- Leading group discussions
- Presenting complex information in an understandable way
- Coaching students in resolving their own queries
- Directing students to resources
- Understanding the basics of adult learning
- Creating coursework, if an organization doesn’t offer it
- Communicating clearly
- Assessing student work
While most “train the trainer” programs are more expensive than a sole proprietor can usually afford, Niche Academy has a good collection of free web recordings you can view to boost your skills.
Beyond Publishing
When we hear “editor,” we generally think “publishing.” But our skills in communication, organization, and information can also be applied in other ways. For example:
- Moving into communications and/or marketing as a copywriter, account manager, program manager, content manager, or similar
- Managing a writing center at a college (if you have an advanced English degree)
- Managing a company’s knowledge base or documentation software
- Writing user experience (UX) copy
- Designing training for an organization’s in-house training program
- Working as an information architect
Editing is changing again. Now is the time to review your skills and consider how else you might use them. And if the first change you make doesn’t work, don’t give up! Editors have weathered changes for centuries. We can weather this one too.
For one-on-one help with adapting your business, sign up for coaching with me. Together, we can figure things out.
Get Personalized Guidance
Navigating the changing editorial landscape can be overwhelming on your own. Book a one-on-one business coaching session to develop a customized strategy for your editing business. Together, we’ll assess your skills, identify promising opportunities, and create an action plan tailored to your specific situation.
