Top tips from expert fiction editor Rebecca Millar
Fiction editor Rebecca Millar
As an author, I am in awe of editors! They contribute so much to the publishing process, and I know for sure that my books wouldn’t be half as good if it weren’t for the vigorous editing they were put through by some very talented editors.
However, as editors are largely ‘behind the scenes’, we don’t hear that much about them. So I thought it might be nice to pin one down to find out a little bit more about how they work! I’m delighted to be sharing this interview with Rebecca Millar, a hugely experienced freelance fiction editor, to find out more about how she works with both established and aspiring authors.
Hi Rebecca, thank you for joining me! Please can you tell us a little bit about your background, and how you came to offer the services you offer to authors today?
I’ve worked in publishing for a decade now, starting in a self-publishing-services provider in my hometown just after graduating from university, before jumping into traditional publishing at Penguin Random House, where I worked on a myriad books from celebrity autobiography to gardening books to espionage thrillers!
It was a whirlwind, and I learnt so much about books and publishing from so many talented people in the industry, and it was always my plan to follow that path up the editorial ladder. But then my boyfriend at the time, now fiancée, was offered a job in Australia.
Going freelance was meant to be a temporary measure while we were overseas, but it has turned into one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Yes, not only do I have flexibility of being my own boss, but also it means I spend much more time on my favourite part of being an editor – actually working on manuscripts with my authors. But not only that, it allowed me to specialise in the genre that I love – crime, suspense and thriller!
So just over five years ago, I set up shop on the kitchen table in our Airbnb in Adelaide and since then I’ve been privileged enough to work on over 200 different projects, helping authors to write their best manuscripts.
What are your favourite parts of your work?
Offering a number of services allows me to tailor my service to each author, as every manuscript is unique, and so a one-size-fits-all box doesn’t really work when it comes to writing. Every author has their areas of strength and weakness, and it’s great to play to those so that they can get the most out of each edit and even the most experienced writers can learn something from the experience. I pride myself on every project being bespoke and tailored to what each author and manuscript needs.
“Working together to shape an author’s manuscript is so exciting because it’s such a fluid process – you just don’t know how the story may evolve – and it’s all about working with the author to help them develop their ideas rather than imposing any of my own”
My favourite edits have to be the ‘big-picture’ edits, such as developmental or structural edits, because I can really work with an author to push their thinking and writing, asking them questions that they haven’t yet considered about their work, while still staying true to the ideas they want to convey. Working together to shape an author’s manuscript is so exciting because it’s such a fluid process – you just don’t know how the story may evolve – and it’s all about working with the author to help them develop their ideas rather than imposing any of my own. I’m just there to nudge the author’s thinking and creative processes.
What I do love is when I’ve worked on a manuscript in the early stages and then the author comes back for either a proofread or a query letter review and I get to see how much the manuscript has improved and how much stronger the writing (and writer!) is since we worked together. The irony of being an editor is the mark of a job well done is that your writer needs you less and less.
And your least favourite?
Copy Edits – those pesky grammar rules keep you on your toes! I much prefer the line edits where you have a little more creativity and style to help the author’s words come alive.
Please can you explain a little bit about how your process works?
I’m very fortunate in that I work with authors across the whole publishing spectrum. From aspiring authors, who have just finished their early drafts of their first novels who have little to no experience, to authors who’ve a few manuscripts under their belts and testing the waters on their publishing journeys, whether that be through traditional or self-publishing. And then, even further along, I also work with the publishing houses themselves on well-established writers, several books deep into a much-loved series!
So, my process is very much author-led, in that I am here to assist them on their writing or publishing journeys, no matter how far along that process they are. We’ll work together to establish a plan based on what sort of feedback or editorial work they are looking for, considering where their manuscript is at the moment, but also their aims for where they want it to be. It’s why I always ask for a sample of the manuscript before I collaborate with any authors; I want to recommend the best approach for the author, even if it means going back a stage, or perhaps jumping forward if the manuscript is more polished than they think!
We’ll also consider their ultimate publishing plans if they have any – some authors just write for writing’s sake, and there is nothing wrong with that! But if they do hope to publish, it’s important to consider these goals because, of course, irrespective of the route they take, we want the manuscript to be as strong as it can be, but it’s important to consider the best way to invest their time (and money, as everyone has a different budget) in order to most effectively reach their goals, whether that be securing an agent’s representation, or self-publishing the manuscript.
What are the biggest misconceptions that authors have about editors?
Writing a manuscript is hard work, so once an author comes to an editing stage, there is often a sense of relief (alongside trepidation) of handing it over to someone else for a bit to solve the problems that they’re struggling with – that sticky chapter midway through the book, or the plot hole that the author just can’t fix.
“An editor is there to be a sounding board to the author’s own creative process”
However, in my mind, it is not the editor’s role to provide the answers to those sticking points. Rather, an editor is there to be a sounding board to the author’s own creative process. After all, it’s the author’s manuscript, and an editor shouldn’t be telling an author what to do, but rather they should be helping to shape the writer’s own thinking, so that they come up with the answers themselves. We are there to hold up a mirror, pointing it at different angles until it reflects the light back on the answer in the author’s mind.
How can authors get the most out of their editing experience?
By approaching the process openly. I appreciate that sending out your manuscript for critique by often a total stranger is scary, but if you are open and honest with the editors you approach about what you’re looking for, what you’re hoping to achieve and what your budget is, then they will return that openness and share their thoughts in a collaborative and constructive way.
First off, this means doing your research. Finding an editor is a bit like finding a good pair of running shoes. It might take a little time to find the right fit, but once you do, you’ll be flying!
“Editors have different styles and ways of working, so it’s important to reach out to a few different candidates when you’re doing your research, so you can find someone who fits with you”
Working with an editor is quite an intimate process, because this person will be essentially commenting on the personal contents of your own mind in written form, so it’s key to find someone who you ‘vibe’ with, who understands what you’re trying to do, but whose approach also works with yours. Editors have different styles and ways of working, so it’s important to reach out to a few different candidates when you’re doing your research, so you can find someone who fits with you. Because it’s not just about finding the right fit for the manuscript, but also you as a writer! So don’t be afraid to ‘interview’ them!
What genres/authors do they like? What books have they worked on? How do they like to work? One of the best ways to see if an editor is a good fit is to ask them to do a sample edit, if you can, as it means you’ll get a taster of what working with them will be like. There might be a small fee for this, but this is usually off-set against any projects should you go ahead, or ask them to provide examples of work already completed. You’ll be able to see their style and approach, but more importantly see if it matches with how you like to work.
Another example of being open is through budget. I am aware that editing is an investment, and authors have different budgets, but try to be upfront about this from the start, because then, the editor is able to recommend the best possible approach based on your aims and your manuscript within your budget. But also, if they do think that the manuscript needs more work than the budget allows, they can let you know this. This may mean that you can’t work together straight away, but they could also offer alternative approaches, whether through perhaps partial edits or staggered payment plans. But crucially, it means that you won’t be throwing time and money on an approach that isn’t quite right.
Are there any obvious mistakes that authors should look out for before submitting their books to publishers or agents?
It seems basic, but always follow the submission criteria. Although there are some standard expectations for submissions, never assume, because the easiest way to get yourself in the rejection pile is by not following the instructions for submissions. Agents and publishers are faced with thousands of submissions, so you don’t want to give them an excuse to discount yours right off the bat!
Another ‘don’t’ is to not personalise your query letters. No one likes to receive a generic email, and if you want to make an impression, do your research. Not only will this mean you are more likely to send your manuscript into receptive hands, but it also demonstrates to the agents/publishers an awareness of publishing process and the marketplace, and that you’re willing to put in the work that publishing a book requires!
“Self-editing is so important. In fact, I won’t work with an author on a manuscript until they have self-edited the manuscript at least once”
Do you have any tips for authors looking to edit their own books?
Self-editing is so important. In fact, I won’t work with an author on a manuscript until they have self-edited the manuscript at least once because it means that when I do come to work on a manuscript, it’s at a point where the author can do no more and they really need an outsider’s point of view. This also means that you’ve already got rid of what I’ve dubbed ‘the clangers’ – large aspects of the manuscript that clearly don’t work or don’t fit with the story that you want to tell – so that they can really concentrate on providing the best quality feedback on elements that the author would have never picked up on themselves.
However, I appreciate it’s tricky to edit your own work, as you’re undoubtedly your worst critic. So first off, once you’ve finished that first draft, take a step back. Lock it away in a drawer, don’t open the document on your computer for at least two weeks. More if possible. Give yourself a manuscript holiday! By all means, if you have the bug, start writing something else, but give that manuscript time to rest and for your mind to reset.
One of the reasons why it’s often so hard to edit your own work is because you’re so familiar with the manuscript that you can’t see the wood for the trees, so taking a step back gives your brain time to think about something else, so when you return to the manuscript after your break, you have fresh eyes.
Another tip is to start each draft in a fresh save – you never know when you might want to add in a scene that you cut, or even use in a different manuscript so having earlier versions in a separate file is so useful.
And be sure to back up your work and save often (and in hard copy at least once!). In this world of technology, it’s all too easy to rely on our computers, but it only takes one spilt cup of tea to ruin a hard drive!
What one thing do you wish all authors knew?
Remember that writing a novel is a process but also that like all the creative arts, writing is subjective. This links back to being open above, but it is an editor’s job to help you improve your manuscript, so do expect some of the feedback to be negative, and you may outright disagree with it, and that's fine!
Of course, any feedback from editors should be constructive, and any comments about something that isn’t working should offer up considerations for how to fix it, but if an editor only provides positive comments, to me, this seems a bit of an exercise in ego-stroking, and a waste of time and money on both sides. That’s not to say a manuscript should be littered in red pen (or Track Changes nowadays!), all comments should be sensitive and polite, but if there are no comments on what’s not working, then the writer won’t learn anything and the manuscript won’t be improved, which is literally the job description!
But also bear in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect manuscript, and if you spend too long tinkering on a manuscript and seeking perfection, you could end up in a thankless Sisyphean loop!
Finally, are there any books you’ve worked on that you’d like to give a shout out? Or any books that you’ve read recently and particularly loved?
Oh, don’t make me pick! I love all of my authors, and they are all so talented, so it’s so tricky to name just a few.
I’ve had the pleasure of working on some brilliant books in the past year, including Sir Michael Caine’s debut thriller, THE DEADLY GAME, which was a lot of fun, as well as a couple of indie debuts including ALL IT TAKES by Ali Steed, for fans of police procedurals; AGAINST THE TIDE by Robert Sherwood, for those who love a fast-paced thriller; and then for my fellow psychological thriller fans, I’ve worked with AJ Wills on a number of titles, and I don’t know how he does it, but each book gets better and better. His latest THE PHANTOM CHILD, is brilliant! Also, Jo Dixon’s A SHADOW AT THE DOOR published a few weeks ago, and it was one of the first projects I worked on when I went freelance, and I’m so excited to see how well Jo is doing now. It’s only available in eBook in the UK – I sent my sister- and brother-in-law on a mission all the way to Perth to grab me a physical copy! – but I hope she’ll be making her way to British shores soon.
I’ve also worked on a couple of books that haven’t yet been published including Lizzy Barber’s next book, which is amazing – I love anything by Lizzy – and Vaseem Khan’s new book out later in the summer was a blast to copy edit. It’s a bit different to his previous books, but so gripping!
As for my favourite reads, psychological thriller is my go-to genre, and I will read anything by Lucy Clarke, Louise Candlish and Gilly Macmillan. And I loved THE SANCTUARY by yourself, Charlotte (totally not been fangirling this entire interview!). I love the genre because it puts relatable people in extraordinary situations – a fine balance between the familiar and ‘escapism’! And plus, I can’t resist a good mystery – a puzzle to solve.
Oh, can I add MURDLE as another of my recent obsessions? I can’t get enough of the puzzles!
Rebecca Millar is a freelance book editor who specialises in crime, suspense and thriller. She has worked with Sunday Times bestselling authors including Gilly McMillan and Heidi Perks, as well as Top 10 Amazon-charting independent author Simon McCleave and Sally Rigby, and continues to collaborate with the publishing houses on various projects including Sir Michael Caine’s debut thriller. She currently lives in Bath with her fiancé, where she enjoys reading manuscripts, drinking far too much tea, whilst living dangerously close to six different bookshops.
You can follow Rebecca on Instagram and Facebook and you can find her website here →
