Book midwifery 2016 ��� My editing year
You know how midwives often have a wall covered in photos of newborn babies they helped into the world? My equivalent are the shelves of books I���ve edited. I gaze fondly on them as I work. Some were easy labours, needing only a little encouragement, while others took many painful hours (NCEA Level 3 Biology comes to mind). There are weighty academic tomes, cute little picture books, and bouncing junior fiction; angst-filled YA, inspiring biographies and travel books.
In 2016 so far, I���ve edited 35 books. I know! I can hardly believe it myself. And a quick tot up, because I can���t resist: a grand total of 2.3 million words. Oh yes, and I wrote and published my own book too, and re-edited, redesigned and republished my first junior fiction. Hell���s teeth ��� no wonder my hair���s sticking out at funny angles.
Over the past few years, as NZ���s publishing landscape has changed, my typical annual workload has flipped from mostly traditionally published books with a couple of indies fitted around them, to a heap of indie books and less than a dozen traditionally published. Before NZ���s publishing, um, transition (okay, meltdown) I���d edit around 15���20 books a year, usually as part of a large team of publishing professionals. Now the number is double that, it���s often just me and a designer ��� and yet my income has dropped. Go figure! But I don���t mind; no, really I don���t. There are so many other sorts of rewards that come from working directly with authors, including lovely new friendships, and the whole midwife thing of helping authors bring their books to life; seeing them beaming at their book launches and knowing I helped.
And I���ve been spreading my wings. This year I���ve worked with two excellent US authors, one a retired US Navy commander, who I���ve had the greatest email conversations with - you can imagine, what with the goings on this year.
And the other type of reward, the professional nod ��� when someone whose writing you bow down to in awe (Steve Braunias, publisher of Jane Bloomfield���s Lily Max books, since you ask) says your work is: ���sensitive and exquisite, full of understanding and good common-sense thinking ��� a model of expert literary editing.��� Gosh.
Above is a selection from my baby wall of books I���ve edited this year. Aren���t they glorious? Here���s hoping 2017 brings me a similar haul of lovely projects to work on.
In 2016 so far, I���ve edited 35 books. I know! I can hardly believe it myself. And a quick tot up, because I can���t resist: a grand total of 2.3 million words. Oh yes, and I wrote and published my own book too, and re-edited, redesigned and republished my first junior fiction. Hell���s teeth ��� no wonder my hair���s sticking out at funny angles.
Over the past few years, as NZ���s publishing landscape has changed, my typical annual workload has flipped from mostly traditionally published books with a couple of indies fitted around them, to a heap of indie books and less than a dozen traditionally published. Before NZ���s publishing, um, transition (okay, meltdown) I���d edit around 15���20 books a year, usually as part of a large team of publishing professionals. Now the number is double that, it���s often just me and a designer ��� and yet my income has dropped. Go figure! But I don���t mind; no, really I don���t. There are so many other sorts of rewards that come from working directly with authors, including lovely new friendships, and the whole midwife thing of helping authors bring their books to life; seeing them beaming at their book launches and knowing I helped.
And I���ve been spreading my wings. This year I���ve worked with two excellent US authors, one a retired US Navy commander, who I���ve had the greatest email conversations with - you can imagine, what with the goings on this year.
And the other type of reward, the professional nod ��� when someone whose writing you bow down to in awe (Steve Braunias, publisher of Jane Bloomfield���s Lily Max books, since you ask) says your work is: ���sensitive and exquisite, full of understanding and good common-sense thinking ��� a model of expert literary editing.��� Gosh.
Above is a selection from my baby wall of books I���ve edited this year. Aren���t they glorious? Here���s hoping 2017 brings me a similar haul of lovely projects to work on.
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