As the name suggests, a book editor is someone whose professional life is dedicated to editing books. In some cases, a book editor reads manuscripts to decide whether they can be marketable and captivating to the targeted audience. This means that one needs to understand the taste and preference of the public so that they do not make a mistake that will cost them time and money. People who become professional editors start with a love and passion for the written word. Indeed, most editors spend countless hours in a library because of a book that has engaged their mind.
There are numerous best sellers that have passed through a book editor making his work very important. As much as editors love reading best sellers, they also come across manuscripts that require editing to become great books. This means that the editor must be willing to draw out the goodness and magic in a book and separate it from its dull nature. The nature of the work of an editor allows him or her to work with many authors. Most authors are quite protective of their writing and prefer working with book editors that they trust and respect because it requires effort and hard work to write a book, and the editor can play a significant role in the book’s success. This means that a book editor must be willing and able to establish good relationships with authors so that they can trust him with their manuscripts.
Once a relationship is established, his task is to draw out the talent and skill of the author. Most authors work with one editor all their lives according to the nature of their relationship. It is possible to see a book editor commit to one author at a time to give them all the attention that is needed in the project. Editors also connect authors with the right publishers once their project is complete. These editors are therefore not only valuable to authors but also the publishers as well. Different companies have a book editor who specializes in a specific field depending on the size of the company. In very large editing companies, book editors consist of acquisition editors, project editors, and manuscript editors.
The acquisition editor is in charge of looking for authors who are willing to submit their manuscripts so they can be edited and assessed for marketability. Getting the right authors might be a daunting task at first. The editor must therefore be willing to look for authors in different places in order to find great untold stories and ideas. The manuscript book editor is in charge of converting the manuscript into one that is captivating, appealing and inspiring for readers. The project editor transforms the manuscript into a book. He is in charge of coming up with the budget and an attractive bound book according to the author’s specifications.