So You Want to Discover the Next Bestseller?
A behind the scenes look at the publishing world.
The first draft is black and white. Editing gives the story color. - Emma Hill
When you think about New York Times Best Selling novels, you probably don’t think about the team of people that worked around the clock to help create them. This team is known as the publishing industry and they are the backbone of every great book.
Publishing is a huge industry– in fact, in 2019, the industry was estimated to be worth about 92 billion dollars globally, but unless you take a special interest in the field, you’ll find that most people don’t know very much about it.
Let’s start with the basics. There are the “Big 5” Publishers in the United States- Penguin Random House, Hatchette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster. All of these houses have headquarters in New York City, which is often known as the heart of U.S. publishing. Within the Big 5, there are hundreds of imprints (think of them like branches off of the main company) that cater to specific genres and audiences. An example of an imprint could a group that only publishes Young Adult romances. In addition to the Big 5, there are also hundreds of independent publishing houses around the U.S. Independent publishing houses typically lack the publicity that the Big 5 has but they tend to publish a wider variety of authors and stories. In addition to working at different houses and imprints, there are also many specific career paths within each house- like marketing, cover design, copywriting, production, or editing.
An editor acts as a jack of all trades. One of their main duties is to look through manuscripts that have been submitted and try to find one that they believe would be a good fit for the house. There are about 200,000 books published in the U.S. every year. Most editors report getting sent anywhere from five to 50 times the amount of manuscripts that their house ends up publishing in a year! That is truly an overwhelming number and there is no way that a house can publish all of those titles, so they must narrow the number of potential titles significantly. Some editors give it a few pages, some give it a chapter, but most report feeling like they will just know whether or not it is a good fit for the house. Once editors find a potential manuscript to publish, they look at things like the potential audience, how well the genre is doing on the marketplace currently, and how well plotted and well written the manuscript. Editors work closely with authors throughout the whole publication process to ensure deadlines are met and the novel is edited until its content, quality, length, and style meet the house's requirements. They also have to make sure the work is clear, consistent, flows naturally and logically, is grammatically correct, and overall is a strong piece of writing.
With that being said an editor’s job is not only reading and writing. A lot of an editor’s daily tasks include communicating and collaborating with different departments. In addition, business lunches, award banquets, and cocktail parties are also par for the course. Building connections within the industry is an important aspect of the job and these social events help build those relationships.
A PW.org article the follows the life of an editor discusses just how social the job truly is!
Bleeke, like most editors, does little editing or reading of manuscripts in the office. Nearly all that work — and there is a staggering amount of it — gets done at night and on weekends. “A lot of the day is responding to e-mails,” she says. “It’s going to meetings. It’s talking to colleagues about various projects. It’s usually not reading unless I have a submission in that sounds exciting and that I want to read right away.”
Not only do editors have a large variety of daily duties, but they also need a wide range of skills. The job is very reading, writing, and editing heavy so critical reading and writing skills are essential. Being detail orientated is a must as well to ensure that the story is ready for production and there are no plot holes or mistakes in the writing. Communication is essential due to the interdepartmental work that is constantly being done.
So if you have any interest in pursuing publishing you probably have one question on your mind– where do I start? According to thebalancecareers.com, you only need a bachelor’s degree to get started in the industry. Although some editors have master's degrees, it is not necessary for most houses or positions. The most common degrees are English and communication, but there is no specific major requirement. Something equally as important is experience. Internships and previous jobs that highlight your passion for reading, writing, and editing are going to make you stand out among a crowd of potential candidates. Finally, connections are important. Building close connections with professors and any contacts they might have in the industry, other editors, writers, and workers from past jobs and internships will help you in the long run. Building and maintaining relationships with these contacts just goes to show you again how social this job is.
Now let’s talk about the fun stuff– money! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary of an editor is about $61,370. Unfortunately, that is not how most people start. Many publishing workers start as interns or assistants and have to slowly work their way up. According to ziprecuriter.com, the average starting salary for an entry-level editor is about $37,695. While this is significantly less, there are always changes to move up in the industry. There are many opportunities to switch departments, get a pay increase, or get a promotion. Many companies hire from within before opening up job applications to the public, so climbing the ladder to the top is certainly an option!
The next time you crack open a book, take note of the publisher. Now that you have some knowledge about the publishing industry, you will recognize how much work went into taking the original manuscript and editing it into the novel you are holding in your hands!
