Katie at Between the Covers | Romance Editor Interview
Editing any book, particularly a romance book, is no easy task. For an author, it can be incredibly intimidating. Having an editor who acts as your cheerleader and communicates effectively is paramount. Well, Katie at Between the Covers focuses on just that. Offering developmental, copy and line editing along with proofreading services, I had the pleasure of learning all about Katie’s process when editing romance!
Here are just a handful of titles from Katies portfolio! Make sure to check out her website for a full list, as well as her client’s testimonials!
What does your editorial process look like from first read to final pass? What does your typical editorial timeline look like?
The editorial process is ultimately dependent upon which type(s) of editing is/are being done. I start every edit by getting to know an author and learning about their manuscript and goals for publication, then they send me the manuscript, and we begin! If they are having multiple rounds done, we will pass the manuscript back and forth as I complete a round of edits and they complete the revisions. At any point during the process, an author can ask questions, send voice notes back and forth, or request to video chat to discuss edits (video chats are more common to discuss developmental edits, but I always love getting to know my authors!)
Editing timelines depend on many factors, including the type(s) of editing, the word count of the manuscript, the number of errors/how in-depth a line edit is, among other things. I often perform more than one type of edit for my authors, so we have to factor in the time between editing rounds for them to revise, as well as the time I am working on other manuscripts while they are working on revisions. Many editors work on several manuscripts at a time, but what works best for me is focusing fully on one at a time. I live and breathe only that one manuscript during the entire edit so that I can then pass it back and start the same process with the next. The short answer is that it mainly depends on how many editing rounds you are having and your word count. I can spend several months on a book, or a week!
Arguably the reason we all read romance books is for that special spark that happens between characters, as we read or hidden between the pages. For Katie, a manuscript can have the spark instantly.
Sometimes on Page 1! I recently read a prologue that was truly stunning. The spark can mean so many things, though.
Perhaps editing your own romance book does not have to be as difficult as first anticipated. Between the Covers prioritising delivering an editing process that guides the author through potential issues and encourages authors to ask questions!
There isn't necessarily any one thing that is the most common in developmental edits because the details of those vary so widely and are personal to each individual story, though I do very often find timeline errors. In copy and line edits and proofreads, I often see errors with commas, dialogue punctuation, sentence fragments, and hyphens, among others.
The number one feedback I get from the authors I work with is that the editing experience was way easier than they had anticipated. That is always my goal. I want this process to be fun and as stress-free as possible! I never want my feedback to discourage an author, so I tend to be a lover of emojis in my document comments and editorial letters to make sure the feedback reads as friendly as possible on paper. We all know how delivery can be misread in text form! I explain the reasoning for making a certain edit and gently offer suggestions in a way that is constructive and supportive. Questions are welcome at any time, and I never, ever want an author to be embarrassed about errors in their manuscript.
How do you evaluate chemistry between characters- what elements make this chemistry stand out?
Chemistry is difficult to quantify; it’s one of those things you have to feel to truly know it's there. What I look for is their motivation to be together (is this couple believable?), the meet-cute/what brought them together, yearning and desire, communication around intimacy, and tension/conflict that intensifies the connection. One of the biggest elements for me is humor. Both in life and in books, being able to laugh and be silly/vulnerable together is the ultimate display of chemistry. I am a sucker for well-written banter!
Integrating world-building into any story, especially fiction, can make or break a readers enjoyment of the book. Here are some tips that Katie utilises to help her authors write their worlds in a way that feels truly immersive.
World-building is something that would be addressed during developmental editing, and to some extent during copy and line editing. Every author has probably heard this phrase more than they would like: show, don’t tell. We want to spread out the introduction to people, places, and plot points rather than info-dumping in the first few chapters. This can overwhelm the reader and literally feel like readers are simply being told a list of traits and information. Other things related to world-building that I look for during the developmental edit are timeline errors, continuity, descriptions of people and places, and plots that follow the story arc and are well-paced. When I perform a developmental edit, I track a story chapter by chapter from start to finish. I am keeping track of every detail of each scene, the timeline, character traits, notable events, the setting—every single thing that goes into the story.
For you, what makes a narrative voice feel compelling in a romance?
This is a tough question because narrative voice encompasses so many different aspects of storytelling! Overall, a strong narrative voice keeps you immersed in the story while reading and keeps you thinking about it long after it's over. Some elements I find compelling are unique rhythm and tone, humor, wit, compassion, fully fleshed out characters, quirky character traits, intimate scenes that flow and show vulnerability, and strong physical descriptions of places and people. It's easier to become connected to a character if we can relate to them, but on the flip side, storytelling that opens readers’ minds to lived experiences that are different from their own is maybe even more important.
Ultimately, editing is a collaboration process with each editor adopting different tactics to create the best possible romance book. At Between the Covers, the relationship between author and editor is based on trust, understanding and maintaining the authors voice.
I start every new author relationship by asking what they perceive to be their strengths and weaknesses, as well as what they love about their story. I want to know what they love so I can help make those things shine, and what they have difficulty with that I can help strengthen. A great editor knows when something is a personal preference vs. a suggestion that would strengthen the story for the masses to read and always remains objective.
I pride myself on being able to maintain an author's voice while simply polishing it to the strongest version. Every author I work with has a unique style, and I edit with the lightest hand possible to maintain that. I spend time learning how each person writes, what words they use, how their prose flows, etc., and I lean into that with all of my suggestions. I also have some authors who prefer comments/guidance, and some who prefer I personally change a word/phrase, and that comes from practice. You could probably place 10 anonymous chapters in front of me, and I could tell you which author I work with wrote it.
What is the most rewarding/your favourite part of what you do?
I love seeing authors fall in love with their own stories. Oftentimes, authors come to me and are feeling anxious or overwhelmed with the process and may even doubt their story or writing ability. I love to show them how strong their writing actually is and how, with some polishing, we can make each story shine.
If you could give every aspiring romance writer one piece of advice, what would it be?
A huge thank you to Katie at Between the Covers for answering my questions! Make sure to give her all the bookish love on her social media and, if you are in need for an editor, check out her website!