KEY POINTS:
Sitting with a red pen making corrections is not all that's needed in an editor says Andrea Coppock of Penguin Books
Describe what you do.
I co-ordinate and project manage the freelance editors, designers and proof readers for each manuscript. I also edit and proofread myself.
The manuscript comes in and I assess it for publication. I give it to a freelance editor, it comes back and I check all corrections to see if I agree with the changes.
Then I send it to the typesetter, check it again and send it to the proof reader.
This may sound dry but it isn't because the material is always interesting and I enjoy working on things such as layout and consistency in terms of design.
I also enjoy the communication involved. I'm not just sitting a my desk with a red pen!
I work with non-fiction manuscripts and will edit around 20 books this year.
Penguin is one of the biggest New Zealand publishers; we publish about 100 books a year.
Most big books are published for the Christmas market and need to be at printer by July 1, so the months leading into July are our most hectic time.
Who do you work with?
I regularly deal with authors, freelance editors, designers, photographers and illustrators. I usually meet the author when the work is being commissioned, unless they're from out of town. Then I may not meet them directly until publication. I also work closely with my commissioning editor (publisher) who commissions the manuscripts I work on.
Your history?
I have a BA in German and French. After getting my degree I taught English in Germany, then came back and taught French and German here for three years but decided teaching wasn't for me. I thought I'd go back and do translation work in Germany and the publishing diploma seemed a good way to get into that field. But I ended up loving publishing and after completing the course at the end of 2003, I got a job as an editorial assistant with another publisher, then moved to Penguin at the beginning of 2006.
What sort of training or experience do you need to do the job?
You really need a diploma in publishing to get a foot in the door here.
The course gives a good grounding in editing and areas such as marketing, publicity and typesetting. This knowledge really helps when you're editing because you have an understanding of the other roles in the company.
What skills or qualities do you need?
You need a love and interest in language and books. Grammar is a big part of the course so it is a definite advantage to have a good understanding of grammar before hand. My language degree gave me that.
You have to be pedantic to be an editor because you have to pick at all the little things until it is right. You need to be a good communicator and empathetic. You need to be diligent and patient.
Most challenging part?
Sticking to deadlines is a big challenge because we're co-ordinating so many people. That is where project management skills come in.
The book is the author's baby, so you have to acknowledge that but also get them to understand a publishing house has deadlines and they have to let it go.
What is the best part of the job?
This morning we sent to the printers A Cook's Bible, a 608 page cook book I was working on. It is awesome to hold the finished book after all the work that has gone into it.
It is also really good to see an author's amazement when they see the finished book, particularly when it is their first book.
Overall I love the variety, whether it is proofing, discussing covers and internal spreads with designers or communicating with the author and editors.
Advice to someone wanting to do same thing?
You need a diploma in publishing and it is hard to get into. It is hard to get work experience with publishers because we are already committed to giving work experience to students from the course, so I'd advise talking to people involved in publishing and the wider trade; book sellers, designers, freelance editors etcetera. Any study that involves grammar will help too.
Career hopes for the future?
I think I'd eventually like to become a freelance editor. There is less variety in a freelance editor role but there is more flexibility with hours and choice of jobs.
I'm also interested in production management; dealing with the printer and costings and more.
My job
Name: Andrea Coppock
Age: 33
Role: Editor for Penguin Group (NZ)
Working hours: Usually 40 hour week, but up to 60 hours per week over busy months
Average salary: junior editor $35,000 senior editor around $55,000
Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts (French and German) through Victoria University, Christchurch College of Education Diploma in Teaching and Whitireia Polytechnic Diploma of Publishing
