The Editorial Marketplace: Science/Health, Travel/Outdoors, and Technical
Panelists: Scott Wittet, Susan Staker, and Kate Rogers
Day of Meeting: September 08, 2008
Panelist Bios:
Scott Wittet is the Director for Advocacy and Communication for the Cervical Cancer Prevention Programs at PATH, an international nonprofit organization based in Seattle. He has more than twenty years of experience advocating health policies and behavioral changes for the developing world. His work focuses on building the political, financial and technical foundations for introducing HPV vaccine and new precancer screening technologies in resource-poor settings. Mr. Wittet's team sometimes hires freelance technical writers and editors to supplement its inhouse staff.
Susan Staker is the Editorial Director, Learning Resources, at Adobe Systems. She manages the editing team (developmental and production editors) and digital imaging content team. She also oversees terminology, information architecture, and editorial best practices for product HELP and defines editorial requirements for various strategic initiatives, including DITA XML implementation and Community Help.
Kate Rogers is the Editor in Chief of The Mountaineers Books/Skipstone, a leading outdoor and conservation publisher based in Seattle. Her publishing career has spanned nearly twenty years, including time at Waldenbooks, Bantam Doubleday Dell and Sasquatch Books. A Guild member for decades, she had her own book-packaging firm, Unleashed Book Development. She has lectured part- time on editing, publishing and general media at the University of Washington and Seattle Community Colleges.
Questions from Guild Facilitators
How do you use editors in your industry? What specific tasks do editors perform?
PATH: We have strong writer-editors on our staff. Our editors mostly work on translation, web content and journal articles. We do need freelance help when we get swamped.
ADOBE: Our group creates all Adobe's HELP systems, for both the web and in-product (part of the product). I am responsible for defining the guidelines. We have created a centralized publications system, which basically does the output. But we still need writers. All editing must be done in the system, with the system tool. We have the logistical challenge of teaching copyediting, which is difficult. The tool forces writers to do their own copyediting. So our editors have a developmental role. We have two editorial teams, with the specialized editors doing project management. All developmental editors must learn the tool.
MTRS BOOKS: We have inhouse acquisition editors, but we hire developmental editors on a freelance basis. Our production editors are also freelancers, as are our copyeditors and proofreaders. We try to keep project management in-house. We also use freelance indexers.
What qualities do you look for in an editor? For example, name some qualities of the people you would call back vs. those you don't hire again.
PATH: We look for a background in health and documented experience as a writer-editor. Over the years, we've developed a small stable network of inhouse editors. We sometimes hire outside editors, who work at home.
ADOBE: We look for editors who are not afraid of technology and not afraid to learn as they go. Our editors are responsible for mentoring writers. We look for editors who are comfortable with a combination of structure and flexibility.
MTRS BOOKS: Our editors need book experience. Knowledge of the subject matter is a definite plus. They must understand the different types of editing: line, copyediting, etc. And they must also have the ability to work within a budget. We are looking for clean, consistent, quality work.
PATH: An editor must be diplomatic, especially with physicians.
What are the scheduling expectations? For example: on-call, set their own schedule, work a set shift or minimum hours paid.
PATH: Our editors are on-call.
ADOBE: We have long-term hiring contracts, and the editors are usually still with us when the project ends. We also hire freelancers for shorter projects.
MTRS BOOKS: Our expectations depend on the specific book. Generally, we allow four weeks for copyediting and two weeks for proofing. Generally, a book project takes four to six months. We are signing people up now for books to be published next spring.
How often are freelancers hired?
ADOBE: Our workflow has its ups and downs. It's not predictable. Also, it's based on what we can do with our budget. Adobe generally launches several big flagship products at once, so we may have $250,000 to spend on editing on a three-week schedule. We have to realistic about the amount of editing and quality of work we can get done on a tight schedule. We really need to prioritize.
MTRS BOOKS: The book industry used to be seasonal, with releases in the spring and fall. Now we have a new release every month, so we have a continual need for editors.
Is the work done off-site or on-site?
PATH: Our freelance work is done off-site.
ADOBE: We have an on-site team. Other teams work off-site. It depends on the demands of the project.
MTRS BOOKS: Off-site.
Do you use a lot of local editors?
PATH: It's not necessary to be nearby.
ADOBE: We have teams all over. We have a team working in India, so we hired and trained an editor and sent her to India for two months. She'd always wanted to live in India. People asked how we could afford to send someone to India, but it wasn't that expensive because she really wanted to live there.
MTRS BOOKS: Our copyeditors and proofreaders are all Northwest-based. When we're publishing books on other geographical areas, the book editors are generally based in those areas.
PATH: We have an "Indian connection" too. Once we had a confusing index from India. It wasn't alphabetized by any system we could figure out. It turned out that in India names are alphabetized by the first name, not the last. So there are cultural differences in our global organizations.
What is the typical workflow or work environment?
PATH: We negotiate a schedule for the project, and the editor works with the author through a series of drafts. Sometimes an author needs a new slant on a subject that's been written about before. The editor can help with that.
ADOBE: Our writing and editing is all electronic. It's done in our Global Electronic Publication System, in PDF format. We train our editors to use our tool a server-based tool. Connectivity is really important. Once we had an editor who was living in New Mexico without a highspeed connection. Using dial-up to send drafts was quite a challenge!
Our tool allows us to standardize our HELP function. There are built-in checks for sentence length, proper use of terminology and other details. With our tool the writers become their own copyeditors, and editors have a more developmental role. This saves us time and helps us get the product out on schedule.
MTRS BOOKS: Very little editing is done on hard copy. Our editing is all electronic. We email a clean manuscript to the editor, and it is returned with directed issues and comments. Some editors use the footnotes or comments tool or put changes in double brackets. Others use the Track Changes tool. It's a matter of personal preference. We print out the edited copy, and authors review the hard copy. The editor is also responsible for creating a style sheet.
A copyeditor does the clear-out on the manuscript and is responsible for accepting or rejecting all the changes. The copyeditor also does all the coding for the book design. Proofing is done on a hard copy of the designed pages, and these are the final changes.
Who hires the editors? The HR department, managing editor or production department?
PATH: The teams in charge of producing the publications select the editors. In a crunch, they may ask for additional names.
ADOBE: The editing group does the hiring.
MTRS BOOKS: The managing editor or department head hires freelancers. Developmental editors are hired by the editor-in-chief.
How are freelance editors paid? By the page, by the hour, by the project, biweekly or by a bill at the end of project?
PATH: Hourly or daily.
ADOBE: Onsite editors are paid by the hour. Offsite editors are paid by the page or hour, depending on the project.
MTRS BOOKS: They are paid by the hour, based on an estimated number of pages per hour. We are a nonprofit publisher, but we do try to stay within the industry pay standard.
What demands or challenges might an editor face in your industry or work environment?
PATH: There's the need to keep up with current research and medical issues. Also, managing authors can be quite a challenge.
ADOBE: Technology is always changing, and it's a challenge to keep up. Our project schedules are very demanding, and when we have to choose between the scheduling and the quality of editing, the editing may suffer. There's a balance between time and perfectionism. Editors are often perfectionists, but sometimes you have to do just your [assigned] task and no more.
MTRS BOOKS: Breaking into books can be tough. Book publishers tend to hire experienced book editors because they are comfortable with longer projects. Technology doesn't matter as much. There's less change in book publishing than in other fields.
What are the rewarding and unique aspects of working in your industry?
PATH: Creativity and challenge. There is always something new to learn. A nonprofit organization may not pay as well as other businesses, but the work is very rewarding.
ADOBE: The environment is exciting and constantly changing. We are always defining new requirements and that's very challenging. For example, we have a new initiative with Google called "Community Help" that allows Adobe product users to search for help both on and off the Adobe website.
We are connecting with HELP information developed by the user community. HELP articles are also "fun" to create. HELP articles must live in an elegant way in the environment, and that's quite a challenge! We are constantly changing and adapting. We're answering the question: What is an index in today's search environment?
MTRS BOOKS: There's the thrill of contributing to a physical book. An editor spends six weeks on a new subject, learning something new. You get inside a writer's brain!
How would an editor break into this particular marketplace?
PATH: By "shipping" your CV to various nonprofits that you're interested in.
ADOBE: Getting started [in technical editing] can be so random. I went from the traditional publishing industry to Adobe without a technical background. It helps to have experience with longer forms of publication, also writing experience. We look for editors who can adapt, who have worked in different environments. It's very important to have a really simple, elegant resume.
MTRS BOOKS: Sometimes you just fall into book publishing. You can start out in proofreading and gain experience. Being a member of the Guild can help you make contacts in the industry and learn from others. I've been a Guild member for years, starting when I was a freelancer. The UW [University of Washington] Certificate Program is held in high regard by publishers. It also helps you create your network of editors.
Sometimes you have to push your way in for an interview. It helps to have specialty topics to develop your own niche from your life experiences.
Questions from the Audience
Do you use a copyediting test?
MTRS BOOKS: Maybe we do, but I don't know how much we rely on it.
How representative of your industry are you?
PATH: We are one of many health-related nonprofits around the world.
ADOBE: At Adobe, we are more centralized around content than the rest of the industry. We've worked to make our publishing tool more and more flexible. We have many consumer products under development at one time and now have twenty products in thirty different languages. We are planning to publish more on the web and are working constantly toward better searchable content. We must optimize our content for the web. "Know thy user" is really important at Adobe.
MTRS BOOKS: We are representative of the book publishing industry, especially in our use of freelance editors. Academic presses tend to have copyeditors and developmental editors on staff. Book publishing companies rely on freelance editors.
PATH: We try to find the right person for each publication. For example, we have a writer in the Bay Area who is a good content source. I have my own test for writer-editors. I give them thirty minutes to write on any topic they want. Some really organize their thoughts and write less. Others try to get as much down as possible. You learn a lot about a writer-editor from this test. We also separate writing and editing from proofreading. They are very different skills.
What types of publications does PATH produce?
PATH: Scientific journal articles, web content and educational publications for the general public and high-level decision makers. We also use a lot of photos and captions.
What quality of writing do the editors get?
MTRS BOOKS: Most of our contracts are with professional writers, who don't need much editing. We might flag a paragraph here and there and ask for clarification. But for some of our books, the author may be an expert but not a published writer a sports enthusiast with an interesting story. So the editor has to work harder.
ADOBE: Our writers run the gamut. Adobe has a "less is more" philosophy. Editors are there to help authors streamline and simplify.
PATH: Some of our writers don't like to be edited and that can be a problem. We look for serious problems and make sure the work conforms to international conventions for style.
ADOBE: The publishing tool we bought from Acrolinx, a German firm, improves the quality of the work that editors get. We've done a cost-benefit analysis on the Acrocheck tool. It helps authors deal with terminology and it's optimized for global language. The tool is also set to flag sentences over 26 words long. It gives the writer a score and we get reports on the author's progress. It's "mentoring as you go." Writers and editors like the tool. It's easier on the writer's ego.
Notetaker: Anne Sachs
Location: Hugo House