If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a book editor, you might have asked yourself the question: ‘Do I really need a degree for this?’ After all, you probably already know where to put a comma (well, most of the time) and can spot a typo from a mile away. So, why should a piece of paper from a university dictate whether or not you can edit someone’s future bestseller?
The short answer: it doesn’t have to!
If you’re aiming to become a freelance book editor, no one’s going to check your diploma before handing over a manuscript. What really matters is your skill – and whether or not you’ve properly trained yourself for the role.
Traditional publishing: Degree preferred
Let’s get this out of the way first: if your dream is to land a cushy job at a big-name publishing house, then, yes, a degree in English, literature, publishing or something equally word-nerdy will give you a leg up.
These companies tend to love candidates who can wave around an official degree certificate that says ‘I know things about books’. Why? Because it proves that you’ve studied all the fancy stuff – like literary theory and how to interpret that one obscure short story no one really understood in class.
Probably more importantly, it shows you’re disciplined (because you probably wouldn’t have earned a degree if you’d spent all your time clubbing, or drinking mead with the LARPing society – whatever floats your boat), and it shows you have a baseline intelligence and the ability to learn.
In fact, getting work in a publishing house is so competitive that having a degree is probably a minimum requirement. (It took me about six months to get my foot in the door, many moons ago, and it’s only getting more competitive …)
But if you’re planning to fly solo as a freelancer? Well, that’s where things get interesting.
Freelance novel editing: No degree, no problem
Now, here’s the good news.
If you want to be a freelance book editor, there are no gatekeepers asking for your academic transcripts.
Freelancing is like the Wild West of the editing world – no one’s going to stop you at the door and ask if you’ve read Moby Dick (though, kudos if you actually have). This is both a bad thing and a good thing.
A bad thing because anyone can say they’re a freelance editor.
A good thing because anyone can say they’re a freelance editor!
Of course, you want to be the kind of freelance editor who knows what they’re doing and can provide a high-quality service. The other kind (who can’t really do what they say they can do), don’t get very far.
As a freelancer, your clients care more about your editing skills than about where you studied or whether you can quote Jane Austen on command.
Many successful freelance book editors don’t have a degree in English or publishing at all.
What they do have is:
- a solid understanding of language
- a passion for books
- a little business know-how
- and the ability to spot a plot hole or a dangling modifier from a mile away.
Freelancers live and die by their reputation, and clients will care about your portfolio and your specific training credentials, not whether you aced English 101.
Skills trump degrees – every time
Here’s the kicker: just because you don’t need a degree, doesn’t mean you don’t need skills.
Being an editor isn’t just about enjoying a good book or being the type of person who silently judges other people’s typos in text messages.
To be a successful editor, you need to know your stuff, inside and out.
You should be familiar with all stages of editing, even if you don’t offer them, because that way you understand where your service(s) fit in the publishing process.
The different stages (and services) are:
- Developmental editing: Helping authors refine their plot, structure, pacing … and work out whether or not their protagonist’s sudden decision to become a pirate halfway through the book makes sense.
- Line editing: Fixing awkward sentences so they flow better and don’t leave readers scratching their heads.
- Copyediting: Marking-up for the formatter, correcting grammar and punctuation, and making sure the author hasn’t accidentally swapped a character’s eye color mid-chapter (it happens).
- Proofreading: Polishing the manuscript until it’s so clean you could eat off it.
Whether you’ve studied formally or learned through experience, clients need to feel confident that you can do the task you say you can do – and do it well.
Training yourself without a degree
Let me tell you a secret: most degrees don’t actually teach you the skills you need to become a book editor.
Those publishing-house jobs I mentioned above? They likely won’t match the kind of roles where you get your hands on a manuscript and actually edit it. Instead, you’ll be commissioning manuscripts, marketing books or managing the process from Word Doc to paperback.
Learn more about the different editorial roles in the publishing industry here.
So, if you’re going the freelance route (and skipping the degree), how do you get good at editing?
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to build up your skills and reputation without shelling out thousands for a university course.
1. Self-study
Start by immersing yourself in the world of editing. Read books on grammar and punctuation, and read style guides like The Chicago Manual of Style (best for US publishing) or New Hart’s Rules (best for UK publishing). Consider these your editorial bibles, except with fewer moral quandaries and more semicolons.
2. Take professional courses
There are loads of online courses and certifications out there, which are just what you need when it comes to leveling up your skills. Of course, Liminal Pages offers some fantastic online book editing courses, especially if you want to get into fiction editing, and organisations like the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) have training options too. You’ll be armed with the knowledge you need – and without the heavy student loans.
3. Practice, practice, practice
(Or, actually, if you’re a Brit like me: Practise, practise, practise.) Experience is vital for applying what you know in the real world. Get involved in online writing communities and volunteer your services (or offer introductory rates) in exchange for testimonials and referrals. Start small and build a portfolio that shows potential clients what you can do.
4. Networking
Being a freelancer can be a little lonely at times, but luckily, there’s a huge online community of authors, editors and publishers. Editorial societies like the EFA and CIEP, and groups on social media, can help you network your way into more work – and give you advice on developing your business, with no one asking to see your degree credentials.
Wrapping up: Your path to book editing success, without a degree
At the end of the day, while having a degree might open some doors, it’s not a requirement for becoming a successful freelance book editor.
In the freelance world, editorial skills and a good head for business will get you much further than a degree certificate on your wall.
If you invest in learning your craft, work hard to develop a solid portfolio, and show clients that you’re an editing wizard (with or without the pointy hat), you’ll have all you need to thrive in the world of freelance book editing.
