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How will she be able to edit my manuscript; she's not even English!
That's what I get a lot. Maybe not directly, but people do think that way. To many English-speaking natives it's impossible to understand that a person with German mother tongue is editing English manuscripts.
The answer is: I just read it, make comments as I go along and I make you work hard. To me, reading English is no different to reading German. There might be the odd term I don't understand, but that's what dictionaries were invented for.
I've been in the UK for five years and spoke English from day one. Of course I had learned it at school for many years, which is a big advantage, but being in the country is what makes your brain switch. I speak, write, dream and breathe English. On the other hand, I'll admit it wasn't easy in the beginning. I remember the first book I bought over here: the biography of Jamie Oliver – or better one of them and I had difficulties reading it. Although I read English before, I never read a book, only music magazines. Those problems didn't put me off; instead, they posed a challenge, which I happily accepted. I've loved reading all my life and since I moved over here I wanted to read in English, one of my favourite languages. I've not bought a German book since then and, in April 2009, I've even started to write in English. The transformation from a German speaker to an English author was hard and a steep learning curve, but certainly most useful. I've learned that when I write in English, I seem to think in English, then compare what I want to say with German the same time I'm typing. It happens in a matter of seconds, but still shows in my syntax.
Reading is different: as far as I know, there's no comparing or double checking. Which is why it doesn't have an effect on my editing. Since I'm specialising on synopses, character- and plot-development, my focus lies on anything but grammar. To be honest, I never knew about my editing talents, I didn't even know I could do it at all. It's when I started to critique others on a writers' site, that my talent surfaced; people told me I've helped them a lot and that I should pursue it as a career. After a few months of editing for free, I started out as a freelance editor and since then I've helped quite a few writers to transform their manuscripts into a state ready for submission. Same goes for synopses. I've yet to meet one that defeats me.
I'm well-known for my machete skills and I chop up every piece that is put in front of me, meticulously looking for inconsistencies and glitches. And to be able to do that, you don't need to be perfect at grammar, everyone who's got a good eye for details, common sense and logic – some of the most important assets an editor has to have – can pick up on them. My clients respect me for my picking apart their books, for my suggestions on how to fix problems, for helping them to see. They don't disrespect me for not being a native. Once they trust me with their novels it's clear that I'm more than capable of doing my job as good as a native with a degree hanging on the wall. The only difference is that I may charge less.
As for copy-editing: here's another challenge for me and I'm determined to learn the grammar, not only for my own sake, but for my clients' sake, for I would love to be able to offer all services in future, including proofing. I do a bit already; dialogue attributes for example. I've learned how to use them the hard way: by comparing my own writing to traditionally published books. As a result I'm teaching my clients how to use them correctly. They've become one of my pet hates: if used incorrectly, it will throw the reader out of the story. Talking of pet hates, I've got a few more.
Many writers start sentences with present continues form: Running down the stairs, she pulled on her jeans. I really would love to see that. What the sentence really says: She runs down the stairs while pulling on her jeans. Quite complicated – if not impossible – if you ask me. You would not believe how many times I have to highlight those and it drives me mad. Of course they have their place in writing: Walking through the park, she thought about what happened last night, would be a correct use of the form, but if every third sentence begins like that, it becomes a rather tiring read.
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You can contact Nicole at her editing blog, Synopsisandbookfactory. While you're there, why not read what her clients have to say about working with her?
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