Interview with Jessica Klimesh, Owner of JEK Proofreading and Editing

INTRODUCING JESSICA KLIMESH

Jessica Klimesh, a US-based writer and editor, launched JEK Proofreading and Editing, LLC in January 2019 after several years of teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) and Rhetoric at the University of Iowa. Even during her earlier career in retail management, she was active as a part-time freelance writer and editor. In 2007, she founded the Toledo Writers’ Workshop (Toledo, Ohio), a community critique group that she facilitated until 2015; the group remains active. Jessica holds an MA in English, an MFA in Creative Writing, and graduate certificates in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and international Scientific and Technical

Communication. Her own creative writing has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best Microfiction, and Best Small Fiction, and has been published in a number of online and print journals.

JEK Proofreading and Editing, LLC provides all levels of editing for a wide variety of clients, from academic and technical writers to creative writers (both fiction and nonfiction).

INTERVIEW

What types of books do you most enjoy editing, and why?

I’ve had the pleasure of editing a wide variety of books, from poetry and fiction to memoir and nonfiction (and I do technical and academic editing as well), and I love the variety. As such, I don’t necessarily prefer one type of book over another, as the different opportunities allow me to exercise different skill sets and “stretch” different parts of my brain. I also offer all levels of editing—developmental, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading—and similarly enjoy the different challenges of each type of edit. With degrees in technical communications, English (with a focus on teaching/academic writing), and creative writing, I’m a uniquely adaptable editor, as comfortable with line editing a technical report as I am doing a developmental edit on a novel.

How do you approach the editing process, and what tools or techniques do you use to ensure a high-quality final product?

I offer all four levels of editing, so my approach differs depending on what level edit I’m doing. However, regardless of what type of edit I’m doing, I always go through a manuscript twice. The first time is when I do most of my editing work. The second time is primarily to check my work and ensure I haven’t introduced errors or typos into the document. After both passes, I then edit/proofread my comments within the document. Depending on the level of edit and the author’s needs, I will color-code my comments. Color-coding is not only helpful for the author, but it also gives me a visual that allows me to check that I’ve provided the author with a healthy mix of both positive feedback and room-for-improvement feedback.

For critiques, developmental editing, and line editing, an author will typically receive a lengthy editorial letter (which could be up to 30 pages long), customized to their particular manuscript and needs, which I edit for tone and clarity and to ensure that it provides the author with easy-to-follow next steps.

What are some common mistakes or challenges that you see authors make when submitting their work for editing, and how do you help them address these issues?

It’s common for an author (especially a first-time author) not to know what kind of editing they need; additionally, it’s common for writers (myself included!) to misjudge the readiness of a manuscript. This is understandable, as it’s very hard to assess one’s own work. When submitting work for editing, an author will ideally submit a “polished” manuscript, i.e., edited it to the best of their ability, which means that they may have already gotten and applied feedback from a writing partner, writing group, or even beta readers.

It’s also common for authors to underestimate the amount of work their manuscript needs or how long writing or editing “should” take, particularly if they’ve never been through the process before. Gently helping writers understand the different levels of editing (i.e., developmental, line, copyediting, proofreading) and that most manuscripts need all four levels (and not all at once!) is one key way to address this challenge.

Before I prepare a cost estimate for a new client, I will ask the author a series of questions to get a sense of their writing experience and their goals for the manuscript. This not only helps to ensure that we’re on the same page, but it can also help me determine the state of the manuscript, e.g., whether it’s already been through developmental or line editing. Additionally, I typically perform a short sample edit on a manuscript, which helps me estimate how long editing will take for that particular project. Letting an author know that I expect the editing to take X amount of hours can help them understand where both my price quote and timeline are coming from.

How do you balance the need to respect an author’s voice and style with the need to ensure that their writing is clear, concise, and effective?

As a creative writer myself, I understand how important it is for an author to retain control of their work. I tend to write hybrid fiction, or genre-bending work, that may defy certain conventions. I’ve had experiences where people providing me with feedback have altered my work stylistically, trying to change it so that it does match a certain mold; the result is often something that sounds like them and not me. These experiences have helped me become more sensitive to how best to approach feedback. If an author makes stylistic choices that I deem ineffective, I will ask the author about their choices and what kinds of things informed their choices. In this way, I’m not judging the choices but helping the author figure out how best to capitalize on them.

An editor’s job is not to mold the work into something else but to help make the intended voice and style more effective. To do this, an editor often has to ask the author difficult questions; but in this way, the editor becomes the author’s advocate. Developmental and line editing, in particular, require an editor to have an open mind and to ask questions in order to understand and respect the author’s intent (both voice and style).

How do you stay up-to-date with trends and changes in the publishing industry, and how do you adapt your editing approach to reflect these shifts?

I’m a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and regularly take EFA classes or attend EFA webinars to stay up-to-date with trends. I also follow the EFA discussion forum, and am part of several professional editing groups on Facebook as well. I learn a lot just from discussions and will implement anything new to my process as I learn it. Additionally, I learn from LinkedIn posts and articles I come across or that are shared with me.

I’m particularly sensitive to trends in writing itself; I have a passion for writing craft and critique. Over the past couple of years, I’ve read three books in particular that have had substantial influence on how I approach feedback: Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping (2021) by Matt Salesses, The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop: How to Decolonize the Creative Classroom (2021) by Felicia Rose Chavez, and Critique Is Creative: The Critical Response Process in Theory and Action (2022) by Liz Lerman and John Borstel. These books have helped me see how the world of workshopping and critique is changing. Although these books aren’t specific to editing (or publishing), they have influenced how I approach feedback, reminding me that I need to approach every project—and every client—individually, without making generalizations or applying formulas. Other recent craft books I’ve read include Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts (2022) by Matt Bell and A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life (2021) by George Saunders. I think it’s essential that both writers and editors keep up with trends in craft and critique, and I will occasionally reference sections of these (or other) books for writers if I think the information would be useful to them.

What qualities do you look for in a manuscript or author that make you excited to take on a new project?

Because my own approach to writing is one of flexibility, I love to see a similar open-mindedness and flexibility in a prospective manuscript or author. I’m always excited to read stuff that’s fresh and original, and I enjoy topics that are unfamiliar to me.

My own writing background encompasses hybrid literary writing, so I’m thrilled when writers try something different. But I’ve also worked with more novice writers who have a story to tell and simply want to learn how to tell it more effectively, and these projects are also exciting because I love to watch a person’s growth as a writer.

How do you ensure that your editing process is respectful of diverse perspectives and experiences, and what steps do you take to avoid perpetuating harmful stereotypes or biases?

One thing I learned in my years of offering feedback—even before I started editing professionally—is that there is no one right way to write. As a graduate student, I worked in my university’s writing center; I was working on a TESOL certificate at the time, so most of the students I worked with were nonnative English speakers. Part of the training I received as a tutor was on how to approach cultural differences in writing. The most important thing is to recognize that everybody has different lived experiences. My job as an editor is not to change an author’s lived experience or add my own biases to that experience but to help the author express themselves effectively in a way that is comfortable to them.

I’ve only rarely encountered perpetuation of harmful stereotypes in manuscripts I’ve edited. Usually the writer simply isn’t aware that they’ve written something potentially harmful. In these cases, I will query the author and have a nonjudgmental discussion with them to understand their intent. If it’s a pervasive issue (throughout the manuscript), I will provide some possible solutions, but may also suggest that the author hire a sensitivity reader, particularly if an author is writing from a cultural perspective different from their own.

What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your job as a book editor, and why?

I love to learn and I love to read, and I get to do both as a book editor! I love that my workload is varied; every project presents its own set of fun challenges. No two manuscripts are the same.

Additionally, even as a teenager volunteering in my high school’s writing center, I loved helping others with their writing. It’s always a pleasure to read a manuscript a second or third time around—it’s rewarding to see how it’s been improved.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a book editor, and how do you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to value myself and my time and to charge clients accordingly. Hiring an editor is not cheap, and it can be easy for beginning editors to charge lower rates, thinking that this will get them more clients. It won’t. It will cause stress and burnout.

Similarly, imposter syndrome is very real. But if you think of yourself as “less than,” that’s how you’ll approach clients and editing. So, I have to regularly give myself pep talks and remind myself of my experience and worth. Being active on LinkedIn is particularly helpful in this regard, too, because I’m connected with a lot of freelancers and entrepreneurs struggling with the same issues; it helps me realize that I’m not alone in my self-doubt.

What advice would you give to aspiring book editors, and how can they best prepare themselves for a career in this field?

The biggest piece of advice I have for aspiring book editors is to connect with other professionals in the field—and not just other editors but other freelancers and entrepreneurs, regardless of their business. One of the most beneficial things I did my first year in business was to become active in 1 Million Cups (1MC), an entrepreneurial group. I presented my business at 1 Million Cups and received lots of suggestions and support (and also gained several long-term clients).

I would also encourage aspiring book editors to take classes (e.g., through the EFA). Even though I have two writing-related master’s degrees and a firm understanding of grammar and writing, I always learn something new when I take a class; additionally, connecting with other editing professionals has been another way I’ve gotten new clients. I’ve found that the extended network of editing professionals I’m part of is incredibly supportive. We are not in competition with each other; on the contrary, we are all colleagues. There’s more than enough editing work for everybody.

What is the best way for writers to get in touch with you or your company if they are interested in learning more about your services or hiring you to work on a project? Do you have a specific email address or phone number they should use, or do you prefer to be contacted through a website form or other online platform?

To learn more, writers can visit my website, https://jekproofreadingandediting.com, and can contact me that way as well: https://jekproofreadingandediting.com/contact/. I’m also happy to connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-klimesh-90998a2/.