Editor: Jennifer Kepler Company: Cypress Editing Number of years in editing: 13 years
Tell us a little about yourself, including how you got started as an editor?
Ever since my seventh-grade English class, I knew I wanted to be an editor. I enjoyed diagramming sentences and learning about grammar, usage, and mechanics. I also loved to read and write—if I wasn’t outside with the neighborhood kids, I was either reading a book or writing one. Throughout college, I made sure to always have a job or internship related to my future career as an editor: I interned as a copyeditor at both a prominent weekly newspaper and my college’s newspaper. I was a manuscript reviewer for my college’s literary magazine, and I worked as a writing consultant at the university writing center. A month after graduation, I started working at a multipurpose publishing company where I learned a vast amount about publishing and editing. The experience I gained helped me land my next position as managing editor for a trade academic publisher. After five years as an in-house editor, I decided to start my own editing business, Cypress Editing. Now I work with first-time writers, established authors, traditional publishing companies, and editorial agencies.
What is your area of focus and why did you select this niche?
I focus mainly on copyediting and proofreading. It's what I enjoy doing the most and therefore what I feel I'm best at. I want to offer clients the highest quality of service, so that is why I specialize in these two types of editing.
Walk us through a typical workday. How do you manage your time?
I start my workday by reviewing my to-do list, responding to emails, and then updating my to-do list. I spend about five hours a day editing, and the other hours are spent handling administrative tasks and putting together proposals and service agreements.
What is your favorite thing about being an editor?
My favorite thing about being an editor is helping writers feel confident in their work.
What is your biggest challenge and how do you work through this?
Hmm, good question! I miss having coworkers around or another editor just a few feet away. Independent editing can get lonely sometimes! I work through this challenge by being involved in a local editors' group and getting out to local literary events (pre-COVID) as much as possible.
What are you currently working on?
I'm currently copyediting a women's fiction novel and doing a developmental edit on a mystery novel.
What advice do you have for someone who is just starting their career as an editor?
Become familiar with style guides, find a mentor or someone who can provide feedback on your editing, read books on editing, read in the genres that you edit, join a professional editors' association, continue to develop your skills by taking online courses, attend industry conferences, and get involved in your local literary community.