Q&A With Timothy Repasky

I am delighted to be doing this Q&A with Timothy Repasky. Timothy Repasky is a fiction editor who I connected with on LinkedIn. It is so exciting talking to people who have different roles in the publishing world. 

Q: Timothy, where did your love of reading come from when you decided to pursue a career in editing fiction?

A: I honestly wasn’t a big reader when I was growing up, but the first book series that truly gripped me was Harry Potter. Those books are never boring, and it’s so easy to keep reading on to the next chapter. 

My favorite thing to read was GameInformer magazine. I couldn’t wait for each issue to arrive every month so I could pore over the pages of video game information (this was before I had internet). 

I loved it so much that I always dreamed of writing for the magazine when I grew up. That’s what led me to getting an English degree. By the time I was done with school, print magazines were on the decline, and video game journalism had switched to mostly YouTubers, streamers, and online personalities. The writing aspect of the job was always the most attractive part of it to me (I didn’t want to be on camera). (GameInformer was shut down a few weeks ago as of this writing.)

I decided to apply my English degree to something else. I discovered proofreading from home as a viable career path. That led to copyediting. After a few years of editing different kinds of projects, I realized fiction editing was what I enjoyed the most, so that’s what I focus on now. 

Q: What is your favorite part about editing fiction books & why? 

A: I love helping authors polish their manuscripts into something that’s publish worthy. I struggle with being creative myself, so being a part of others’ creative journeys is extremely fulfilling. I’ve always wanted to play a role in bringing cool projects to life, and now I do!

For fiction specifically, I love how it allows for more freedom as compared to formal writing. It’s more creative. I love the process of getting to know each author’s style and then working to maintain it throughout a manuscript. 

Working from home is also an aspect of the job that I love. 

Q: Can you give a list of authors that you’ve edited books for? 

A: This isn’t a complete list, but some of my clients include Tony Galloway, J. J. Kimmorist, Erin Hunt Rado, Daniel McKay, Michael Feng, and T. C. Westminster. 

I also freelance for several small publishers including Kirkus Media, Felony & Mayhem Press, DartFrog Books, Epic Publishing, and Vine Leaves Press. 

Q: Since you are an editor, would you ever write your own books? If so, which genre would you write in and would you edit your own work or would you have someone else edit your books for you?

A: I think it would be a lot of fun to write a book, and because I spend so much time in the editing world it’s something I have considered. The problem is I struggle with being creative, so I think it would be difficult for me to write fiction. If I ever wrote a book, it would probably be nonfiction. It would be fun to research a subject I’m passionate about and then write a book about it. 

It’s difficult to take off my editing hat when I read for pleasure, so I’m sure writing a book would be no different. However, I would absolutely hire an editor. It’s always good to have an extra pair of eyes on your work because you become so close to it that you can easily miss things. An outside perspective can only help, and it would also be a good learning experience for me to work with another editor with a fresh perspective. 

Q: What is your advice for anyone wanting to become an editor in the publishing industry? 

A: Start by picking up some books on editing and see how you feel about what you read. From there, seek out professional training. There are lots of online courses you can take on your own time, which will help you develop fundamental skills required for the profession. 

Some of the best advice I’ve ever been given is that if you put yourself out there enough, people will find you. There are internship opportunities in the publishing industry. You can join editing groups on Facebook, promote yourself in more professional environments like LinkedIn, reach out to indie presses, sign up for job boards, look for local opportunities. There really are so many ways to find work. The key is connecting with people. 

Q: What is your advice for upcoming authors if they want you as their editor? Would they have to email you their finished story so you would look at it and edit it for them? 

A: This is my advice for working with editors in general. A great place to start is by emailing a sample of your manuscript to the editor you’re interested in working with. Most editors (me included) offer free sample edits. This can be 1,000 words, your first chapter, anything that’s a good representation of your writing. 

Sample edits help both the editor and author see if they’re a good fit for one another. They give the editor an opportunity to demonstrate their worth and allow the author to see what they’ll be getting for their money. They also allow the editor to see what kind of edit is necessary for a particular manuscript. This helps them know what to charge and estimate how long the project should take them. It’s actually very common for new authors not to know exactly what kind of editing they need. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that many of the best editors are booked ahead of time. It’s a good idea to reach out to your editor well before you’re ready to have your manuscript edited. This way the details can be hammered out and you both can put it on your calendars. 

If anyone reading this is interested in getting a sample edit from me, they can reach me at repaskyproofreading@gmail.com 

I offer copyediting and proofreading services. 

Q: What are your favorite books you’ve read this year? They could be ones you’ve edited, and books already published!  

A: In my free time I’ve been reading the first Wheel of Time book by Robert Jordan. I’m almost finished with it, and I’m excited to check out the Amazon Prime adaptation to see how it compares. It’s a brick of a book, so it’s taken up a lot of my reading-for-fun time this year and it’s just about all I’ve read. 

In terms of books I’ve edited this year, my favorite project has been a trilogy of humorous fantasy novels. I don’t know their titles yet, as the author didn’t have names attached to them when he sent the manuscripts to me. Once they’re published, I’ll try to post a link to them on my social platforms. They’re fun reads.