What do editors do? How much do they change about a book?

The book I'm currently reading has a significant amount of typos, much of the dialogue doesn't make sense, and there are many contradictions in the story that are a page or two apart. Shouldn't a good editor have caught those issues? Do authors just publish books without running them by an editor now?

I think a lot of books are published without editors nowadays, yes.. Also, the cover of that one looks like it was designed on Canva, haha

The last couple books I read covered some dark/heavy topics so I wanted something more lighthearted, but this book has just made me angry. lol. It has great reviews on GR too, which I don't understand. Booktok, maybe?

A question for those who read Babel by R. F. Kuang - should I go for audiobook or eBook?

If it's a self-published book, it's possible there was no editor for it. Because from what you've described - all those things would've been caught by one. I work in a small publishing company and we have not only an editor for each book, but before we send it to print, we have it double checked by a proofreader.

The text is peppered with footnotes which, although almost by defintiion are not vital to the story, do neverthelesss add interest. IDK how audiobooks deal with them, but they may be easier with an eBook.

Thanks for that info. I don't know anything about how the publishing industry works. The book says Simon & Schuster on it so I guessed that would mean it should've been seen by an editor.

Does anybody know how to remove sticker residue off of a dust jacket without damaging or staining the dust jacket? I tried researching this sub. People said Goo Gone but other people said it stains, so I don’t know. I have isopropyl alcohol, if that works.

Even if it’s not self-published, I think editors for pulp entertainment reads is a thing of the past. I am constantly finding typos and wrong word usage that an editor ought to find

I’ve used Goo Gone for years and never had any staining. I gently peel as much of the sticker off as I can (I use an old hotel key card), then spray a little Goo Gone on a cotton cloth (not on the book) and wipe away any sticker residue, then wipe clean with another cloth. Works every time for me!

Does regular Goo Gone work or do you need a specific kind? I have regular Goo Gone. It’s kinda old though and I can’t find an expiration date. I’m not sure if it matters too much. I know there’s a Goo Gone that’s a sticker lifter kind. Would that one be better?

I use regular Goo Gone and it works fine for me. I use the tiniest amount- mine is in a spray bottle and I just use one spray on the cloth. I’ve also heard that you can soften the adhesive on stickers by using a hair dryer to blast warm air on them and that makes removal easier, but I’ve never tried that!

Okay. I’ll have to see what I can do. Thank you for the help. I really appreciate the feedback.

The footnotes are read in a different voice. Didn't hinder my experience at all. There were quite a lot of foreign words, due to explanations about etymologies and what not, some seem shaky, because it's highly unlikely that two voice actors would be fluent in so many languages, but neither am I, so I couldn't tell 100% and this wasn't an issue either. It's pretty long though, so maybe pick whichever format gets you through a lot of text better.

Hmm! I have really been noticing errors in my books recently and it drives me nuts! I wish I could highlight them on my kindle and the the author would see it and fix hahah Some are glaringly obvious. I’m not sure I trust booktok quality selections..

I have been wanting to read more because of the benefits like better focus, imagination etc. But I find it hard to both read the words and imagine it in my head at the same time so does an audiobook give the same benefits? If I lay down and listen to audiobooks, will I get better focus and a clearer imagination like I would if I was to read normally?

How can you find out who edited a book? Who edited the novel "Special Topics in Calamity Physics"?

I wrote it as a Google topic. None of the hits I got seemed from the synopses like they'd give an answer. It would take a while to read the hits in full and it might still be a while before I found an answer, if ever. This might be fun sometimes, but it would be nice if there was a quick way to find out who edited a given book. I suppose some authors may not have an editor, or teams of editors may work on some books.

The particular novel was published by Viking Press which I think is a big press so probably there was an editor?

Typos are the job of proofreaders, not editors. It's the last step in the process.

There are several kinds of editors. The kind of editor that catches the issues you're talking about is a developmental editor I believe. They make sure the story is hanging together. If you're really interested, here is an article about all the different people involved in the editing/proofing process. https://www.gcu.edu/blog/language-communication/types-editors

Probably if you're not working with one of the big houses, your book isn't getting the full treatment. And if you're an indie, you're paying out of pocket. I proofed a book for a gal whose book needed 3 levels of editing it didn't get. Plus fact checking. She used quotes that weren't real or were paraphrased. I flagged those for her (she wasn't paying me for that). When she sent me a copy of the book, she hadn't fixed them.

How do I get digital access to books published in Europe/Australia while living in the US? Is there a website similar to US library websites, but for international books?