How to Hire Your First Perfect Editor
Writing a book is a huge undertaking and/or accomplishment. But understanding certain limitation when it comes to your knowledge and experience in the publishing industry and thus, seeking professional help in taking your manuscript to the next level deserves an applause. Beware though, not everyone can be of great help, and finding a match made in heaven can be quite overwhelming and frustrating at times.
That’s why you are here, reading this very concise article, I presume.
But before we dive into the ins and outs of how to find and hire your first perfect editor, here are a few general guidelines:
The more information you can provide when reaching out to potential editors, the better. Some key information that is always good to have: page or word count, type of editorial service sought (more details on that below), deadline, project budget, and a short description of the work (particularly genre and subject matter).
Rates may vary considerably depending on the nature of the work, the time frame of the assignment, the degree of special expertise required, and other factors.
Editing an entire manuscript is a task that requires time. Many first-time authors may spend years shaping their books and then expect a quick turnaround on editing. While some editors may be happy to meet a rapid deadline, rush work commands higher rates.
Types of Editing to Consider
Understanding different roles in the editorial process is a key step to finding an editor who suits your needs and goals. Please note that every variation is typically undertaken as a separate editorial phase, and that while one editor may be able to perform more than one of them, they would typically be done in separate stages.
Proofreading is pretty straightforward. This is the very last step to make any corrections before your book is finally published. Proofreaders check the text for typographical errors and problems with formatting. They also make sure all the changes have been made correctly.
Copy editing is all about perfecting the language and maintaining consistency and accuracy across the manuscript.
Line editing is exactly what the title suggests. An editor may makes comments on rewriting and/or reorganizing sentences and/or passages to perfect the flow of a book.
Manuscript critique is an optional step sometimes undertaken by authors as the first time a professional has seen their work. An editor will read the manuscript and offer high-level suggestions or opinions about the manuscript’s possibilities. Nowadays, you may find similar services performed by so-called ‘Alpha-’ and ‘Beta-’ readers.
Developmental editing is a more in-depth manuscript critique. It may stem from a simple idea that an editor helps shape, or an editor may take a very rough manuscript and suggest big changes in the structure or narrative.
“You must respect the work that your editor does, the other books she has published, the insights he has on your book and other books. You will not always agree, but you must have respect for their way of thinking. You must also know where your own terms differ from their terms. An editor brings the perspective of the publishing market to your work, but a great editor also knows how to protect your art from the necessary crudeness of the market.”
Let’s Talk Money
Fees may be a flat rate (which basically means one payment for an entire project), per page, per word, or hourly. Rates vary considerably depending on the nature of the work, the time frame of the assignment, the degree of special expertise required, the genre, subject matter, and other factors. The industry standard for a manuscript page, however, is a firm 250 words.
How to Choose an Editor?
Picking an editor is a bit like dating: you’re looking to click with someone. A good rapport between editor and author is key. Do your due diligence before hiring, just as you would with any contractor. Get information on what other work they’ve done on similar books or projects and ask for references from previous clients.
In some cases, a brief sample edit or editing test from a freelancer you’re interested in working with can help with your decision process. In other cases, contacting the editor’s references is a better way to get a sense of what that editor can do and how they work (the downside of this method is the possibility of lack of feedback from the provided references; remember, time is money). Developmental editing, in particular, is too large in scope to be captured by a short sample edit. Services such as copy editing or line editing though, may be reasonably evaluated with a sample edit.
Best practices for sample edits:
they should be representative of the material you usually write;
samples should include instructions regarding the preferred style guide and any relevant house style guidelines, if applicable;
instructions should address the preferred method for testing, such as onscreen, in Microsoft Word and using Track Changes; onscreen, marking up a PDF; or hard copy.
Unpaid tests should be no more than the equivalent of five standard (250-word) pages, should require about an hour of the candidate’s time (a reasonable period should be allowed for turnaround), should be part of an unpublished work if it’s fiction or creative non-fiction and the author intends to work directly with the editor; i.e., if you’re a fiction or memoir author, send an unedited excerpt or a full manuscript to the prospective editor. If you’re sending samples to multiple editors, send each editor the same portion of the manuscript so you can directly compare the work, should not be any part of an unpublished work if it’s shorter content, such as blogs or articles; i.e., do not send an unedited portion of the full manuscript to the prospective editor, unless you’re paying for the test. With shorter content, the best unpaid sample edits are derived from early drafts of published (prior to completed editing) or inactive work.
In summary…
Don’t be scared to seek professional help in taking your manuscript to the next level—it’ll make an immense difference. And even though it may seem a bit expensive for an aspiring author who is just about to make the first steps toward being financially independent via publishing, hiring an editor will only accelerate the process, just trust me.
“Remember these two things: You’re very lucky to have found someone that loves your work enough to tell you when it sucks. And if your editor tells you something is boring, it is.”