Carol Rose
Basic
This is mainly for self-published works, though there may be times when you want a manuscript professionally edited before submitting it to agents or publishers who take unagented submissions. Resist the temptation to edit your own work, even if you're one of those authors who has a solid grasp of the mechanics. Authors are too close to their own stories, and aren't reading the work through the eyes of someone who has never seen it before. That's how your future readers will see it. When they read it, it's their first time. You need someone not so heavily invested in that story to look at it with fresh eyes, no matter how good you are at spelling, punctuation, grammar, character development, or plotting. After all, you want to present your best work. If you're self-publishing, the last thing you want to see in reviews is that the editing was sloppy, or that the book was filled with mistakes.
Jane Friedman has an excellent blog post on how to find an editor, and why you need one.
She suggests using a sample edit from any prospective editor as a guide, rather than going strictly by their resume. Each editor works differently, and no matter how impressive their client list, they still might not be a good fit for you. You also might not be a good fit for them. Any editor worth their salt will offer a free sample edit, usually 1000 words or so, to give you both a chance to try each other out and see if you feel comfortable with each other's style. If someone is not willing to do that, cross them off the list and move on.
Working with an editor is a business relationship, so treat it like one. You should expect nothing less than professionalism, and they in turn should expect the same from you. Look them up on social media. If they act like an ass on there, they will probably act like that with you, too. Check out their website. Is it professional? Are there typos? Grammar mistakes? Awkward sentences? Anything that makes you pause and wonder if this person knows what they're doing? This is someone you will be paying to make your manuscript shine. If they can't do that with their own website, they likely can't do it for your book.
The issue with calling yourself an editor is that it takes no special certification to hang out a shingle. There are no checks and balances, other than clients' word of mouth. Get recommendations from published authors. Find out who edited books you really love (it should say so at the beginning of the book, near the copyright stuff and cover art acknowledgement) and seek them out.
Edited to add there is one exception, as pointed out by our own @Nmlee. If you're in Australia or using an Australian editor you can ask if they are IPED accredited. It's an editing accreditation, and Nmlee reports it's quite difficult to get. You have to sit a difficult exam every few years to keep it.
If you find someone through recommendations or in another way, read some of the books they've edited before making a decision. Are there mistakes? Is the plotting awkward? Are the characters flat? It's not an editor's job to change an author's voice, but if you find these kinds of things in several books edited by the same person, it might indicate the editor is missing them.
How are they in correspondence with you, whether that's via PM on Facebook or in emails? Is this someone you can work with? Are they responsive, polite, and professional? You will be working closely with this person so you need to be comfortable with their manner. Don't be afraid to keep looking if you aren't sure.
So what exactly does an editor do? This article from Kindlepreneur breaks it down nicely.
Developmental editing, also called structural or content editing, looks at the big picture. Think plot and character development. In this type of edit, rather than looking for typos or clunky grammar, the editor is focusing more on whether the plot works, the characters are fully developed, and the goals, motivations, and conflicts are each fully addressed.
Line editing, also called substantive or stylistic editing, polishes the language, line by line.
Copyediting corrects grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. This also includes correcting commonly confused words, as well as checking for consistency in facts, use of hyphens and other marks, capitalization of words, and the way numbers are written.
**Sometimes line editing and copyediting are the same thing. Check with the specific editor if unsure**
Proofreading offers a final check before publication to find missed words, repeated words, typos, as well as spacing and formatting consistency. This should be the very last level of editing.
The Writers Life details five crucial questions to ask before you narrow down your list.
Have they worked for publishers or only self-published authors? The latter doesn't mean they don't know what they're doing, but it might mean they were never guided or mentored by other editors. All their work has been freelance. Editing is a learned skill. At a large publisher, it takes three years minimum before an editor is assigned their own books to work on. Before that, they are learning from more experienced editors. Again, that doesn't mean a freelance editor isn't just as skilled, but you should be aware of their background.
Are they a developmental editor or a copyeditor? There is some overlap, but a copyeditor is more technical. If what you need is developmental editing, that is what you should be looking for. If you need both, make sure the prospective editor knows you need both. The rates may vary for these because they are two very different skill sets.
How many authors do they work with in a month? It takes time to edit a complete manuscript efficiently. If they're working too quickly, they could miss things. If they take months to edit one book, you may not have that kind of time to wait.
The Writers Life article lists two places you can find average rates. Your quoted rate should be close to these. It's tempting to pay less to someone who doesn't charge as much as the minimum average rates, but be careful. Editing is the most expensive thing you will pay for as a self-published author, but it's also the one thing you absolutely should not skimp on.
And finally, the Writers Life article also suggests asking for a sample edit. This is a must. Do not consider anyone unwilling to do this. It's great to want to help out a friend of a friend, but when it comes to your manuscript, you want a professional.
Hope this helps.
Jane Friedman has an excellent blog post on how to find an editor, and why you need one.
She suggests using a sample edit from any prospective editor as a guide, rather than going strictly by their resume. Each editor works differently, and no matter how impressive their client list, they still might not be a good fit for you. You also might not be a good fit for them. Any editor worth their salt will offer a free sample edit, usually 1000 words or so, to give you both a chance to try each other out and see if you feel comfortable with each other's style. If someone is not willing to do that, cross them off the list and move on.
Working with an editor is a business relationship, so treat it like one. You should expect nothing less than professionalism, and they in turn should expect the same from you. Look them up on social media. If they act like an ass on there, they will probably act like that with you, too. Check out their website. Is it professional? Are there typos? Grammar mistakes? Awkward sentences? Anything that makes you pause and wonder if this person knows what they're doing? This is someone you will be paying to make your manuscript shine. If they can't do that with their own website, they likely can't do it for your book.
The issue with calling yourself an editor is that it takes no special certification to hang out a shingle. There are no checks and balances, other than clients' word of mouth. Get recommendations from published authors. Find out who edited books you really love (it should say so at the beginning of the book, near the copyright stuff and cover art acknowledgement) and seek them out.
Edited to add there is one exception, as pointed out by our own @Nmlee. If you're in Australia or using an Australian editor you can ask if they are IPED accredited. It's an editing accreditation, and Nmlee reports it's quite difficult to get. You have to sit a difficult exam every few years to keep it.
If you find someone through recommendations or in another way, read some of the books they've edited before making a decision. Are there mistakes? Is the plotting awkward? Are the characters flat? It's not an editor's job to change an author's voice, but if you find these kinds of things in several books edited by the same person, it might indicate the editor is missing them.
How are they in correspondence with you, whether that's via PM on Facebook or in emails? Is this someone you can work with? Are they responsive, polite, and professional? You will be working closely with this person so you need to be comfortable with their manner. Don't be afraid to keep looking if you aren't sure.
So what exactly does an editor do? This article from Kindlepreneur breaks it down nicely.
Developmental editing, also called structural or content editing, looks at the big picture. Think plot and character development. In this type of edit, rather than looking for typos or clunky grammar, the editor is focusing more on whether the plot works, the characters are fully developed, and the goals, motivations, and conflicts are each fully addressed.
Line editing, also called substantive or stylistic editing, polishes the language, line by line.
Copyediting corrects grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. This also includes correcting commonly confused words, as well as checking for consistency in facts, use of hyphens and other marks, capitalization of words, and the way numbers are written.
**Sometimes line editing and copyediting are the same thing. Check with the specific editor if unsure**
Proofreading offers a final check before publication to find missed words, repeated words, typos, as well as spacing and formatting consistency. This should be the very last level of editing.
The Writers Life details five crucial questions to ask before you narrow down your list.
Have they worked for publishers or only self-published authors? The latter doesn't mean they don't know what they're doing, but it might mean they were never guided or mentored by other editors. All their work has been freelance. Editing is a learned skill. At a large publisher, it takes three years minimum before an editor is assigned their own books to work on. Before that, they are learning from more experienced editors. Again, that doesn't mean a freelance editor isn't just as skilled, but you should be aware of their background.
Are they a developmental editor or a copyeditor? There is some overlap, but a copyeditor is more technical. If what you need is developmental editing, that is what you should be looking for. If you need both, make sure the prospective editor knows you need both. The rates may vary for these because they are two very different skill sets.
How many authors do they work with in a month? It takes time to edit a complete manuscript efficiently. If they're working too quickly, they could miss things. If they take months to edit one book, you may not have that kind of time to wait.
The Writers Life article lists two places you can find average rates. Your quoted rate should be close to these. It's tempting to pay less to someone who doesn't charge as much as the minimum average rates, but be careful. Editing is the most expensive thing you will pay for as a self-published author, but it's also the one thing you absolutely should not skimp on.
And finally, the Writers Life article also suggests asking for a sample edit. This is a must. Do not consider anyone unwilling to do this. It's great to want to help out a friend of a friend, but when it comes to your manuscript, you want a professional.
Hope this helps.
