CHOOSING AN EDITOR
It can be daunting to choose an editor. Once you’ve gotten a few recommendations, how can you tell if an editor is the best fit for you and your work?
First things first, address anything that could be a dealbreaker.
Do you have a tight deadline? Say so up front, if there is no way you can be flexible for the right editor.
Do you have a small editing budget? Just put it out there. If it’s not in one editor’s pay scale, they may be able to refer you to someone else.
Is your book’s subject matter controversial, or possibly triggering for certain readers? Some editors won’t work on certain topics, so mention it straight off the bat.
Next, you can get into the finer details.
Here are some things to think about and some questions you might ask.
Does the editor have a contract you will both sign? The answer absolutely must be yes; it protects both of you and spells out what will happen if disaster strikes.
Has the editor worked on books like yours?
Do they offer a sample edit? Again, the answer should be yes. (Though not for manuscript evaluations or developmental edits, those can’t really be demonstrated in just a few pages.) Many editors offer sample edits for free.
What style guide do they use? The answer is usually Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) unless it's academic or legal writing.
Would they edit a book and also do the proofread? If the editor says no, it’s a sign they care about the quality of your book. The same person shouldn’t do both. A proofreader who is new to the book will catch more errors.
How do they tailor their edits to each writer? To each book?
Did the editor ask you what your goals are for the book? Who your target reader is? The editor should be tailoring your edit to your specific situation. E.g., is this a book for readers fresh out of college looking for a job, or someone in their forties considering a career change? Is the goal to get readers to sign up for your $5,000 year-long course, or to sell ten thousand copies and write ten more books? A good editor looks for these answers before they start an edit.
Will the editor provide a style sheet? You may want one if you plan to write many books for your business, or to keep track of your preferences to pass on to the proofreader, for example. Style sheets include things like: peace-keeping is always hyphenated, use italics for thoughts, bold for emphasis, always use the serial comma, chapter titles are in this size and font...
Does the editor work in Word, using Track changes? If the editor doesn't edit in the program you work in, that could sway you. Almost all editors use Word’s Track Changes.
You don’t need to address all these things in the first correspondence, just before the contract is signed. You can get a lot of information from the editor’s website as well. It may help you to keep notes about the editors you are considering as you do your vetting process.
You may have an idea of the type of edit you think your manuscript needs, a copy edit, line edit or developmental edit, for example. I recommend asking what level of edit the editor thinks will most help your work. They may see things you do not.
One thing to remember too, is that even in the publishing world everyone’s definition of each type of edit is different. What one editor includes in a line edit may be a part of another’s copy edit and so on. You won’t be comparing apples to apples if you get per word quotes on, say a line edit. The sample edit is the best way to see how an editor’s work will actually benefit your book, instead of getting lost in the weeds of editing jargon.
Some things to think about are the timeliness of an editor’s response, the testimonials they have on their website, and whether they seem kind. Receiving an edit can be hard, and you want a friendly person on your team. Look at the sample edit and see if you feel you’re a good fit for each other.
Once a contract is signed, you can be sure you’ve done your homework and gotten a capable, professional word worker on your team!
