Working with a Professional Editor: Part 1 – Finding the Right Editor
October 1, 2007 by Lillie
Table of contents for Working with an Editor
- Working with a Professional Editor: Part 1 – Finding the Right Editor
How much do you charge to help with editing of a manuscript? How does this work? I’ve never used the service of a professional editor before so maybe you could guide me on the inner workings of such a relationship.
Stephen Hopson asked this question in a comment on my post Inspiration: Two Heroes to Admire and Emulate.
Stephen’s question merited a longer answer than a comment, and if one person asks a question, usually other people are wondering the same thing. I’m answering the question in two posts to cover the topic thoroughly.
Each relationship between a writer and an editor is unique, and many editors work differently than I do. If what I say conflicts with your experience, please share what you know or ask any questions you have in a comment.
Details about how I work can be found in Information for Clients. In this series, I will approach the process from the writer’s perspective.
The first step of the process is to find the right editor. You may want to consider two or three editors to determine which is the best for you.
Ask for referrals from other authors and bloggers you trust. Search the Internet for “editor+____” filling in the blank with the genre or subject of your book. Visit social networking sites to look for blogs about editing. Contact a local writers group or ask teachers and librarians who they know.
After you have several prospects, find out more about them and interview them, either by e-mail or phone.
In determining whether an editor is the best one for you and your project, consider the following:
- Does the editor have the technical skills you need? Editing skill includes not only knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and usage, but also familiarity with style guides and conventions needed for your project. Ask for references, testimonials, and samples of work. Often you can find the information on the editor’s Web site or blog. For example, you will find information about me on the about page, in the information documents linked above and on the about page, on the testimonials page, and on my main Web site.
- Does the editor have experience in projects similar to yours? Different editors specialize in different kinds of work. I do a lot of business editing – proposals, letters, manuals, and reports – but I specialize in working with authors, both fiction and nonfiction (especially those who plan to self-publish). However, I’m not qualified to edit every kind of book – I stay away from genres and subjects that I find unfamiliar (fantasy, science fiction, children’s books) or offensive (erotica).
- Do you feel comfortable with the editor? This is especially important if your project is large, such as a book manuscript. If your project is a business letter, you won’t be working as closely with the editor and certainly not for such a long time. But if you’re getting a book ready for publication, you’ll spend a lot of time with the editor. My clients become my friends – you don’t necessarily have to be friends, but you certainly don’t want to grit your teeth every time you have to deal with your editor.
- Is the editor as passionate about your project as you are? Your book is your baby, and you should trust it only to someone who believes in it and wants its success as much as you do. Read through my archives and you’ll find a number of posts about my client’s books. I’m as excited and proud of them as I am of my own work. Although my passion about the project grows as I work on it, I don’t want to edit any book I don’t really love and believe in.
- Will the editor provide the level of editing you want and need? Some editors only correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage. Others, like me, look at plot and characterization in fiction and at content and organization in nonfiction. For example, in a current project, I moved several scenes and deleted the first four chapters of a novel. I did this only after lengthy discussion with the writer, of course. After I explained my rationale, he agreed the first few chapters were backstory and not really needed and the story flowed much better when the scenes were moved. Of course, that also meant that some of the backstory that was relevant had to be woven into the storyline. The manuscript was very different after editing, but the story was unchanged.
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How will the editor make or suggest changes? Some editors still work the old-fashioned way by marking edits in red ink on a hard copy of the manuscript. Some send a separate list of recommendations for the author to incorporate. I make changes directly in the manuscript using Word’s Track Changes. The author can see exactly what I did and either accept or reject the change. I also use comments liberally, especially at the beginning of the project, to explain what I’ve done or to ask for clarification. I’ll cover more about this in the next post, but you need to know how the editor will mark changes before you can decide who to hire.
- Will the editor improve your work without destroying your voice? Your editor should suggest changes that make your book better – otherwise you wouldn’t need an editor. However, an editor should never change your writer’s voice; in fact, a good editor will help you find your own voice and ensure that it shines through your story. My goal is to make my client’s work sound like them – only better. To ensure that I understand what the client wants, I give a free sample edit to every author who considers me for a project. I ask for a representative sample of the work – about five pages for a book-length manuscript – to edit so the client can see exactly what I will do.
- How much will the editor charge? Editing prices vary widely. I gave some ranges in What are your prices for writing and editing services … and how much value do you give? I charge by the hour rather than by the word or page because there is such a variation in the amount of editing different manuscripts require. I give an estimate based on the sample edit but make sure the client understands it is an estimate. If I discover a major plot problem two-thirds of the way through the novel or a hole in logic near the end of a nonfiction book, I may have to revise my estimate to help the author resolve the problem. Usually I stay within the estimate, and I always keep the author informed if it looks like I might need more time. You should certainly feel confident that the price of editing fits your budget, but I don’t recommend that you base your choice of an editor solely on price. Consider the value you will receive.
In the next post, I will discuss how you will work with the editor you have chosen.
Related Posts:
Who Needs an Editor?
Ten Tips for Self-Editing
Self-Publishing Primer: Part 11 – How much does self-publishing cost?
Self-Publishing Primer: Part 12 – What do I need to do and when do I need to do it?
[tags]editing, choosing an editor[/tags]
Lillian:
What a great article about how you work with writers and how writers should expect from an editor. It was great reading it from two perspectives: yours and from a writer’s point of view. Excellent!
Thank you for taking the time to not only mention my name in your blog, writing out a full description of what to look for in an editor but also send me some information via email. You seem to be a woman of integrity, honor and compassion. I can also feel your energy of warmth and love. Wonderful feelings for sure!
I am definitely going to ask that you do a sample edit of I guess the first five pages of my book. I will send you a private email to let you know what is going on over here and then we’ll go from there.
How’s that?
Thanks again for a wonderful write-up!!!
Stephen
Stephen,
Thank you for asking the question that led to this post. I should have thought of this myself long ago.
I look forward to doing the sample edit of your book.
[...] Editing Services [...]
[...] Choose an editor. Some editors prefer to wait until the manuscript is completely finished before they begin editing. However, I like to work with authors from very early in the project. Usually I find that the last chapter of the book takes a lot less time to edit than the first because the writer has improved his writing significantly by following the advice I gave earlier in the process. When I edit chapter-by-chapter, I still do several more rounds of edits on the complete manuscript, but there are fewer problems than there would be otherwise. And whether you are going to have the manuscript edited chapter-by-chapter as you write or wait until you finish the manuscript, allow several weeks – even months – to find an editor. You want to check out the competence and price, but just as importantly, you want to find someone who is passionate about your project, someone you trust, someone who you are comfortable with. And many editors like me have waiting lists, so you need to get on the schedule or your preferred editor may not be available when you need him. You’ll find tips on finding and working with an editor in my two-part series Working with a Professional Editor. [...]
[...] your information is accurate. You can join a critique group to get feedback from other writers. A professional editor can help you with grammar as well as with content. I encourage my clients to have several advance [...]
Thanks for your extensive guide; I’ve more than often been fooled by cheap writers from India. They provide horrible pieces of text!
.-= john@solar power blog´s last blog ..Solar photovoltaic energy =-.
John,
I’m glad you found this helpful. It’s easy to be confused when you’re working with a professional until you know what to learn for in choosing the right person.
This text spoke right from my soul. How often did I get such horrible pieces of text and paid so much like I paid a pro.
Thank you for this overview of good writing
Max,
I hate of people paying well for poor quality work. One of my clients had paid good money for an edit of his book, and he is very disappointed in what he got. He also was shocked at having to pay me so much to fix the problems that weren’t caught or, in some cases, were actually caused by the other editor. Unfortunately, in any business, there will be always a few bad apples, people who are either incompetent, dishonest, or both.
[...] Finding the Right Editor, a two-part series by Lillie Ammann. [...]
Ummmm…what are the names of some of the top companies for book editing?????
Gabby,
I admit to some bias here, but I think the best editors are not companies but independent individuals. There may be some good companies, but I don’t know who they are. I prefer to work directly with clients to meet their individual needs, and I’m not sure that can be done as effectively through a corporate structure as through a one-on-one relationship.
I always used to search for cheap editors and i was looking to much at saving money rather than getting quality. Sometimes i was scammed and payed a lot of money for garbage texts. I think your article describe the best what we should ask and search after to find the best balance between quality and price.
Cristian,
I’m glad you understand seeking the best balance between quality and price. Far too many people look only at the price–and get scammed as you did.
This is a very informative list. I will now have a checklist whenever I hire article writers. Thank you for sharing.
Josh,
Although the list was designed for writers hiring editors to get their work ready to submit for publication, most of the advice could also be adapted to fit choosing a writer for a project.
[...] but a “what-to.” Ensure that your book is ready for publication before you start formatting. Hire a professional editor or find a knowledgeable friend who can edit your book for you. Smashwords will produce a lovely [...]
[...] Ammann wrote a comprehensive two-part series on how to find the right editor and what to expect from the editing process. For instance, the right editor [...]