Guest Post: WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN HIRING AN EDITOR by Carol James

Choosing a professional editor is very important, and how to do that is one of the most common questions when it comes to the whole book creation process. Let’s find out, what steps should be taken to hire the good editor.  

The professional editing is the most important part of the writing process; writers work on a book hard, and now it’s time to ship it off to a professional. Sometimes editing can be painful, but it’s also necessary; professional writers offer a variety of editorial services. Editors can do anything from marketability assessment to mentoring services, manuscript critiques evaluations and so on. 

Choosing the most suitable editing package depends on the strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript. But how pick the best copyholder? What to look for? Continue the reading. The first step - get the references. 

Countless copyholders are floating around, and it can be had to sift through them all. The easiest way to get started is to ask for the references. Talk to other writers, ask them which editors they’ve worked with and whether or not they recommend them. 

It’s important to keep in mind that references are only valuable if they’re coming from authors who’ve produced quality content. If you’ve read their work and weren’t impressed by it… Guess what, you’re not going to be impressed by their reviser either. Talk to people you trust and respect. Allow them to point you in the appropriate direction. 

The second step – be confident that the proofreader is qualified. 

Believe it or not, one of the easiest ways to narrow down a list of potential editors is to check their qualification. There are lots of self-proclaimed proofreaders. Who think they’re qualified because they took an English class. And lots of people offering editing services are college students with little to no experience.

When combing through copyholders check their credentials, what do their education and experience look like, how long have they been in this field, how many edits do they have under their belts. Their experience should tell you that they know what they’re doing. 

The third step – check their past work.

All editors should have a list of their past clients and books they’ve edited available on their website. If a proofreader does not have this information readily available – that is the huge red flag. If that person does have this information available, you need to go through it; check out the books they’ve edited. Are they any good? What do the readers think? The excerpts are available on Amazon; checking out an editor’s past work is the easiest way to get a snapshot of their capabilities. 

The fourth step – check for specialties.

Most editors have some specialty, which is usually genre or category specific. That’s worth paying attention to because if you’re writing a horror novel, you don’t want to work with a copyreader who specializes in romance. Some editors have a broad specialization, and that’s fine, but most credible editors draw the line somewhere.   

  

The fifth step – check their rate.

If someone’s offering insanely cheap rates that are too good to be true, they are not so highly professional or honest with you. While you’re searching editors compare their rate, see what the standard is for your level of edit. And if someone is offering pennies in comparison to the norm, they’re not reliable. 

The sixth step – to communicate.

You should never choose an editor without talking to him/her first. Send them an email, start a dialogue, ask them questions. Convince yourself that you are in full agreement of the details, the projected time frame, what this level of edit will entail, the costs involved and how the payments will be transacted. 

The seventh step – get a sample.

After you’ve started discussing a working relationship with a prospective editor, it’s within your rights to ask for a sample edit. This will help you to make your final decision. It’s nice to see exactly how this person’s style works and what sort of elements they focus on.    

You need to be very careful when you’re looking for a reviser. Make a list of the principal requirements the candidate should meet. For example, someone who:

• has the reliable qualifications;

• knows your genre;

• has a good reputation;

• flexible;

• helpful and encouraging.

Ask yourself five key questions before choosing a professional.

1. What kind of edit am I seeking?

2. What is my total word count?

3. How complex is my book?

4. What is my deadline? Is it flexible?

5. What is my budget?

Searching for an editor can be pretty daunting, but if you have the information about the things to look for it makes the process a lot easier. Good luck with that!

About the Author: Carol James is a writer and senior editor at writing service, so you can order essay outline sample from EssayLab. 

She has MA degree in social sciences and writes articles, reviews on the different actual subjects. So, if you have any questions regarding the writing, feel free to ask her.