So, you want to hire an editor. Choosing the right one for you is vitally important because they’ll have direct access to the thousands of words you spent countless hours writing.
Editors can take your words and click the final pieces into place, elevating everything you have worked to achieve, or they can splice away the things you love about your writing without consideration. It can be hard to feel certain which they will do for you until they’re far into the process and you’re out a lot of money, but having a strategy to vet them carefully can uncover a lot. Here’s what we suggest you consider when considering hiring an editor:
Take Control of Your Story
May seem cheesy, but it’s definitely true. The first step to choosing the right editor is empowering yourself! If you’ve been querying or this is your first self-published novel, this may seem silly or hard to do. Querying is built on a structure of making you feel less than capable to handle your editorial direction, and it’s easy to feel unqualified even if you’re self-publishing.
The reality is that you are the writer of your own story. You are the person who was inspired and followed through on that inspiration. You’ve got thousands of words of experience under your belt, and you’re going to need to feel ready to listen to your gut on this one. There are absolutely bad actors pretending to be experts in story structure, but you can sus them out. You have got the final say, and any independent editor you hire is working for you. Not the other way around. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.
Get to Know their Digital Footprint
Once you have found an editor you’re considering working with, check out what they have spread online to get to know them better. If you can, find them on social media, editorial sites like Reedsy, and their own website to see what principles they stand for and how open they are about their credentials. If you’re reading this on my website, it’s likely you’re already doing this while considering me as your editor. I’m honored to be considered, and you’re on the right track!
If you’re feeling uncertain about whether an editor has enough experience to help you, consider how much they’re giving away. The less secure an editor feels about their work, the less they’re willing to reveal. If you’re looking at a site with little information about what you’ll get working with them, it could be a red flag.
Editors who are forthcoming with their knowledge are less likely to provide unhelpful analysis. You can already see where they stand on particular topics that may apply to your narrative, and it’s likely they have more expertise than they can post in a blog or on social media, which is why they’re worth hiring.
Ask for a Meeting
If you’re looking for an editor and not sure they’ll be the right person to work on your novel, you’re well within your rights to interview them to find more information. Remember, they work for you. So, you’re the one in charge! It’s likely the editor will also have questions for you to make sure they’re giving you the best editorial experience possible, but you should absolutely come prepared to ask them about their process, what they find most important in their work, how they give feedback, and more. It’s the best way for you to fully understand their abilities as an editor and if their communication style will work well for you.
Request a Sample of Their Work
If after meeting you still want a little more proof of concept from an editor, you can ask for a sample of their work. Of course, independent editors can’t release work from past clients, but they will often allow you to submit some of your own. This is for the best anyway because you can more clearly see how the editor will make changes in the context of your own authorial voice.
Many editors will allow you to submit 250 words for review in copyediting, line edits, or proofreading free of charge. Often, I will return the 250 words with a sample of what copyediting and proofreading look like on the same page so clients can make a more informed decision of what they would like for their novel.
If you’re still wanting proof of concept for developmental editing, one thing I offer my clients is the option to hire me for one book coaching session or a beta read first. Both of these will give you a sense of what the prospective editor sees in your work and the kinds of suggestions they would lay out in a more comprehensive content edit at a lower price and time commitment.
Finding the right editor can be a daunting prospect, but it can help a lot to have a few tools in mind to evaluate their merit. Most important to start is knowing that you are a writer worth working with and you have a story worth with value. After that, all you need is some consideration. Best of luck!
Comments