Hiring an Editor for Your Book
By Amy Wilson
Editor and writing teacher.
If you’re thinking of hiring an editor for your book, make sure you’re ready. Ideally, you’ve completed a first draft, exchanged manuscripts with your writing group, set aside your writing for a time, and then completed the revisions (what is revision?) you know you need to make. When you’ve fixed everything you can, and your story still isn’t as polished as you would like, it’s time to consider hiring an editor.
What to Look for When Hiring an Editor
When hiring an editor, you really are paying for someone’s knowledge, experience, and opinion. You will invest money and emotion into the transaction, and a person’s review of your project is what you will receive. So be sure to vet any potential editor and decide for yourself whether this feedback will be something you can respect and trust. Read over their website. Fact check their resumé.
Don’t just shop based on price. The experienced professionals will almost always charge more. But in this case, with no regulating body to oversee editorial services, you really do get what you pay for. Hiring an editor is an investment and requires research on your part.
A reputable book editor won’t hesitate to answer questions or provide references. In fact, if you get a suspicious response from an editor, or pressure to sign or pay money without feeling completely confident in the transaction, run the other way. There are many good, honest, and talented editors out there. The predators continue to stay in business because some of your writing peers don’t know any better, but you don’t have to be their next victim! Hiring an editor should be finding a partner to work with you as a trusted guide, rather than feeling like you’ve stumbled into a trap.
Hiring an Editor
If you’ve found an editor you’re interested in, take the time to do research and ask them questions. They should be open to having a discussion and answering your questions. You not only want to make sure they’re legitimate—and have the credentials to do what they say they can—but that they’re the best fit for your project.
Not everyone will be successful at commenting on every type of project, and most editors specialize in a category, audience, niche, subject, or genre. Not only are you sharing your time, energy, creativity, and financial resources, but you’re sharing your story and your dream. That isn’t something to take lightly. Hiring an editor is an important decision. The editors at Good Story Editing have been in the publishing business for several decades, collectively, so if you’re hiring an editor, check out our list of services.
unlock your writing potential
As an agented writer and highly experienced editor, Amy Wilson can quickly identify strengths and opportunities for growth in your plot and prose, help you build a compelling submission package, and provide the encouragement you need to reach your writing goals. Take your writing to the next level with Amy’s professional eye.
