Intro:
Last week we talked about how to self-edit before you found an editor for your manuscript. This week we’re talking about how to find that perfect editor. This topic is very important to me, since I’m a full-time editor. It’s vital for authors and editors to find the perfect fit for one another. Special thanks to today’s guest writer, Antonio Tooley! Let’s welcome him.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in guest articles are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect my own. To show authenticity of the featured writer, articles are posted as provided (a.k.a. I do not edit them). However, the format may have changed.
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Find Your Perfect Editor: 7 Valuable Tips by Antonio Tooley
Every writer, no matter how great he or she is, needs an editor at some point. Now, it’s not just a matter of going through the ads and finding someone. You need to find an editor who is willing to dedicate their time and expertise in order to help you come up with the best work possible, not just someone who’s going to go through the motions, doling out generic advice that’s only going to frustrate you and have you end up with something you don’t like.
Not being able to get behind your own work is not an option, plus you will waste precious time and money getting nowhere. That is why you must really think good and hard when choosing an editor that will push you in the right direction, and ultimately, help you create something you are fully satisfied with. We have put together a list of 7 useful tips that will help you find the right editor. Here they are.
1. Figure Out What Type of Editor You Need
You need to establish the kind of editor you need for your work. If it’s a book, you’ll want to collaborate with a content editor that is not only concerned with it being grammatically sound, but is also interested in the big picture, and elements such as plotting and pacing. If you want someone to fact-check your work and make sure there aren’t any inconsistencies, you will need a copy editor. If you are simply concerned with getting your spelling, punctuation and grammar right, a line editor would be a good choice.
2. Experience Matters
Just because someone is qualified to be an editor based on their qualifications, is not enough in this case. In addition to having a degree in English, your editor should be someone who has experience, and by experience we mean a good track record in the industry. Although having someone inexperienced cut their teeth on your book or a novel for very little money seems tempting, you should always invest in someone who has previous experience in editing.
3. Know Where to Find Them
Simply going on Craigslist, or googling for an editor is not going to work. We would advise you to ask your fellow writers to recommend you a good editor. If you don’t have any friends that are writers, contacting the authors or editors of books you appreciate is not a bad idea, although it may prove to be an expensive one. You can also look for editors on websites and forums that cater to writers.
4. Find Out How Many Clients Your Editor is Currently Working With
This is really important, because you need an editor who will be able to dedicate enough time to read your work, a few times if needed, and then proceed with editing it. Of course, they may work with some other writers at the same time, but if they are involved on 10 other projects, you may have to look elsewhere.
5. Sample Edit
So, you’ve found an editor with good credentials, but that still doesn’t mean they are right for you. Most editors are willing to do a trial edit for you that involves editing several pages, or a chapter of your book for a reasonable fee. That way, you can decide whether their ideas and what they bring to the table are a good match for your book or not.
6. Talk to Their Previous Clients
Another way of narrowing down the list of editors you want for your book is to get in touch with some of their past clients which were satisfied with their work. That way, you can get an insight into how they work, and what they can do to take your work to the next level. Sometimes, even a brilliant editor may not be the right fit for your book.
7. Establish Your Budget
Figure out how much money you are able to set aside in order to pay for an editor. Experienced editors are always more expensive, especially if they’ve edited a best-selling book. On the other hand, if they are too cheap, that is usually indicative of their experience. Your best bet would be to look for an editor who fits into your price range, but whose references include books or authors that you appreciate.
If hiring an editor is still too expensive for you, there are plenty of online editing services that can help you edit your work, for a lower price. We have chosen the following three:
1. Editage.com – One of the biggest editing services on the web also has one of the largest editorial teams which edit the works of over 72,000 authors around the world. Their team is capable of covering over 1200 different subjects, so if your books, novels, or papers deal with a really specific field, you can rest assured you will find an editor who is an expert on that particular subject.
2. EduGeeksClub.com – EduGeeksClub is one of the leading services when it comes to editing books, papers, dissertations, and articles, among others. Their editors have years of academic experience, and they also work in teams on each project, which means no mistake can get by them. They will perform fact checking, as well as go through your grammar, spelling, structural and punctuation errors.
3. EditorWorld.com – Another top online editing service which gathers scholars, published authors, writers and professional editors whose qualifications are impeccable and whose excellent track records are a guarantee your book will receive the treatment it so rightly deserves. You can personally choose the person that will edit your work.
If you want your book to captivate the readers, it needs to be flawless first, and having a good editor that understands what your work is all about, and who is able to get on the same page with you, no pun intended, is of the highest importance.
Although the ordeal of finding the right editor for your work may feel tedious, the benefits of having one outweigh everything else, plus you will wind up becoming a better writer.
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Author Bio:
Antonio is a hopeless optimist who enjoys basking in the world’s brightest colors. He loves biking to distant places and occasionally he gets lost. When not doing that he’s blogging and teaching ESL. He will be happy to meet you on Facebook and Twitter.
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Want to be a guest blogger? Now is the time to submit. I will be stopping guest blog posts in 2016, but before then, I would love to have you on! I am accepting original posts that focus on reading and writing. Pictures, links, and a bio are encouraged. You do not have to be published. If you qualify, please email me at shannonathompson@aol.com.
~SAT
