Editing is one of the things that some people claim to be good at but few people are that good. This happens to be the most crucial service a writer can seek, though it’s usually undervalued. Besides, many writers don’t know how to check the work of an editor and this can lead to catastrophic results.
For instance, if an editor introduces new errors but changes the goals of your writing. Remember that book editing can or cannot be subjective. There are rules, but these rules of writing can be internationally broken. Therefore, you should always find New York editors who understand these rules, who are flexible, and who can fix the errors. This post explains the key things to look out for before you hire an editor.
Type of editing
It’s worth noting that there are various types of editing, such as copy editing, developmental editing, and proofreading. In most cases, some writers are usually ready to pay more money for a developmental editor. A developmental editor refers to a person who walks by your side and assists to shape your book.
But with copy editing and proofreading, especially when you already have a developmental editor, there can be questions about the importance of having these more detailed types of editing. You should remember that a copy editor or a proofreader are equally as important as a developmental editor.
For your book to stand out, you need to make sure that it’s flawless. And while typos can discourage your readers, plot gaps, poor grammar in sentences, character inconsistencies, lazy writing, confusing structures and many more can bring bad reviews from your readers.
When it comes to hiring an editor, it makes sense to look at the following things:
Determine what you want
You may decide to find a person to proofread your manuscript, but you should allow your editor to tell you whether or not the work requires a heavier edit. And, the editor should provide you with good evidence, such as sample pages to show what is needed. Your job is to ensure that you agree with your editor.
In other words, you want to believe that the edits are intended to polish your writing to make it shine. But if you feel anger or frustrated, or misunderstood, then the potential editor may not be a good fit. After all, the least you desire is to share your feelings with an editor so that they can support or change the course.
Sharing your insight into the level of attachment to your work
If you think that you are not flexible to make the changes or you just want to have edits that correct some errors, then you need to tell your editor your feelings. This is crucial information and can prevent misunderstandings and frustrations.
That said, you should avoid suggesting this if you want to improve your work. An editor can bring your writing to another new level, but you need to make sure that you listen to their opinions. In other words, don’t think that the editor is attacking you when they make some changes to your manuscript. After all, many successful writers are edited several times before their work gets published.
Hire a potential editor to do a trial edit
Many successful authors usually hire an editor to do a trial edit before hiring them. This is the best way you can figure out if the potential editor is a good match. This doesn’t mean that you intend the editor to work for free. Some editors can resent working with you when they realize that they have to work for free before hiring them.
Paying an editor for a couple of hours of the work to determine whether or not they are ideal for the project can be the best way you can know their capabilities before you hire them. You can see if the suggestions and comments of the potential editor resonate before taking the next step with the entire work.
Be flexible to have your project assigned
Many writers find it hard to find a good editor because they believe that they need to know their editor better. There is nothing wrong with this, especially when you want to have a developmental relationship. However, proofreading and copy editing happen to be more technical skills.
And, the best proofreaders and copy editors on the market are freelancers who can be hard to get because they tend to work with publishing companies. Therefore, the only people who use their services are companies or even people with teams of editors they have worked with for many years.
If you find a potential editor or an editing service you can trust with a team of editors, then you should accept being assigned an editor. You can ask them the qualifications of the editor, and the type of books they have edited, though the trial edit should help you decide. This is better than relying on just the connection between you and the potential editor.
Check your expectations on the cost
The fees of the editors tend to vary significantly, and this leads to writers being confused about how much they have to pay an editor. Therefore, you need to shop around to compare the fees of different editors. Keep in mind that some editors can charge you a low fee for a poorly executed editing that may need to be redone. Likewise, you can pay a high fee for an editor who worked on a bestseller book expecting that your book will also be successful, but this may sometimes not happen for your book. This is the reason why it’s crucial to get a few quotes and consider paying a few potential editors after doing trial editing. It’s a good idea to make a decision based on their work instead of the fee. It takes many hours of writing, so you should consider such payments as investment in research rather than a waste of your hard-earned money.
