Before you hire a professional editor, it’s important to know when your manuscript is ready for professional editing. The first mistake novice authors make is rushing the process.
When you finish writing your first draft, your manuscript is not ready for professional editing. The first draft is the rough draft. It’s what I call the “vomit” draft. It’s for your eyes only and not ready for professional editing, but it’s the foundation of your book. This is what you work on and refine before you turn it over to an editor.
Getting your manuscript to that point of readiness for professional editing takes time and effort. Here’s what I advise: Set the manuscript aside and do other things. The story will “marinate” in your subconscious while you focus on other matters and perform other tasks. When you can go back to the manuscript with “fresh” eyes, open the file and have pen and paper ready at hand. Start reading. Correct the small issues as you encounter them and jot down the major issues that will require substantial or substantive revision or rewriting to fix. When you reach the end of the manuscript, go back to the beginning and work on those major issues you noted on paper.
When you have finished that round of “self-editing,” your manuscript will be ready for someone else to read. At this point, use editing software or beta readers to help you refine your manuscript further. Be prepared for further rounds of editing and revision.
The Manuscript’s Ready. Where Can I Find an Editor?
When you’ve gotten the manuscript as good as you can (or if madness has set in and you just can take it anymore), it’s time to find a professional editor. There are several sites where you can find editors; some, of course, are better than others.
Editorial Freelancers Association: The EFA is a professional organization supporting freelance professionals in the publishing industry. Not only does the EFA offer a searchable member directory, but it also surveys its members periodically and publishes a rates guide that’s helpful for setting realistic budgets for service. To solicit proposals from professionals (editors, book designers, proofreaders, etc.), post your project. Be prepared to be inundated with proposals.
Authors Guild: This nonprofit organization supports authors through community interaction, legal support, legislative representation, and a directory of members and service providers. Members may post their requests for service or search the directory for service providers.
American Book Producers Association: This trade organization offers support and referrals for independent book producers (e.g., hybrid publishers) and associated service providers. It, too, offers a searchable member directory.
LinkedIn: The world’s largest business networking site serves as fertile ground for finding professionals—and scammers. It’s buyer beware, but do your due diligence, and you’ll find many, many competent professionals ready to provide the services you need.
There are other sites aggregating freelance services (e.g., Fiverr, Upwork, and various Facebook groups), but I don’t recommend them primarily because they cater to low-bid vendors and are riddled with scammers. It’s a truism that, when it comes to the publishing industry, you get what you pay for.
What Should I Include in My Request for Proposals?
If you post in, say, a writers group on Facebook that you’re looking for an editor, expect a deluge of “I’m interested” responses. The overwhelming majority of those responses will suspect: scammers abound on social media platforms. Avoid the sharks and swim in safer waters: go to professional and trade organizations where the members are due-paying professionals.
Just as it’s important to know where to find professional editors, it’s also important to know how to find the right editor. While you may be leery of divulging your story premise or grand idea, professionals need some basic information about your project to determine whether it’s a good fit for them before they submit their proposals. They don’t want to waste their time (or yours) by submitting proposals for projects that aren’t a good match for their skills and interests and availability. Therefore, your request for proposals should contain at least the following information, none of which will reveal confidential details about your project:
- Fiction or nonfiction
- Genre or topic
- Level of editing requested
- Document length
- Deadline for completion
- Budget.
Why Should I Include Those Details?
To put it concisely: editors specialize. Let’s go through the requested details.
- Fiction or nonfiction: Some editors only take on fiction, others only nonfiction. If you have an epic novel, then an editor who only takes on nonfiction isn’t a good match.
- Genre or topic: Again, editors specialize. Some topics require a background of technical expertise. Others require intimate genre familiarity to know the tropes and readers’ expectations. Still, some editors don’t accept some genres or topics. For instance, I don’t accept horror or scholarly work. Both give me nightmares for different reasons.
- Level of editing requested: Again, editors specialize. A big-picture editor who focuses on developmental editing doesn’t usually serve well as a copy editor focusing on the nitty gritty details of syntax, sentence structure, and grammar. Hen House Publishing specializes in sentence-level editing.
- Document length: This refers to word count, not page count. The type of editing requested and the length of the document enable the editor to calculate an accurate estimate of the time needed to complete the project. That leads to the next detail.
- Deadline for completion: It should be obvious that a longer manuscript takes longer to edit than a shorter one. The requested deadline indicates whether an author has a tight or generous deadline that the editor’s schedule may or may not accommodate. Many editors are booked weeks or months in advance and may not be able to accommodate a project with a rushed deadline for completion.
- Budget: Editors set their own rates as they deem appropriate. This means rates vary widely. Some popular editors charge premium rates because they’re in high demand. Newcomers to the industry often charge low rates in an effort to build their clientele and portfolio. An author’s stated budget may not align with what a particular editor will accept and may even indicate if an author has unrealistic expectations of the cost of editing. Hen House Publishing’s rates align with EFA guidelines.
I Received Proposals. What Now?
Your first task now is to review the proposals and compile a short list of likely candidates. These will be the editors who appear to be excellent matches for your project, can accommodate your project deadline, and whose fees are within or close to your budget. (Note: If few or none of the proposals specify fees within or close to your budget, then reconsider your budget.)
When you have a short list of likely candidates, contact each to request a sample edit. A sample edit demonstrates how the editor will treat your manuscript.
Some editors charge for a sample edit. This is a normal and accepted business practice, so be prepared to pay. Provide each editor with the same excerpt from your manuscript, so you can compare apples to apples. Be reminded that a sample edit is just that: a sample. A taste. Editors, not authors, set limits on what they accept for sample edits. Hen House Publishing caps sample edits at 1,000 words.
When you receive the sample edits, evaluate them. Choose the one or two that work best for you and your manuscript.
Once you have selected the editor who’s the best match, I highly recommend speaking with that editor via a phone call, web-based meeting, or in-person meeting. (If meeting in person, agree to meet in a public place. It’s safer for everyone.) Ask questions. The editor will have questions for you, too. You can learn a lot from a conversation. If you determine from that conversation the editor isn’t a good fit, then move on to the next best candidate.
A word of warning: If you find an editor with whom you really want to work but whose rates exceed your budget, do not attempt to haggle down their rates. You’re not buying a used car. An editor is not likely to negotiate with you, but may be willing to arrange for a reduced level of service for a reduced fee or may be willing to accept payments that will better fit your budget.
What Happens After I Choose an Editor?
Once you agree to terms, the editor should provide you with a contract for service. Most editors have a standard contract. Be sure to review the contract before signing. What you should see in the contract includes:
- A description of the service to be provided
- A description of the scope of work
- A description of deliverables
- Start and end dates for service
- Fees to be charged, including any deposits, rush charges, or kill fees
- Statement of confidentiality
- Terms of project termination.
Other clauses may include guarantees of method (e.g., no use of generative AI), rounds of revision, or other terms specific to the project, ownership rights or credits, and nondisclosure. Hen House Publishing, for instance, retains the right to list the project in our portfolio of work and, when it’s published, to link to that project. Hen House Publishing also commits to client confidentiality: your pre-edited work will not be divulged to potential clients who may ask to see “before and after” samples of previous projects. Hen House Publishing also guarantees protection of your intellectual property: we will not run your manuscript through AI.
Embarking upon the publishing journey is both exciting and daunting. Hiring a skilled professional who will guide you through the process and help you produce a top quality book need not inspire trepidation or cause heartburn. Hen House Publishing works in the best interests of your book. Let’s talk.
