How to Find the Right Editor for Your Book
You’ve finally finished your book. You’ve revised it, you’ve had a few friends look it over, and you think you’re finally ready to get an editor. But how to do even begin to choose? Do you shop somewhere like Reedsy or EFA and cross your fingers, hoping that you’ll find a good fit?
This is definitely one way to do it, and we’ll get to resources on finding editors later on. But it is important to realize that simply finding an editor willing to edit your book is only a small piece of the pie. Anyone can pop up in your comments or DMs about your project and offer to edit it for you (for a fee, of course), but this doesn’t mean that they are reputable or a good fit for your book.
What Does a Book Editor Do?
A book editor wears a lot of hats, but their main purpose is to edit your book for clarity and readability. They want to make sure that your book keeps readers reading, whether this means making sure the rules of your magic system are consistent or making sure certain scenes aren’t dragging. But all of this depends on the type of editing you want or need.
Types of Book Editing
Developmental Editing
A developmental edit is a big-picture revision of your book. This is one of the first steps to editing. A manuscript critique falls into the developmental category, although these are two different edits. More on that later.
Developmentally editing your book means revising based on how your book develops overall. Word choice and typos don’t matter here. This type of edit covers your book’s overall plot, world-building, characters, pacing, and how it all weaves together to tell the story. This is where you fix plot-holes and define magic systems.
A manuscript critique provides an overview of your plot, world-building, characters, and pacing, but is less in-depth when it comes to story beats than a full developmental critique.
Copy Editing and Line Editing
Once all your scenes are where you want them to be and the information your story needs is on the page, it’s time to assess how the story has been told on the line-level. The way you craft sentences and organize thoughts can affect how your reader interprets the world you’ve created.
A line edit may cover your viewpoint, spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, dialogue, readability, description, tenses, and more. A copy edit is similar, although many copy editors focus on fact-checking, as well. This type of edit will ensure continuity as well as grammar and punctuation.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the very last stage in your editing journey. At this point, the story is polished. Your wording is just right, and you don’t want to breathe just in case you accidentally blow a plot hole loose. Now, it’s time to clean up. Proofreading is where you take care of those pesky commas and periods. This is where you make sure that “Grandma ate frog legs” instead of “Grandma ate foglets.” This should be your last step before publishing or querying.
How to Find an Editor for Your Book
Now that you know the different types of editing and the stages in which you need them, how do you find a book editor? And how do you make sure that the editor is right for you?
First, there are a myriad of places to find editors for your book. As mentioned before, Reedsy and EFA are wonderful resources for authors to connect with experienced, dedicated editors. You may also find editors on social media, especially through Twitter and Instagram.
Unfortunately, not all editors are created equal. Even a very talented, popular editor may not suit you and your needs. Why? Because this is a partnership.
You need someone who understands your book. Not every reader will, and the same is true for editors. Part of it is purely taste. If you submit your high fantasy novel to an editor who specializes in erotica, you may not get the type of notes you’re looking for—even if that editor accepts your proposal.
To find the right editor for your book, go to their website and look for reviews. Check out the books they’ve worked on. Many editors have specialties. For example, I specialize in editing science fiction and fantasy. While I will edit outside of speculative genres, these are the genres that my notes are best suited to help. This is reflected in the novels I’ve worked on. Other reputable editors will be the same.
Say you’ve found an editor who sounds like a dream. They have books under their belt that align with yours, great testimonials, and a solid social media presence. You decide to reach out for a quote.
Questions to Ask Your Potential Editor
Some editors offer consultation meetings to discuss your book. Others are open to answering questions through email. If you’re able, and if you’re seriously considering booking that editor, here are some questions to keep in mind:
1. How would you describe your type of feedback?
2. How do you feel about (x) tropes that are in my book?
3. What is your turn-around time for this kind of edit?
4. Do you offer payment plans?
This last question is important, as most editors charge a pretty penny to edit your book. This is because it takes a lot of time and expertise to polish a book from beginning to end. But prices can vary widely among editors depending on the individual editor, the length of your book, and other factors.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Editor?
The median for copyediting a fiction novel is around $.02-$.029 per word. Developmental editing meets a median of $.03-$.039 per word. Say you find an editor on the low spectrum for your 90k-word fantasy novel. This means you will pay $1,800 for copyediting and $2,700 for developmental editing, putting your total at $4,500 for these two services. This doesn’t include proofreading or any other expense you need to pay for self-publishing.
If you’ve looked into self-publishing, you likely already know that it’s an investment. It’s important to note that popular editors typically charge more because of their experience and large catalogue. It can also be difficult to get on an editor’s list, as most editors are independent and can only take on so many projects per month. Some of the most popular editors book months in advance.
Of course, no editor wants their clients to break the bank to edit their book. Ask your desired editor about payment plans. Plan for when you will need which type of edit so that you can schedule payments for each step.
Many editors also offer discounts and deals throughout the year, especially during the holidays when business is slow. Booking during these times can save you money, so be sure to watch your potential editor’s social media for specials.
How to Avoid Scammers
Unfortunately, not all editors are who they say they are. There are some who call themselves editors, but will either take the money and run, or return your book littered with errors, or alongside a nonsensical edit letter showing that they obviously didn’t read the book.
These editors can be hard to spot within the sea of potential editors, especially on social media.
To find a reputable editor, look for accolades and memberships, such as EFA and ACES. These memberships cost money and provide training, which can at least assure you that the editor is dedicated to some degree. As mentioned before, look for testimonials. Some new editors may not have many, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But do your due diligence to make sure that the testimonials they do have are actual writers instead of family and friends, or even the editor themselves.
Need an editor for your novel? Book a manuscript critique or reach out to MadHope Editorial for questions.