Unfortunately, anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves an editor. While editing is a specialized field, specific criteria does not exist for someone to qualify as an editor.
The best way to choose an editor is to:
Vet the editor
- Look at their qualifications,
- Thoroughly read their website (yes, they should have one),
- Ask for recommendations from other authors, and
- Ask for a list of published books the editor has worked on.
So, how do you know if an editor is qualified? Look at their degrees and certifications. Have they invested time in learning the craft?
Personally, I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Publishing with a minor in English. That means I spent four years studying the publishing industry and all related aspects. I also had numerous classes on grammar and syntax as well as writing and editing courses. I’ve not pursued any additional certifications because most of what the individual certifications cover I already learned as part of my degree.
Besides the qualifications, you need to look at what type of material the editor specializes in. Do they work with fiction or non-fiction? What specific genre do they prefer? An editor who specializes in your genre will understand the little details of what makes a good genre book.
For example, if you’ve written a book that uses a lot of medical terminology, you need an editor who is familiar with the medical field and has edited similar books. Otherwise, technical details may slip through.
If you have written a sci-fi fantasy complete with its own world, you need an editor who not only edits but also reads in that genre and understands the concept of world-building.
How do you find out what an editor specializes in? Ask if the information is not on their website.
My specialties are memoirs, biographies, creative non-fiction, and fiction. I also edit self-help type books and work on the drier biblical scholar books, although I tend to stick with returning clients for the scholarly-type books. For fiction, my preferences are modern romance / chick lit and historical from the Civil War period onward. I prefer “clean” books with no erotica or excessive gore.
Other questions that are helpful for vetting an editor:
- Do they have a list of titles or authors they’ve worked with?
- What style guide do they use? Books typically use Chicago Manual of Style plus specialized guides depending on the genre.
- What is their turnaround time? Depending on manuscript length, a developmental edit should take four to six weeks, a line edit about 3-4 weeks, a copyedit two weeks, and proofreading a couple days to a week. (Those are very generalized, but if an “editor” promises you a copyedit on 90,000 words in 48 hours, run away.)
- Will the editor work on your manuscript or will they outsource another person without your permission? Make sure outsourcing is mentioned in any contract you sign too.
Interview the editor
Set up a phone call or Zoom meeting and have a conversation with the editor. Your personalities need to work together, especially for higher level editing like developmental or substantive. One of my clients described the relationship as a hand fitting in a glove. If you don’t mesh on the phone call, you won’t mesh during the editing process.
Ask for a sample edit
A sample edit may be free, depending on the editor. Line editing and copyediting are conducive to sample edits, but a true developmental edit isn’t. To properly vet a developmental edit, ask for a manuscript critique. The critique will be a paid-for service, but it will help you find out if the editor understands the vision for your manuscript.
Evaluate the cost
If you are concerned about knowing whether a potential editor is charging a fair rate, consult the Editorial Freelancers Association’s rate chart. The chart uses the median recommended rates which means some editors charge more and some charge less and that’s okay. Beware of an editor who quotes significantly less than the median rate. If they won’t make at least minimum wage while working on your manuscript, run away.
If at any point in the above process you aren’t comfortable with the editor, don’t feel obligated to work with them. Just tell the editor that you feel like you aren’t the right fit for them and walk away. Professional editors will understand.
Also, as you think about hiring an editor, you might be interested in reading How to Choose a Developmental Editor.
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