How Do I Hire An Editor?

It’s an admission that you’re a *gasp* writer.

It’s allowing your book to be seen by someone else.

It’s a commitment to actually getting your book out there, to be seen by others.

And it’s a step towards a future that might just freak you out.

Working with an editor can happen in several different ways, and over the next couple of weeks I’ll cover each one so that you can get an idea of what sort of editing help you might need, and what that means for your workload and time commitments too.

It’s helpful to figure out where you stand on the following four categories so that you know what to do, and what to expect when hiring an editor. (And also? You can just read the week relevant to you in this series (once they’re all up), if you want. I’m all about the efficiency).

1/ To do a once-over of your completed manuscript, to give it a spit and polish before you hit print. (Copy edit and proofing)

2/ To give you an opinion on your draft, and point you in a direction for your next draft, in a broad sense. (Developmental edit – also called a Structural edit – and line edit)

3/ To hold your hand, and give concentrated guidance through several drafts, with discussion and prompting and constructive criticism. (Developmental edit and coaching)

Or:

4/ To rewrite your whole damn book, and make it GOOD. (Spoiler: If this is you, you don’t need an editor, you need a ghostwriter. No shame in that, it’s just a whole other ball game.)

Needing one or all of these is ok, but it is important to figure out exactly what you need from an editor before you begin, and make sure that this is communicated with the editor you’ve chosen, firstly so that you are both on the same page, and secondly because you won’t get what you want if you don’t know what it is yourself.

Before we get into that nitty gritty, there are a few things we need to get clear, if your work with an editor is going to be time well spent.

I’m going to go ahead and tell you what I expect on my end when clients work with me so that you can understand what is required of you to get the most from our working relationship, to make it as smooth and stress-free as possible. 

1) It’s not about you.

You hire an editor for an opinion on your book.

It’s not a reflection of who you are, or your worth as a person. The book needs to be the best it can be, right?

Otherwise it’s just not worth it. There are more fun ways to get old than writing a book. Try to detach from your work. It’s your preciousssss, I get that. But see previous comment: you want it to be GOOD. Let your editor help. (At the same time, the editor should be able to make suggestions without you feeling flayed. Get one you click with, and feel comfortable with. You’re going to get to know each other quite well…)

2) It is about you.

If you hire an editor, expect to work.

Think that your hard work is done now that you’ve written tens of thousands of words? Think again. Your editor will end up having read that baby as many times as you have, if not more. They will make comments. The comments are there for you to act on, so for example, if you were to hire me, I’d expect you to set aside time to work on your manuscript. It also saves you money if you make the changes yourself. And? You learn how to write better, organise your thoughts better and put together a book better. Wins all round!

3) It’s about the book.

Remember: you hire an editor because you want to improve your book.

Try to remove yourself and your ego from the equation. (See: it’s not about you, above) While your editor should be encouraging and proactive, rather than scathing and damaging, you should also be able to take comments and constructive suggestions.

Ask a lot of questions and make sure you are happy with the answers before hiring.

At a minimum, you should have had some email contact and a conversation – either via Skype or phone or in person – with your editor before you put down any money. I always make sure I Skype with a potential client before we commit. It saves time and heartache on both sides, and makes sure that we’re a good fit for working with each other.

And that’s about it for this week. I am really, really REALLY committed to working with people who fit what I’ve outlined above.

Other editors might be different, but I’ve found that it really all comes down to the relationship you have.

Nothing will support your book to be the best it can be more than a good relationship with your editor.

Any questions, feel free to ask in the comments! And stay tuned for next week, where I’ll tell you what’s involved in a Spit & Polish edit.