How to Choose an Editor For Your Book
How do you know which editor is right for you?
Choosing an editor is one of the most difficult parts of putting a book together.
After all, you’re trusting them to go digging into the deepest parts of your story with their editor tools and start turning dials and tightening screws. An inexperienced editor could actually harm a manuscript, or, if you hire the wrong editor, you might not get the type of editing you need. (Yes, there are different types of editing.)
On top of that, different editors will have different processes — some will be extremely hands-on and happy to communicate with you over every niggle, while others prefer an element of distance between them and the author. Some see it as strictly business, while others are willing to cultivate a friendship with the writer and become something almost like a personal trainer for the writer and story.
So before you start, here’s a handy checklist for you to go through so you know you’re choosing the right editor for your manuscript.
1. The different types of editing
Most professional editors agree that there are four different types of editing: line editing, copy editing, developmental editing, and proofreading. And while the definition of each…
