Publishing 101: How to Find, Hire, and Work with Editors

You've finished your manuscript (congrats!) and you are embarking on the process to independently publish it (woohoo!). Now is the time to build your publishing team, and find the service providers who are going to help put your masterpiece together. Where should you start?

With the most important part of creating a professional book - editing. In this blog I am going to give you a walkthrough of working with a professional editor, from the initial research to the contract, to what to do once you’ve gotten those edits back. 

Getting Started

Before you find an editor, you need to decide what kind of editing you need. Generally, there are four key levels of editing to consider, though their titles may differ slightly between sources.

1. Developmental Editing, which is the big picture editing for plot and pacing. The editor reads through the entire book (maybe twice depending on the editor) and points out recommendations for fixing major threads and character arcs within the book. This is to target the meat of the story. Grammar, spelling, and structure will come later. 

2. Line/Stylistic Editing looks at the sentence and paragraph structure for their effectiveness and meaning, rather than the mechanics of a sentence. If using this method of editing it comes before copy editing as it works on the style of the sentences. This is helpful for refining the author’s voice and tone for the story. 

2. Copy Editing, generally follows line editing, the copy edit focuses on the mechanics of the sentence and paragraph structure. It makes sure the manuscript follows the rules of language that you and the editor have agreed to follow. 

4. Proofreading looks at the manuscript on a word-level and catches the last nitty-gritty errors, like punctuation and spelling mistakes. This is the final pass before publishing and (hopefully) catches any final errors such as spelling mistakes, duplicate words, any maybe a few final sentence issues. It’s the final polish.

The rule of thumb is that you proceed through the edits in the order indicated above. Start big, then work towards refining. For example, you shouldn't be seeking out a proofreader unless you've done steps 1 through 3, whether you're hiring professionals for each type of edits or self-editing.

TOP TIP: Many editors will define the types of edits they offer on their websites, giving you a clear idea of their services and also what you might need. If you're ever not sure, ASK them. It’s more efficient to both of your times to ensure you’re hiring them for the right kind of editing up front, as opposed to the editor getting a manuscript for proofread only to find it needs copy-editing level work. 

Finding Your Editor

Once you know what kind of editor you are hiring for, it is time to make a list of possible professionals to hire. Start inquiring no less than 3 months in advance (or earlier if you can). I have made a habit of reaching out to my editors as soon as I have decided on a timeline for the book, working backward from my desired publishing date, because I know their time can book up quickly. 

A great place to start is looking at the acknowledgments section in your favourite books, in the genre you write. Most authors thank their editors. I recommend looking at independently published books specifically because editors credited on traditionally published books are often tied to specific publishing houses and may not take freelance contracts. That being said, some agents are also editors on the side, so there is no harm in researching their credentials as well.

The other place to look is on accredited organisation websites, such as Editor's Associations. Being Canadian, I started with Editors Canada, where I was lucky enough to find one of my editors.

Lastly, word of mouth. If you have a friend who's published a book, ask them about their experience with their editor. I've also found that when an editor I've reached out to is unavailable, they have been open to providing recommendations for other freelancers. 

TOP TIP: As you are researching editors, keep a spreadsheet or list to track your research and inquiries. This can also help you to compare services and narrow down your choices, as well as keep track of who you have already contacted for a sample.

Choosing an Editor

You have your list of editors, great! Now it's time to reach out. Before you reach out to them, be sure that you are clear and concise on what you are looking for. In your initial inquiry you should provide:

• Which kind of editing you are interested in hiring them for

• The age/genre of your project

• How many words it is (approx)

• The proposed start date

• And how flexible you are with your proposed timeline

I generally end an inquiry with: If this project and timeline suit your interest and availability, I would appreciate a quote and a sample edit. Thank you for your consideration.

TOP TIP: Do not reach out to editors who do not edit in your age category or genre. It's a waste of time for both of you, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't bother replying.

TOP TIP: Editors do not generally charge a fee for a sample edit, and personally I would see this a red flag if they did. An artist will show off their portfolio before you commission them to create something, so too should an editor demonstrate their abilities before you pay them. Sample edits are also a way for the editor to see what they'd be getting into, and they may pass on your project if it's not within their wheelhouse.

For initial inquiries, some editors use email while others use an online form through their website. If they are interested in and/or available for the project, they will ask you to send a small section of your project so that they can provide a sample edit. A 1000 word sample is fairly common. Some editors may also ask you to fill out a questionnaire about your project and you as an author, so they can get a better sense of what it would be like to work with you.

No two editors were created equal and though they may be offering the same service, they can have completely different styles. Choosing an editor is not an easy task, but it is important to communicate with all editors you have received a sample edit from. Be kind and be honest - if you don't think you're going to choose an editor, don't string them along. Go with your gut and don't waste their time. 

If you have found your editor while you're still waiting on writing samples from others, let those editors know immediately! Their time is valuable, so don’t waste it by stringing them along if you already know you’re not going to work with them.

Finalising the Agreement

Firstly, ensure both you and the editor are on the same page in terms of the deliverables of the agreement. Expectations such as the schedule and payment are important to clarify before signing the contract - and you absolutely should be signing a contract! It protects you, your work, and the editor as well. If the editor doesn't have one they use already, you can get templates online. Editors Canada has a template, for example. If an editor is refusing to sign a contract for any reason, that is a red flag.

The payment process will differ too. Most often the editor will require a deposit upfront to secure services, which is often 30-50% of the overall cost. Once the work is completed by the editor, the author will then pay the remaining amount based on either the final word count or the number of hours it took to complete the edit.

TOP TIP: If an editor charges by the hour, they will give you an estimate of how much they think it will take them to complete the work. If you have a limited budget, tell the editor upfront what your cap on cost is, and ask if they can work within that limit. If they can't, kindly pass on their services and find someone in your budget.

TOP TIP: It is best to have some flexibility within your budget, as the length of your project may change between signing the contract and when you actually send them the document, and this will change the final cost.

It is important to communicate with your editor if any of your agreed-upon conditions change. Things like schedule changes or major word count changes should be communicated with as much advance notice as possible.

Once the agreement is completed, you've paid the final bill, and you now have your manuscript full of recommended edits to make, don't be afraid to ask additional questions. Keep in mind, the editor won't be going back into the manuscript to re-do a chapter, but if you have a question about a comment they've left you or a specific word choice they made, then you can ask them why. Remember that ultimately it is your decision, as the author, which changes to keep.

TOP TIP: There are no refunds once the work is complete. If you don't like what the editor has said, too bad. You've paid them to do the work, and they've done just that - whether you agree with their comments or not. Reviewing those sample edits and reading through the contract clearly before signing should help you find the editor that's best for you. But if you're turning your nose up at every single suggestion that they've made, that's not because of a problem with the editor. Being able to healthily accept constructive feedback is an essential part of being an author.

Other Fun Facts (from personal experience)

You may need to hire different editors for different stages of editing. For example, a copy editor may encourage you to find a different proofreader, even if they offer the same service. A fresh set of eyes are keener to catch mistakes.

Specify to the editor if you are using Canadian/British vs. American English. If you do not specify, the default is American English.

Copy/Line/Stylistic Editors will create a Style Sheet, which is a comprehensive document they use to ensure they are consistent with their editing. For example, when I signed on to work with my copy editor, I had to decide on whether I preferred TV to T.V. to Television, if I wanted t-shirt or tee shirt, and if we were going to capitalise species names like vampire or elves. And yes, as an author, you will forget what you originally decided. 

These style sheets can be extremely helpful for drafting and self-editing future books, and since then I always try to make my own so I can remember all those little decisions made along the way. 

And then what?

So you’ve gotten your edits back… now what? I recommend a three-step approach: Read, break, then work.

Firstly, read through the entirety of your story and the editor’s recommendations. There may be some simple changes you can accept or decline right away, like spelling mistakes, but otherwise read through the whole thing before making any major changes. As you read, take note of what the recommended changes are. I suggest waiting to edit until you’ve read the whole thing because often one edit in the early part of the book may impact suggestions in the later half. In this way it may be also to make a plan for yourself on how you intend to tackle the changes, but this can also be coupled with step 3 if that’s better for the way your brain works. 

Once you’ve read through the suggestions, take some time to digest the ideas. It also may help your mental health to step away from constructive feedback for a few days so that you’re in a fresh mindset to tackle those changes. It is going to be a lot of work, so make sure that your brain is properly rested and ready to make a game plan.

After you’ve had the break and digested the edits, it’s time to jump in. If you haven’t already, make your plan of attack by deciding what order you’re going to make the changes. Maybe it makes more sense to start at the end of the story and work your way backward to make sure all the details support your finale.

Personally I tackle large scale changes first and then work my way down to the smaller edits. After all, little sentence and word changes may no longer be applicable if I have to rewrite whole paragraphs. But even if I don’t accept the changes, I always make note of what they are. 

Did I completely forget the meaning of conjugate and use it consistently in place of the word congregate? Yes, that happened. Did I change a character’s eye colour halfway through the book? I’ve done that too. Did I introduce an item that seemed super important in chapter 2 but then seems to be completely forgotten through all the book until it seemingly randomly appears in chapter 3? Guilty. It’s these kinds of mistakes (and many, many more) that were all caught during editing.  

It is ultimately up to you as the author to decide which suggestions to take and which to disregard. Remember, it is all with the intention of making your story the best it can possibly be.

Working with an editor is a great learning opportunity. Through the edits you will learn what quirks you have as an author. It can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, and the more you see how it’s supposed to be the better you get at catching the errors yourself. It all contributes to improving your craft. 

Editing is one of the most crucial parts of publishing a book. Good editing shouldn’t be noticeable, but bad editing really is. It distracts the reader, causes confusion, and ultimately worsens the reading experience. Editing is SO important, and having a good editor makes all the difference. It's the difference between a mediocre book, and a novel you can be proud to hold in your hands. 

Happy editing.