Choosing an editor
Choosing an editor is an important step for an author. It’s hard to hand over your literary baby to someone else. There are a lot of people out there who tell you they can do the job, but you should be looking for someone who not only has the necessary skills and experience, but who also ‘gets’ what you are trying to do—someone you can trust to do the best for you and your book.
Remember, an editor’s job is twofold: to support you and help you fulfill your vision for your book and, at the same time, to be an advocate for the reader. So sometimes they will need to tell you things about your baby that you might not want to hear, even if it is for its own good. And sometimes you will need to stand your ground, fight your corner and go with your gut instinct—that’s all part of the process and a good editor will understand that and know when to leave well alone.
So, if your goal is a successful, long-term professional relationship, how do you avoid the pitfalls in choosing an editor?
Book Nanny’s top tips for choosing the right editor for you
- Be clear what type of editing you need from the start
- Do your research and shop around
- Word-of-mouth recommendation—very important—ask other writers for their recommendations and check out testimonials
- Ask for a sample edit—it’s a great way for you and a prospective editor to get to know each other
Further details are available in Book Nanny’s ‘Let the Right One In’ blog post.
Recommended: what authors say about Book Nanny
Book Nanny: nursing and nurturing for all your creative writing needs