There are many self-published authors who hire book editors so that they can sell quality books. Some self-publishers agree that cost is one of the factors that they consider when it comes to hiring book editors. The truth is that every author needs to hire a book editor to make sure that their books stand out.
After all, many readers nowadays don’t want to deal with substandard books that have many grammatical errors, spelling errors, and many more. This is the reason why you need to hire UK book editors to help you overcome these problems. This page discusses some tips to help you hire the best book editor.
Look for a person with experience
If you decide to submit your manuscript to the book editor, you should give it to a qualified and skilled one. Just because a person has a degree in English or teaches English doesn’t mean that they are a qualified book editor. Remember that a qualified book editor should have the right credentials and a proven track record of experience in book editing.
The critical part is the experience of the potential book editor. Many editors can be good in their craft and have great editing skills, but they sometimes don’t understand the book-editing process. There is a good chance that they may have edited some articles, but book editing is a different thing that needs another level of expertise.
A book editor who wants to gain book-editing experience can offer to edit your book, and you can be tempted to choose this low-cost option. However, unless they have excellent references or are naturally talented, without the experience working on book-length manuscripts, they cannot be a good option for you. Therefore, don’t allow them to practice on your manuscript.
Find a qualified book editor
You and the book editor are on the same team. Book editors who have the knowledge of negotiating and human relations skills are a great choice. A good book editor can significantly affect your manuscript positively while a not-so-good book editor can waste your money and time, and can even prevent you from succeeding with your book.
You can find some book editors who offer you encouragement and engage with you on a friendly level. These are the type of book editors you should hire rather than those who can stress you out with their lack of human touch.
Look in the right places
It’s usually a nice approach to get a good book editor by entering keywords into Google. Instead, you should always get a referral by asking friends and family members for recommendations.
If you still find this challenging to find a suitable book editor, then look for the acknowledgments in bestselling books because book editors are sometimes listed there. You need to be realistic because the book editors of these bestselling books can be out of your budget.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to look for regionally published books, books published by small presses, or those published by partner publishers because they usually work with freelance editors. You can also e-mail some authors and ask them if they are pleased with their book editors. Also, you can call either local or regional publishing firms for a referral.
But if you have tried all these options and still can’t find a good book editor, then you should start searching online. One of the places you can visit is the Editorial Freelancers Association. You can use many resources on this website to help you to find the right book editor. This is a reputable organization that deals with the editorial field.
Interview the past clients of the potential editor
Regardless of which way you try to find a book editor, such as getting a referral and connecting with freelance book editors online, make sure that you speak with the past clients of the editor. Alternatively, you ask the potential book editor to provide a work sample. Be wary of the potential book editors who don’t want to provide a reference whether or not it’s just a written recommendation from past clients.
There are several things you need to find out from past clients of a potential book editor. This includes the type of books the editor worked on, the quality of their services, the cost of the editor’s services, the attitude of the book editor, the location of the editor, and many more. You should note that it’s a good idea to get a book editor who works in your genre or a genre that is similar to yours.
Interview the potential book editor
Keep in mind that there are different types of book editors on the market. Some freelance book editors can do proofreading and everything else associated with creativity while others specialize in a specific field. This is the reason why you should always interview the prospective editor.
You need to ask the potential editor the type of books they have edited, their editing and writing background, their major editing achievements, their editing process, the type of books they like working with, their willingness to offer an editing sample, and many more.
Aside from these, you should ask the potential book editor for a sample chapter that you can work together. Don’t sign any agreement with the editor until you work together on a sample chapter. This can either work well, or you can look for another book editor.
The catch with the editing sample is that many freelance book editors may charge a certain fee to produce it. This is common with many in-demand or busy book editors. A reputable book editor can be ready to work on an editing sample which can be the first chapter for usually a discounted fee before signing the contract.
When it comes to discussing the budget for the overall project, don’t mention to the potential book editor that cash is not your major concern. However, if money is your major concern, then make sure that the potential book editor knows it. In such cases, a book editor can be willing to negotiate for a lower rate.
