I dare say, working with a book editor should be simple.
Straightforward.
Rewarding, even.
Like getting from Point A to Point B.
Base camp to the summit.
Not to say that editing a book isn’t hard work. It most certainly is, for both writer and editor. The brain power involved in revising your manuscript or considering this addition or that deletion… it can be all-consuming, up-at-2am-with-a-lightbulb-moment, hard work.
But without a doubt, you should feel like you and your book editor are a good fit. Like Bonnie and Clyde. Or Kanye and Kim, before things got weird.
So, whether it’s your first book or your tenth book, finding an editor that suits your project just right can be daunting. And I hear it from my clients all the time. They’ve reached out to a handful of editors, and low and behold, they get a different, conflicting opinion from every single one.
You should start with a manuscript review.
A structural edit would be the most cost and time-efficient first step.
You’ve got to go with traditional publishing. Self-publishing is a racket.
Everyone is self-publishing, so that will set you up for success.
So—how on earth do you know when you’ve found the right editor for the job? After all, this person is going to work closely with you throughout the publishing process. It’s worth the time and effort it takes to find the right one for your unique manuscript.
Here are five signs you’ve found THE ONE:
1. Attention to Detail
You should immediately get a sense of how detail-oriented an editor is right from their first communications with you (likely an intro email). Is it riddled with typos and grammatical errors? Did they misspell your name? Did they send you a long, unformatted email full of editor jargon?
Take it as a sign. No attention to detail now means no attention to detail with your manuscript later.
2. Experience with Your Genre
If your manuscript is YA fantasy and the editor in question has never edited YA book before, it’s going to make it difficult to give you thoughtful, YA-focussed suggestions. Even worse? They’ve never picked up a YA book to read for pleasure.
Look for an editor that LOVES your manuscript’s genre. I’m talkin’ about a passionate love, like they can’t get enough of the kind of book you’re about to hand over for editing. If they know your genre inside and out, they’ll be able to give you juicy, in-depth feedback. That feedback will help make your book more marketable to your intended audience.
3. Excellent Communication Skills
Does the book editor take a week to reply to your email or return your call? Are their emails coherent? Do you send you a proposed timeline with clear deadlines? Does it feel like they’re likely to follow through on those deadlines?
If not, move on. There are other fish in the editor sea.
4. Flexibility
Book editors are great at juggling. Typically, they have multiple projects on the go at any given time and can be found triple-checking their colour-coded calendars. Just to make sure they’re quoting you a realistic timeline.
A good editor will juggle your need for time to make revisions, their own deadlines, as well as external deadlines from a prospective publisher. Life happens, and let’s face it—writing is art. You can’t rush a book over the finish line and still expect the book to be good.
5. Solid References
It never hurts to ask for a couple of references before you sign on with a book editor. You can find out a lot about what it’s like to work with someone with a couple quick phone calls. Pay attention to what’s not being said too.
And rest assured, even if you sign on with a book editor and things go sideways (they ghost you, or they don’t deliver on time, or they don’t deliver the kind of editing that they promised) you don’t have to stick it out with them. Cut your losses and find a new book editor to do the remaining edits on your manuscript. If you have questions about book editing and what you can expect along the road to publishing, reach out! I’m happy to help.
