What to Look for in a Book Editor: A Guide for Authors

I like to say that finding the right book editor is like finding the right therapist. I once had a therapist who was helpful up to a point but then didn't give me any practical strategies to correct the patterns I wanted to address in myself—despite me asking multiple times. She was a professional, but definitely not a good fit for me. I eventually did find two other wonderful therapists, each with differing expertise and styles, who were able to give me the strategies and behavioural scripts I was looking for.

Similarly, there are plenty of skilled book editors out there but they may not be the right ones to work with you on your manuscript—for various reasons ranging from editing fees to personality clashes. So how can you narrow down the options? Here's some things to look for in your search for a good book editor.

Green flag: The editor knows your genre

Whether you're writing about leadership skills for corporate managers or a space opera spanning five centuries will be a determining factor in choosing your book editor. While it's certainly possible for an editor to be comfortable with multiple genres (I am one such brave soul), it's important that the editor understand the different requirements from readers of different genres. For example, readers of space operas might appreciate more sprawling narrative structures that take their time while readers of leadership-related business skills will want the author to get to the point, and do it concisely.

An editor who understands and can anticipate the readers' expectations for your manuscript's genre is crucial. This understanding comes from having edited within the genre before, and perhaps more importantly, having read or consumed at least a handful of books and/or media within the genre.

Green flag: The editor provides a sample of their work

As you make your inquiries and receive emails in response, you should start to get an idea of how most book editors operate—they might schedule a meeting with you, ask for a sample of your manuscript, or explain what the next step would be. However, one of the things they should readily provide at an early stage is a sample of their editing. This is both for the editor's and the author's benefit.

For the editor, it is extremely helpful to get a look at your manuscript before committing to work on it to assess how much work and what type of work needs to be done, what your writing style and voice is, and whether or not their editing expertise would apply. Most commonly, freelance book editors will provide a free sample edit of about 1000 - 2000 words of your manuscript. In other cases, they might refer you to their portfolio or, like me, editing samples of previous work.

For the author, getting a sample of the book editor's work helps them assess the editor's skill, helpfulness, and whether their feedback style is constructive and encouraging, brusque and brief, or any combination thereof. This can help you as the writer assess whether their editing style works for you and whether or not you feel confident trusting your manuscript to them.

I once asked a potential client why they decided to go with another editor (I had done a sample edit for them) and part of their response was "You were very clear in explaining why you made the change (e.g. setting the scene) but with those changes I also felt like it was no longer my story in that the new, suggested changes did not flow the way I experienced the events." This is perfectly valid—the author's vision for their work simply didn't align with what I thought would be best for the reader.

Red flag: The editor does not send a contract before work begins

An editing contract before work begins is a must. This is because a contract formalizes the project's:

• Scope

• Timeline

• Deliverables

• Price

• Termination conditions

• The editor's and author's commitment

The project's scope, encompassing exactly what service the editor is going to provide, is one of the most key things to establish as the project can easily be derailed or become sidetracked if the extent of the editing, or the type of service the editor is going to provide is not defined. I personally also have a copyright clause in my contracts that protects the author's work as well as a clause for how changes and additions to the scope can be agreed upon.

It may not be strictly necessary to have a full blown PDF contract that both the editor and author have to sign, but such a document is the most straightforward way to establish the above points clearly so that there's no confusion or room to argue if there is dissatisfaction on either side down the road.

Red flag: The editor does not suggest or query, they insist and assume

Many writers have horror stories about editors who made rude and unhelpful comments on their work. A very accomplished author told a story during a meeting once about her early experiences with a book editor who simply commented "NO!" and deleted sentences without explanation. This is an example of an editor not suggesting a better alternative or politely querying why the author made a certain choice.

It's also incredibly unprofessional for an editor to insist on making a change or insist that a character perform a certain action that the author did not include. This is something that can be suggested, with an explanation as to why it would work better. Sometimes editors can also assume the author's intent or lack of knowledge (regarding politically incorrect language for example) and this shows up as the editor making a writing decision without confirming with the author first.

Bottom line: If you notice an editor repeatedly dismissing your authority over your own written words with their edits, whether in a sample edit or a complete edit, address it immediately and state your preference for suggestions rather than direct changes.

Green flag: You like talking to the editor

Making the decision to hire a book editor based on vibes alone is not recommended, however, while emails and editing samples can provide indications of the editor's professionalism and skill, a phone or video conversation will give you an idea of the editor's attitude and personality and what your dynamic looks and feels like with them.

If you feel uncomfortable during the conversation, if you find that they often don't understand what you're trying to say or vice versa, or even if there's a big cultural difference in your communication styles, it may not be a great fit. This is especially important to consider if you want an editor for the long term, i.e., you have a book series or multiple writing projects in the pipeline. In this case, an editor whose advice you feel just as comfortable accepting as rejecting, and an editor who you can easily laugh and even be vulnerable with would be more suitable.

Ultimately, if you have a clear understanding of what your goals are for your manuscript, and the content within it, then identifying a book editor who is right for you will be that much easier. If you are currently looking for a book editor, book a free consultation with me to see if we're a good fit.