3 Most Expensive Mistakes Writers Make When Choosing An Editor

What you need to know when hiring an editor.

We hold these truths to be self-evident; All editors are not created equal. This is not a reflection on their skills, but rather the type of editors they are, and their specialties. Not knowing what you need to know about editors can get very expensive very fast. And in some cases, ruin your manuscript.

So let’s talk about what you need to know when hiring an editor.

Hiring the wrong type of editor

There are actually 5 different types of editors. As an indie author, you really only need to know about 3 of them, and we’ll discuss them here.

You can get by with two of them. But definitely get that third if you can.

The most important editor is the Developmental Editor. This editor is a person who reads your entire work to see the ‘big picture’. They don’t concern themselves with piddly little details like spelling or grammar. They read to make sure your book has strong characters, no obvious plot holes and is something your readers will enjoy reading. It takes a critical eye, and is best done by someone with experience or who reads a lot. So it’s among the most expensive types of editors there is.

In some cases, a developmental editor might tell you to tear your book down to the nails, and start over. That can be hard to hear, but as Harper Lee, who turned her ‘go Set A Watchman’ book into “To Kill A Mockingbird” on the advice of her developmental editor, sometimes, it has to be done to write the best book.

The next kind of editor is the line Editor. A line editor checks for the musicality of the words. This is what makes your book read like a novel instead of like a textbook or a news story. If you’re new to writing, you should have one of these, at least for the first book.

The final type of editor you must have is the proofreading editor. This is what many people think of when they hear the word ‘editor’. A human spell and grammar checker. A mechanical one will never do as good a job as a human one. They are the least expensive editor, and they are vital to have. Readers hone in on mistakes like moths to a flame.

So now that you know the three types of editors, lets look at the other two most expensive mistakes writers make when hiring an editor.

Hiring one who isn’t familiar with your genre

Even among developmental editors, there are ones that specialize in your genre, ones that do all genres, and ones that know nothing about your genre.

That last one is really a problem, even if the editor says they can do it. Readers expect different things from different genres, even if they read different genres. A developmental editor who doesn’t understand fantasy or romance, should not be giving opinions on either of those genres.

The best thing to do in this case is to find out what genres your developmental editor loves to work on, the ones they hate, and the ones they’ve never worked on before. One you’ve established what they will and won’t work on, you’re clear to move forward.

Not setting proper expectations with the editor from the start

Some proofreaders also line edit. Some developmental editors do too, albeit lightly. But knowing what the editor will and won’t do in advance is key to being happy with the job done for you. Expectations need to be set early through contracts, conversations, and referrals. From there, it’s a matter of going with your gut and taking the leap.

Basically, the best way to find the right editor is to determine the kind of editor you need, choose one that’s familiar with your genre, and set expectations on both sides.

Remember; your book DOES matter and the world DOES need one more.