What to Look For in an Editor

Are you in the market for an editor? Cool, cool, I know someone…. ??

But seriously, choosing the right editor for you and your work is so important! I might not always be the right fit (even if we’ve worked together in the past), and I’m never offended when someone passes on me or works with a different editor on a new project.

So how do you know you’ve found the One? Let me cover the most important considerations:

• What type of editing do you need?
• How much editing can you afford?
• Is your editor being constructive?
• Do you like how you and your editor communicate?
• Can you get a sample edit first?

Hopefully, if you keep these five considerations in mind, you’ll have an easier time finding your dream editor!

Know what type of editing you need

I wrote about the different types of editing in my first LinkedIn article. Not every editor offers all of these editing services; I, for one, stick mostly with stylistic editing and copyediting.

If you’re not sure which types of editing you need, just ask us. I am always happy to hop on a Zoom call and have a chat about your project, even if it turns out I’m not the best fit for it.

Also, keep in mind that you need an editor comfortable with the type of writing you’re doing. For example, I can handle a wide range of writing: academic and technical writing, B2B and B2C communications, personal and memoir writing, fiction writing, etc. Other editors specialize in a particular niche, like editing novels or journal articles. Make sure the editor you’re approaching knows the field and medium enough to help you out.

Know what editing you can afford

Editing is often more expensive than people anticipate. Copyediting a dissertation or book manuscript can be upwards of $2000. While smaller works, like a LinkedIn article, blog post, or website page, will be much less expensive, those add up over time if you’re regularly engaging an editor.

We are worth every cent, of course, and I think once you start working with an editor, you will agree! ??

Be sure you get a quote from your editor and that you are both comfortable and clear on what work is being done and how much it’s going to cost.

Editing should be constructive

We are here to make your writing better. That means, sometimes, we’re going to make suggestions you don’t like, push for changes you might resist at first.

It’s OK to say no to your editor—this is your work after all! It’s ultimately your call. Sometimes our suggestions are just that, suggestions rather than corrections, and therefore they are subjective.

But if your editor is being professional and constructive, then the suggestions will always be made in such a way as to build you up rather than tear you down. We aren’t here to make you feel bad, but we are here to make your writing the best it can be within the budget you can afford.

If you aren’t sure why we make a suggestion or change, and we don’t explain it, ask! Editors aren’t here to educate you about writing, so we often don’t explain grammatical corrections or simple stylistic suggestions, because we don’t want to be overbearing. That said, we are always happy to explain why we made a change.

Communication compatibility

Communication styles are really important. Do you prefer email, phone, or a video call? Your editor might have preferences too! For example, for most of my work, I like to correspond asynchronously over email—it just fits my lifestyle and schedule better.

I will happily hop on a video call to discuss something face-to-face, but be aware that some editors (myself included) will charge for this or work it into the project fee if it’s a regular expectation—our time is money, after all.

I’ll be honest: I sweat over my emails to clients. Is my tone all right? Am I coming across too strident? Too conciliatory? Did I write too much? I guess this is part and parcel with being an editor; sometimes, I overthink my own writing! ??

At the end of the day, I would try to remember the golden rule: give people the benefit of the doubt. That being said, if your editor and you consistently seem to be communicating at cross-purposes, you might want to reconsider that relationship.

Also remember that communication is a two-way street. As an editor, I ask a lot of questions of my clients. I worry I’m being annoying at times! But I just want to be as clear as possible so there are no surprises about what I do/don’t do while I’m editing. Help your editor out by answering our questions.

Get a sample edit if possible

When I’m talking with a prospective client, I always offer to do a sample edit first.

Simply put, this entails the client sending me something they would like me to edit—an article, a chapter from their manuscript, etc.—and then I do the type of editing we discussed in our initial contact, usually up to about 1,000 words.

Sample edits are beneficial to both parties! For me, I get a chance to see what your writing is like, what I am “in for,” if you will, should we agree to work together. This helps me make sure I quote the correct rate for my work, as well as confirming that I am, in fact, the right editor for this job. For you, it demonstrates my skills so you can have confidence in what I do, and you can also see my communication style in terms of comments, etc.

Conclusion

If you are looking for an editor, I would love to be your One! But if we’re not a match, you can swipe left on me. It’s OK. You’ll find someone eventually, now that you know what to look for.

Have questions about what and how I edit? Have additional tips on what to look for in the editor? Share them in the comments, please!