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Finding a Great Editor
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Vicky
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Sep 02, 2012 07:48AM
Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips for methods and/or places to locate a good editor? Has anyone had success in hiring a competent editor online? Anyone used Kirkus or Bookdoctors or another website? Your experiences and/or advice will be much appreciated!
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In about two years, I will be able to say that I am a qualified editor, until I recieve my degree, I'm not much use. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
I edit for a coupe of publishers as well as for friends. A good relationship with your editor is one of the most important aspects of your writing. If you want to contact me separately, you can use our professional email: 31months@cox.net.Good luck with the book!
Hannah and Lorna - Thanks for your comments. Hannah good luck to you! Lorna, I agree that a good relationship and editor/writer compatability is very important. Thanks for leaving your email. I will definitely be in touch!
As an editor, you'd think I could spell couple! Getting used to the new iPad.
Oh, I thought "coupe" was the word for a set of publishers - like a murder of crows, a school of fish, etc. (And a deuce coupe is a double ice-cream cone)
I thought that was an old-style car from the '60s...
Lorna wrote: "I thought that was an old-style car from the '60s..."Coupe is from the French for cut.
"A coupé or coupe (from the French verb couper, to cut) is a closed car body style (permanently attached fixed roof), the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time. Classic coupés are hardtopped sports cars or sporty variants of sedan (saloon) body styles, with doors commonly reduced from four to two, and a close-coupled interior (i.e., the rear seat placed further forward than in a standard sedan) offering either two seats or 2+2 seating (space for two passengers in the front and two occasional passengers or children in the rear). The coupé could be a classic coupé or four-door coupé."
A coupe does not have to be old-style, nor need it be from any particular decade.
Thanks Michel! I just checked out her website. Looks interesting. I'll contact her today. Appreciate the recommend!
Hi Vicky, I'm retired and not really looking for a job but wouldn't mind helping you out. I taught writing and literature at Florida State and have worked for a regional education lab as senior editor and I have a Ph.D. in English. I also have an M.S. in English Education and a B.A. in English. You can contact me at marsh.corinda@gmail.com if you are interested.
Thanks Corinda! I'll send you an email.
hey guys, I do realize the importance of editor after finishing my book. I posted my first book on kindle but after loads of after work. I still do realize that it could have been a little different.
So I might need tips for now. Do reply please on my e-mail (imran.mohd.usman@gmail.com), but do mention the subject.
have a great day.
So I might need tips for now. Do reply please on my e-mail (imran.mohd.usman@gmail.com), but do mention the subject.
have a great day.
Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips for methods a..."Hi Vicky,
I'm a former trade publishing editor, a former literary agent, and author of 8 books published by major publishers. I teach and sometimes do some freelance editing...but I'm not soliciting work, because I'm taking time off all of that to write a sequel to my next book, with Viking. The reason I'm responding is just to say be very selective in your choice. There are lots of good editors out there, but lots of unqualified ones as well. The idea of unpublished or self-published writers teaching others to do what haven't yet managed to do themselves makes me very uneasy.
If you scroll down on the opening page of my teaching website, you'll see a list of accomplishments and qualities to look for in a writing teacher. The same list would apply to an editor. Hope it helps! www.nextlevelworkshop.com.
Barbara, Thanks so much for the advice! I'm sure there are lots of good editors out there, finding one is not so easy, hence the question! Since you are not taking any work right now, do you have someone you would recommend?
Barbara wrote: "Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips..."I agree many people who advertise themselves as "editors" return results no better than if you edited the book yourself. For example, my first book, Giving Up Mental Illness Or How To Be Normal In A Crazy World was supposedly edited by a real publisher. However, when I looked at it, it was obvious they did virtually nothing. With my second book, Healing Personal Psychologym I couldn't afford an editor, heard some negative stories from a friend who paid thousands to have his book poorly edited, and edited it myself by going over it line, by line, multiple times. I can still find editing errors in that one, each time I pick it up. The fee and the caveat about poor editors found me publishing a third book this month,an e-book Healing Personal Depression And Anxiety For Good: The Only Self-Help Solution You'll Ever Need. I think I did a better job self-editing than with the others, but still needs work. Yet, retired and living on a fixed income does not afford me the luxury of an editor. Best thing is that I was able to publish through Smashwords for nothing. They distribute to most e-book sellers except Amazon. I am about to submit it to Amazon for their self-publishing platform. If sold at Smashwords, the net proceeds is 85% of cover price. If at Amazon it's about 70%. What I need more than anything is some promotion and sales so that perhaps I can afford an editor on my next book.
Janess wrote: "...my first book...edited it myself by going over it line, by line, multiple times. I can still find editing errors in that one, each time I pick it up.....Of course every writer should edit her manuscript to her maximum ability. But to have it published without a professional reviewing it first? The multiple errors you describe is what gives self-published books their poor reputation. Amateur publishing bleeds through in the first page--and readers notice it. They are much less likely to recommend your books to others. It also hurts your professional image.
Oh, yes. There are many professional editors that are incompetent and dishonest. Early in my career I fell for one who had published an excellent How-To write book, which means that she was qualified. But instead of sending me back to revise the draft of that novel that still had some major overarching problems, she sent me a contract in which she explained that since I was a "Pulitzer-Prize material" in addition to her hefty fee she should receive 10% of the "first 10 million dollars from the movie rights...." etc.
If you cannot afford to pay, then at least use writing buddies for mutual back-scratching. You can read each other's manuscripts and make comments, corrections and suggestions. Different writers bring different strengths--some are nitty picky and point out typos and grammatical mistakes, others are generalists and ask for clarifications or point out development issues and the organization of the material. (For fiction, they can help with character consistencies, psychological arc, or plot twists logic.)
That means that you need to work with more than just one other writing buddy--and spend equal amount of time on their manuscripts. But the result may be quite less amateurish than what you are describing happened with your self-published books.
Vicky wrote: "Barbara, Thanks so much for the advice! I'm sure there are lots of good editors out there, finding one is not so easy, hence the question! Since you are not taking any work right now, do you have s..."Not really, sorry. I am sure there are good ones out there, and I know at least one I'd strongly recommend for non-fiction, but not YA. I wish I could help, but I'm trying to stay disciplined. If you're still looking for help 4-5 months from now, I may be freer--you're welcome to contact me. But I hope you find someone sooner. In any case, you should always do a test edit--have the editor read the first 5000 words or so and write an editorial letter about that. It will reveal a great deal--by the end of that letter, you'll know whether or not an editor's for you, and vice versa.
Talia wrote: "Janess wrote: "...my first book...edited it myself by going over it line, by line, multiple times. I can still find editing errors in that one, each time I pick it up.....Of course every writer s..."
Talia - Thanks for your valuable comments. I agree professional editing is very important, or at a minimum a good group of readers(or, ideally, both). We writers get too close to our own work to be able to do a thorough job without a few more sets of eyes to back us up!
Barbara wrote: "Vicky wrote: "Barbara, Thanks so much for the advice! I'm sure there are lots of good editors out there, finding one is not so easy, hence the question! Since you are not taking any work right now,..."Barbara - Thanks so much. I'm working with someone now, and feel comfortable with this person's credentials and integrity. Hoping for the best!
Vicky wrote: "I agree professional editing is very important, or at a minimum a good group of readers(or, ideally, both). We writers get too close to our own work to be able to do a thorough job without a few more sets of eyes to back us up!"Also, our eyes tend to correct mistakes as we read, so that our own mistakes evade us....
Like many others I am new to this publishing game hence can only suggest go with someone you know or that is responsive to you. Self-editing does not work. In lieu of an editor at least get a good critique group read.
Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips for methods a..."Hi Vicky,
Another great resource for finding an editor that meets all your criteria is the Editorial Freelancers Association website:
http://www.the-efa.org/
I found a wonderful editor through the EFA. Her name is Robin Martin, and she can be contacted through her website at:
http://www.twosongbirdspress.com/
There is also lots of great information on the EFA website regarding customary rates and explanations of all the different services a great editor can provide to an author.
Another thought is to ask for references you can contact directly, once you've narrowed your search down to a few folks. I have answered questions about Robin from prospective customers several times over the past few years. She always asks my permission to be contacted first, and I'm always happy to, because she has provided me with excellent service.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Rob
Rob wrote: "Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips..."Hi Rob -
Thanks for your comments and the reference to the EFA website. Much appreciated!
Rob wrote: "Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips..."Rob,
Thanks for the info. Just what I was looking for.
Jasenn
Rob wrote: "Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips..."Thanks for the info - I was also looking for good editors for general fiction and found a name on the EFA website.
Best wishes
Judy Croome, Johannesburg, South Africa
Check with smaller publishing companies. Sometimes the editors are allowed to do freelance work. Such is the case at my publishing company!
Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips for methods a..."Hi Vicky,
I posted on elance and craigslist for editors and had dozens of proposals. In the end, I ended up using around 5 editors, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
What I found most important is that though chemistry matters between the editor/ author, there is just no replacement for an experienced editor. Someone who may know all the grammar rules could do a good job but they won't challenge you in the manuscript the way that all stories need to be challenged.
The method that I used was that I paid for the editing of one chapter from each editor and continued to do samples of one chapter at a time until I felt comfortable with the person. In the end, I hired two editors (at multiple times) go over the entire manuscript, and both were excellent.
If you need actual referrals, please let me know.
Wen-Szu
Wen-Szu -Thanks for your comments. I love your approach! So happy you found some good editors for your manuscript. I appreciate the offer of referrals, but I'm working with someone I'm happy with right now. Best of luck with your book!
Thanks for the comments/advice everyone, after reading through this I am feeling a bit more comfortable about searching for an editor.
I recently returned from a conference (Ozark Creative Writers, Eureka Springs, AR) and hence really appreciate your question. Finding an agent that would work (work!!) for you is difficult. Thanks for your question - I am following the discussion with interest. Nancy Hartney
Barbara wrote: "Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips..."Great site, Barbara.
I have a question to those editors out there: just how much work from the editor can I expect for my money? When I get the manuscript back from the editor and finish my re-writes, can I expect them to go over the whole thing again? I would assume that editors wouldn't work for $10 an hour.
I just joined this group, so am catching up on the various threads. Having recently gone through the editor selection process, here are my thoughts on this.There are three levels of editing: content or substantive, copy or line edit, and proofreading. To answer Laura, the level of editing you choose determines "how much work" you'll get (and pay for). Content editing is the most detailed and the most expensive. The editor will analyze your story, make suggestions on plot, characters, etc. A copy or line edit will review not only grammar and punctuation, but things like overused words, misplaced modifiers, etc. Proofreading is the final pass to make sure there are no remaining grammar, punctuation, or format errors in the final manuscript after editing.
I want to repeat the suggestion to get a sample edit before agreeing to use a particular editor. I sent a five page sample to ten different editors and asked that they return it, along with a cost estimate. (I was looking for a copy edit. I used members of my local Sisters in Crime chapter for my content edit.) This will tell you quite a lot. Two never responded. (Eliminated, since if they're not responding to a query, they won't respond to getting the work done.) One said he was too busy to take on another edit for a few months. (Eliminated since I didn't want to wait.) The others sent back the sample pages and how they would edit them. About half of those shocked me with how much they didn't know about grammar and punctuation. (Eliminated)
I chose Christina Miller based on that sample edit and her price quote. I found her through Christian Editor Network, which is appropriate for my genre (edgy Christian fiction). I just received the copy edit back and I can't say enough about how pleased I am with her work. Not only does she make corrections, she often puts in an explanation of the rule or why she made the change.
Speaking of changes, just because an editor makes one doesn't mean you have to accept it. It's still your book. If you think they're wrong (and I've been verifying things in The Chicago Manual of Style and on the Grammar Girl site) or even if they're right, but you think the sentence reads better or reflects your character's voice better in the original, you can leave it the way it is.
And now I offer my apologies for going on for so long on my first post. I'll try to be more concise next time.
I'm curious... what is the range of going rates for a professional editor working on a professional-quality book?
I find that most writers conferences have one or more editors that will edit about five+ pages for you at a conference, often free or at much reduced rate, as an introduce to their work. The average rate that I've found is $5.00 per page. Good luck with your search
Vicky wrote: "Has anyone had success in hiring a competent editor online?"I found my editor (Arlene Prunkl, penultimateword.com) online and she's great. I used a short story as a test case and that worked out well so I hired her to edit my novel.
It's not just finding an editor, it's finding an editor who line edits. That's what counts. No repetitions, no turns of phrase that are not appropriate, too many adverbs, too many exclamation points, etc. A good line editor is essential!
Wen-szu wrote: "Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips..."That is great advice. Thanks.
I used Rhonda Helms when I published SOULED OUT (NA/YA) this past July. There is a wait time, but definitely worth it. I was very impressed with her. The site is rhondaedits.com.
I'm part of an editing team called Metamorphosis, and they have some spots open for the fall!http://metamorphosiseditingservices.b...
or email us: Metamorphosiseditingservice@gmail.com
Beta Reading: $.0015 Per Word:
This is one of the first stages of revision. If you aren't ready to have your piece completely re-worked and just want a second opinion on the plot, characters, and general suggestions, this is the package for you. We will read your manuscript and then send you extensive notes on how you can make your writing stronger.
Detailed Copy Editing: $.0025 Per Word:
Do you think your manuscript is fine as far as plot and characterization goes, but aren't sure about the grammar, punctuation, spelling, word choice, transitions, or sentence structure? With this package, we cover all of those things!
Proof Reading: $.0035 Per Word:
(For more than one read through, add $50)
Proof Reading is a combination of beta reading and copy editing. We will check over plot and characterization as well fix grammar, punctuation, word choice, and make line edits (sentence structure) suggestions. We will provide comments in the margin of the manuscript for specific suggestions as well as at the end of the piece for general suggestions.
Synopsis Editing: $35 Flat Rate:
If you have a rough draft of your synopsis or need suggestions for one you aren't sure about, we will do our best to make it clear, concise, and to the point. It is our goal to have people read your synopsis and grab your book!
Just went to your site. Your company offers a lot of good services. I'm still writing but I'll keep you in mind.
I am now open to taking in some side editing at fair prices. I'm an editor at J Ellington Ashton Press and with that experience, the work I've been doing as an author, and some previous work as an SEO article writer before that, I have a proven record of quality work and a unique perspective on an author's needs. My price will go by page count and at $1 per page that should average about $250 - 300 per novel for average length works. I may be open to negotiation on price, especially for some projects with greater length. I would prefer not to edit anything less than 10 pages and nothing longer than 600 so that I'm not distracted from my work at JEA and, of course, with my own writing. I would prefer to work with word documents because it's much easier to use that program's comments system to note changes and make notes on areas where some work is needed.
When I edit I look for proper grammar usage, solid plotting, engaging storytelling and areas where the author could use cutting to improve the flow. I don't have a specific preference on genre, but I do reserve the right to reject a project if I feel that I would not be the right editor for the work (conflict of interest or projects I find offensive due to topics like sexual abuse of minors utilized in a sexually titillating manner for example). I prefer to look at the work first and if I take it on, to receive half at the beginning of the assignment and the other half on completion. I take payments via Paypal.
If you would be interested in seeking my help with editing or have any questions please e-mail me at nightshade44637@gmail.com with the heading "Editing Inquiry" with your book title. Thanks.
Hannah wrote: "In about two years, I will be able to say that I am a qualified editor, until I recieve my degree, I'm not much use. Sorry I couldn't be of more help."A degree in...? Editing? :-)
Just been scanning through the comments here and want to make one point...no matter how good you are at catching typos and grammar problems, if you wrote it, you shouldn't edit or proofread it. That goes for me as well,and I am both writer/editor and author. I can't or shouldn't do the final edit/proofreading on my own book. Yes, of course, we all rewrite, cleanup, and check our writing as we go along, but a fresh pair of eyes, trained eyes preferably, is going to save a lot of expensive heartbreaks in the future.If you wrote it, you know what you intended to say...Did you hit the mark? Only another reader can tell you that. Your own eyes and mind see what you think is there, not necessarily what is there. So easy to read over errors and miss left out words or not see wrong words that spell-check, grammar-check, or the latest version of WORD has changed for you...not always correctly, of course. This goes for all genres, fiction and nonfiction. Ask a prospective editor for credentials--education, work experience, and especially references from recent clients. Many editors are willing to work within your budget. Accuracy, clarity, and professionalism are the keys to getting your work noticed.
Deborah is correct. I'm a professional editor, but I hired someone to edit my novel. There are a lot of very good out of work editors thanks to a decline in the newspaper industry that are reasonable. But there are also many editors who are awful. I can't tell you how many books I've read that have atrocious errors in them that any decent editor should have caught. Then I go to the credits and find out who their editor was and put them on my list of who NOT to hire.
Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips for methods a..."It's some time since you wrote this, and your answers have been mainly from the US. I'll recommend an editor from UK who I've found very responsive and very quick. It's Morgen Bailey (note the E) who has her very useful writers' website. She teaches and heads a writing workshop in Northampton.
Vicky wrote: "Hi All - I'm looking for an excellent YA editor for my second novel. My last editor, from my local writers' group, passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Does anyone have any tips for methods a..."This is going sound glib and crazy but it is the best advice I was given - give the book to your mother; better still your grandmother ... they'll find more errors and pose the most challenging questions of any paid editor.
In the absence of a mother or grandmother, then The Carter Seagrove Project may be able to help
Hi every bodyI'm new here
Thanks for adding me to this group
I m Rima Al khany writer
( English is not my native language)
Have you tried co-writing ?
Hello, Barring a mother I'd recommend someone who will connect with your work, support you, and be a fabulous editor--Candace Johnson. She has edited 3 of my books, she is supportive (she gets the ups and down particularly in the final edits), smart, on time, funny, and she has kept me going over the rough spots, and into the sunlight. And to top it off she is not expensive. I've only met her in person once, most of how we work is on email and a couple of calls. Check her out on Changeitupediting.com.
Josh:An English degree with a concentration in editing and publishing.
