The dreaded sample edit.

[Carol]

Doing a sample edit for a prospective client is fundamentally a high-wire act.
You don’t want to squash their talent by over correcting. I mean you absolutely want to correct, and show them how good it can be, without treading on sensitive toes, and making them doubt themselves.
And no matter how you wibble and wobble on the wire, somebody’s not going to be happy. Normally, it’s the editor. I’ve had it all, from the author who told me that” all the secretaries in my mother’s business said it was wonderful and you found too many mistakes”, to “how about I just tell you my premise and the names of the characters, and you write it?” No, no and no. And, oh, by the way, an editor and a ghostwriter are NOT the same.
Don’t get me wrong, I love being an editor, words are my business. I am a one-trick pony. I like words. I read, on average-just for me 20 + books a week, my trusty Kindle gets quite a workout. Since last Friday, I’ve read 7. I also write, horror, and have had a novella and 10 short stories published in an online ezine.
And I edit. It hurts me to see books go to the publisher without an edit. It hurts me to see would be ‘editors’ take unsuspecting authors for a ride. It hurts to hear people slaughter English, but apparently, that’s just me. That’s my nutshell.
Check out my Facebook page at Editing by Carol Tietsworth.

[Kitana55]

Hey! Do you have any advice for someone who is starting out in the editing business? I need to gain experience but I'm not sure what is the best way to do this.

[Marta]

Replying to the request for advice, assuming it's a general question, even though it's not a separate thread. Get some formal training on editing as well as running and marketing a business. Meet other editors by joining local, regional, or online professional groups, and get their advice. Make sure the projects you work on initially don't either overpromise or undersell your experience. Good luck!