First name / friend, did you do your homework? Did you find three editors with websites you liked?

 

If you did, congrats! You took the first step on the journey to finding the right editor for you.

 

If you didn’t, that’s okay. You’re just hanging back until you understand the whole process, and you know what? I get that. But let me be the one to gently urge you to take that first step.

 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from watching pro sports, it’s that you’ve got to focus on the next increment—be that the next sixty seconds of play or the next step in the publishing process. The big picture is something that can wait. Focus on doing the best you can now to keep moving forward. If finding an editor is your next step, find those three people! You’ve got this.

 

Send a DM to a couple editors and ask them to tell you a bit about their process and if they do sample edits. All the editors I know are really happy to chat about these topics. Social media is a great, low-stress way to get some more information.

 

Most editors have a contact form on their website where they collect inquiries. On my website, I ask for a bit of information about your book and then have you schedule a call, so we can get to know each other! Other editors use this as a jumping off point to do a sample edit. Regardless, at this stage, no one is committing to anything; you’re just getting a feel for each other.

 

A call lets you meet an editor before committing. Not all editors do this. Some like to discuss projects via email, but I always do a call before the sample edit. I like to get to know you and understand what kind of feedback you’re looking for before moving forward with a sample edit.

 

A sample edit is a great way to see both an editor’s work and how they give feedback. A sample is just a small chunk of the manuscript, so take the amount the document is marked up with a grain of salt. Some passages need more feedback than others. However, it should give you a feel for if you like the way the editor works.

 

Note: Some editors do sample edits for free and some require payment. An editor who does paid samples isn’t automatically ripping you off. Sample edits take time, and it’s up to the editor whether they charge for that.

Once you’ve talked to a couple editors and maybe gotten a few sample edits back, take a moment to think about the things you want most out of an editor. Do you want them to be professional? Friendly? Knowledgeable? Kind? Gently ask you to dig deeper? Take a moment to see which of the editors had the qualities you’re after and how they made you feel. One might rise to the top, and that’s the one you should choose!

 

I use all of the above tools when getting to know a potential client. We go from contact form to a consult call to a sample edit, because it’s important to me that you get what you need from the editor-author relationship. I always ask if you want to move to the next step and there’s no judgement if you don’t!

If you’re ready to learn how the editors on your list (the one from last week!) work, your homework is to DM them and ask about the process! It’s low stakes and they’ll be happy to answer your questions. You’ve got this!I

 

f you know someone who could benefit from knowing more about hiring an editor, send them here to sign up for these emails.

 

See you next week!

 

P.S. First name / Friend, if you're currently in your drafting phase and want some accountability this summer, you might like to join Manuscript Magic! It's a four-week group coaching program starting this Saturday and you can find out more about it here.

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