Writing a book is not an easy or simple task. It requires large amounts of dedication and perseverance. Unfortunately, there are many aspiring writers who believe that once they’ve put in the effort, they’re done and the book is ready for publication.
Could not be farther from the truth. Amazon is full of books that have never had the benefit of an editor or even a proofreader. Take a look at the front pages of any new book on Amazon with the “Look Inside” feature and you’ll know in no time if it’s been edited or not.
As a general rule, the writer attempting to do the final editing of his own manuscript is much like the man in the old proverb: “The man who acts as his own lawyer has a fool for a client.” Most writers tend to see what they thought they wrote rather than what is actually on the page.
First of all, there are several types of editors:
Development Edition: This type of editor is like a personal story analyst for you. Most of the time they will say, “This is about showing the writer what works.” They will alert you to any plot holes or inconsistencies in your story. They’ll tell you if you’ve gone off on a pointless tangent somewhere or if a particular scene needs more fleshing out.
Line edit: This is a much closer evaluation, line by line. Things like the tone, clarity, and flow of the story are the focus. Punctuation, spelling, and grammar are not the focus here, but some editors will make suggestions in these areas as well.
Copy editing: This focuses almost entirely on punctuation, spelling, grammar, and correct word usage. Some editors prefer one style guide over another, such as the Chicago Manual of Style or the Associated Press Guide. These are more important in non-fiction than in fiction, but there are variations between the different guides.
Proofreading: This is a final reading of the manuscript to find any typos or misplaced punctuation. Some writers use beta readers for this even if a publisher has already done this task. It’s better to find those errors before publication than to let readers tell you about them later.
Full Package Edition: Some publishers may offer all of the above in one package for one price. Many prefer to specialize.
Your first step in choosing a publisher should be to seek recommendations from satisfied customers. People who have found a good editor for their own work will not hesitate to share that information with you.
While a college degree or two may be desirable, it is only an indication of what the person may have learned at some point in the past, it is not a good indication of their level of dedication to the job or their integrity in meeting your expectations. . .
There is no point in asking for a quote in advance until the editor has had a chance to see the quality of the manuscript. It’s like asking, ‘how much is a sweater?’ For this reason, it’s always a good idea to get a sample edition. This allows the editor to evaluate your work and estimate how long it will take. It gives you, the writer, a chance to see how they work and if their methods fit with your writing style. Most publishers will do a one or two thousand word sample edit for free. The busiest can charge for it but deduct the amount of the final rate if you decide to contract with them.
Keep in mind that you usually get what you pay for. However, the more expensive one may not be better for your purposes than the cheaper one. The cheaper one probably charges less for good reason. The most expensive is likely to play the odds, counting the percentage of those who believe that the most expensive is always the best.
Some writers are lucky enough to have a close friend or relative qualified to edit them for free or for something else. In any case, I encourage you not to miss this important step in the development of your book.