Saturday, March 4, 2017

Worth the Money? When & Why to Hire a Freelance Editor

Do you need to hire a freelance editor?

No. It's not entirely necessary. It can be a prohibitive expense and plenty of writers get agents without ever hiring a freelance editor. However, a good freelance editor can be the tool in your writers' arsenal that speeds your process and broadens your skills. You need to consider it, and in order to make an informed decision, I think there are two important questions to ask yourself. First:

Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco, 2103, Photo by Erik Lundmark

WHEN should you hire an editor?

This is the easier of the two questions. Right after you finish a first draft is not the time. Hiring an editor should be saved for that moment when you have made your manuscript as beautiful and wonderful as you can possibly make it through all other free resources including critique partners, writing groups, multiple revisions, and putting the manuscript aside for a while--and then doing another revision. Because you're paying for this service, and you want maximum returns.

Rabat, Morocco, 2013, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Once your manuscript is as good as you can make it, think about the next question:

WHY are you hiring an editor?


Generally speaking, there are three basic categories of editing. There's developmental editing (big picture, plot structure, character development issues). Then there's line-editing (making sure the prose and dialogue flow as they should on a more detailed level), and finally copy-editing (the final pass to look for punctuation, grammar, and continuity errors).

Obviously, you don't want to pay for line editing or copy editing if your story needs developmental help. You may have to delete or rewrite entire chunks of the novel. So that's something you need to look at before you decide what kind of services to purchase. 

Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco, 2013, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Not every editor is created equal. There are as many flavors of editors as there are agents, and finding the right match is important to accomplishing your goal. You'll want someone who is familiar with your category and genre. They need to be able to catch the spark of your vision, or their help won't be optimal. You'll also want to find an editor who specializes in the type of editing you need done. You wouldn't hire a copy-editor to help you with your plot structure. Many editors out there will offer a free sample pass of your work. Take advantage of that. This is the only way for each of you to know whether the relationship will work.

Mosaic at Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco, 2013, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Get the most from your investment and learn from your editor. Pay attention to the notes they give so that you can improve your story--and implement those principles the next time you write. Editors are full of tips and tricks that will enrich your writing. Remember, editors are not magicians who will wave a wand and fix your writing. They will offer guidance, but you will still do the work. If you're looking for someone to do the work for you, you're in the wrong industry.

Rabat, Morocco, 2013, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Finally, hire someone you can trust. As with anything else in this world, there are those who may try to take advantage of you. Be sure to check references, and make sure the editor is credentialed and has a solid reputation. Word of mouth is a great way to find someone that might be the right fit.

In closing, I wanted to recommend a handful of editors that I have directly worked with or been acquainted with whose advice has helped me grow as a writer. They turned on lights for me when I was stuck and opened my eyes to new perspectives.

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco, 2013, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Kimberly VanderHorst at Prism Editing is an amazing word-master. She did a fifty-page manuscript critique for me that shifted my thinking. I had pigeonholed myself into an unnecessary paradigm. With her help, I was able to see my story through new eyes, cut 10,000 words, and take it to a level that enabled me to win a finalist slot in the Pitch to Publication contest. 

Stephanie Eding at Stephanie Ed(it)ing worked with me for a month during the Pitch to Publication contest. (I consider her my prize.) She really understood my characters and the vision I had for my manuscript. She pointed out problem areas, made helpful suggestions, and was a fantastic sounding board as I came up with solutions. She also pointed out idiosyncrasies in my writing style and showed me how to smooth them out.

Sione Aeschliman offers editing services and writes a fantastic blog. I also met her during Pitch to Publication and found her insights into the writing process incredibly helpful. Her blog posts on all aspects of crafting a novel--but especially developmental--are a great place to start for advice.

Elizabeth Buege also offers editing services and I've come to think of her as the grammar queen. Whenever I am stuck on usage, I check her blog. She's usually got an answer there. She also has some great revision cheat sheets you can use to make sure your manuscript is ready before sending it to an editor.

Finding a good freelance editor that will help you put all the pieces together and move your manuscript to the next level is an investment worth making--if you make it at the right time and for the right reasons.

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco, 2013, Photo by Erik Lundmark

*This post is one in a series: "So You Wrote a Book! Now What?" Click here to view more topics.*