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Talking Points:
Kinds of editors:
- Developmental editor (Successful authors) The macro edit
- Line edit editors
- Beta reader editors
- Copy editor (Grammar Nazi)
- Proofreaders (Details person)
Places to find an editor:
- Writers’ Conference (Ask the faculty for recommendations. They will likely recommend fellow faculty who you can talk with. 15m consult)
- Recommendation from a successful author
- The acknowledgements of a book with a similar style.
- Editor marketplace like ChristianEditor.com
What to look for in an editor
- By their fruits you will know them.
- Looks for a track record of commercial success.
- Level 0 Editor: just starting out
- Level 1 Editor: only edited for self published books (only a some of which are on Amazon).
- Level 2 Editor: has been editing for a while and occasionally freelances for traditional publishing house.
- Level 3 Editor: used to work full time for a traditional publisher.
- Level 4 Editor: has edited a New York Times bestselling book.
- Level 5 Editor: has edited multiple New York Times Bestselling books.
- Do they match your personality style? How will you work together?
Places NOT to find an editor:
- Your friend from college/church who has an English degree
- The editor who is doing a lot of marketing (the best editors are booked solid)
- Someone who loves to read and has always wanted to break into editing so they’ll save you a ton of money and do your edit for free
Final Tips:
- Find a happy client before hiring someone and talk to them about the editor’s style
- Ask for a sample edit first. Ask all the editors to edit the same sample so you can make an apples to apples comparison.
- Make sure your editor is a good fit for your writing style.
Sponsor:
- MyBookTable: use coupon code “novelmarketing” to get 10% off.
Great episode! Thanks for the shout out to ChristianEditor.com. I can assure you that the entrance exams are very rigorous! I don’t know of another group that vets its editors so thoroughly.
One that comes close is Reedsy.com. Unlike some marketplaces, Reedsy doesn’t allow anyone who calls themselves an editor to join. Reedsy staff verify the resumes of all the editors who apply. Not all editors make the cut. Reedsy also lists designers, publicists, and marketers, so it can be an indie author’s one-stop shop.
Lastly, the Editorial Freelancers Association keeps a directory of its members and also operates a job list so indie authors can post the kind of editing their looking for. Be forewarned — EFA has about 1600 members, so a job listing there will produce tons of results.
I belong to all of these groups, and they are all made up of dedicated professionals who are eager to help indie authors succeed.
The EFA website: the-efa.org
Please put your names on each podcast so we can know how to spell your names… Just a thought!
Darnell