For more in-depth writing tips: http://bit.ly/WIMoreTips
How to find an editor.
First let me start out by saying that hiring the right person to edit your book should not be taken lightly. And this is certainly not the area to cut costs.
What should you look for in editor?
Someone with whom you are comfortable.
Someone with whom communication is collaborative, respectful and honest.
Someone who will respect your author voice and not change your story to match his or her tone and style.
Someone who is able to critique your book with tact so he or she is not destroying your confidence as a writer.
Where can you find such a professional?
You can search elance.com or guru.com for editing professionals.
Ask for personal recommendations from writers in your circle of influence
Visit the message boards on Writer’s Digest, the World Literary Café, or other popular writing sites
Search the members section of professional writing organizations
And you can meet editors at writing conferences.
Before you hire and editor be sure to:
Request a sample edit of one or two pages to evaluate the editor's editing style to see if comments and edits are productive.Also take a look at the editor's portfolio. How are the books she's worked on doing in the marketplace? Are the reviews critical of the book's editing? Sample the first chapters. Do you see mistakes? Does it flow?
After she's reviewed your sample, ask what level of editing she feels your book needs. Does it just need light editing, maybe rewriting some sentences and proofing errors or more substantial heavy editing to tighten the story, fix subplots, advise on pacing and transition issues, and correcting major grammatical errors? If you disagree with the editor, seek another opinion.
Negotiate the price and the timeframe upfront. Prices vary widely, and different editors charge differently. some charge by the word; some charge by the page; some charge by the hour.
If you found this video helpful... I have 19 others videos in this free writing series as well. To get more go to http://www.authorinsightsbysuzie.com.
Suzie Carr, Novelist
