Choosing an editor is like starting a relationship. Your editor (particularly at the developmental editing stage) may be your partner for months—or more! They’ll advocate for your future readers and help set your book up for success.
With so many editors to choose from, how do you know who’s right for you?
Where to Find an Editor
Word of Mouth
Ask around! If you know someone who has worked with an editor before, find out how it went. (Of course, you’ll still want to learn more about the editor yourself to see if they’re the right fit for you.)
Professional Editing Associations
Editing associations’ directories are a great place to start your search. As with anything, members will have varying degrees of skill and experience, but if someone has paid to join an editing association, it’s a good indicator that they’re committed to their professional development.
Professional Editing Associations
Editors Canada – Canada
Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) – Australia
Note: The associations above are based in the countries listed, but their membership is not exclusive to those countries. Editors are not required to join their local association; some may join a different one (or more than one!) based on membership cost, their interest in the resources and training offered, or other factors. Most freelancers work with clients from around the world, so if you don’t find the right fit in your nearest association’s directory, feel free to try another!
There are many excellent, experienced editors who don’t belong to a professional association, so don’t write someone off based on membership status alone.
What to Ask Prospective Editors
Below are examples of questions you may have for the editors you’re considering. This isn’t an exhaustive list, and it’s also not a recommendation to fire off a list of interview questions in your first email. If the editor has a website, take a look around; you may find that many of these questions have been answered for you.
Click on each question for more information.
What kinds of editing do you do?
Not all editors offer every type of editing, so be sure to focus your search on the appropriate stage (developmental editing, stylistic editing, copy editing, or proofreading). You may need two or more editors to get your book through the whole process.
What are your areas of focus?
Some editors work in a variety of genres, and others specialize in a particular area. Either way, you want to work with someone who is familiar with the needs and conventions of your age category and genre. This is most important for developmental editing, but it comes into play during stylistic and copy editing as well. A developmental editor should be well read in the genres they edit.
What editing training have you done?
There are many paths to becoming an editor, but there’s more to it than spotting typos or teaching English (that’s not a knock against English teachers; I was one!). Whether they’ve completed an editing certificate program, taken courses through an editing association, learned on-the-job in a publishing house, or engaged in extensive self-study, an editor should be well versed in the industry’s body of knowledge and best practices.
Take a look inside the industry: Editors Canada’s Professional Editorial Standards outlines the scope and expectations for each stage of editing.
Do you have a portfolio or testimonials?
When you look at a book, you see the final version. You don’t know what an editor suggested or corrected, and you don’t know what revisions an author accepted or rejected. Testimonials provide insight into authors’ experiences with their editors.
Do you offer sample edits?
Some editors do sample edits for free, some charge for them, and some don't offer them at all. There's no right or wrong approach, but if you're not sure about who to choose, a sample edit can be a good way to see an editor “in action” and assess who's the best fit for your book.
An editor may ask to see an excerpt or a certain number of chapters, or they may require the whole manuscript so they can get a full sense of the project.
What is your turnaround time? What are your fees?
Start looking for an editor before you need one; some are available on short notice, but others book months in advance. Turnaround time can depend on the amount of editing a text requires, how many projects the editor has on the go, and whether the editor works part-time or full-time hours.
Fees can vary depending on the editor’s country, level of experience, and specialty, as well as the type of editing and the amount of work the manuscript needs.
Stylistic & Copy Editing Questions
Which style guide(s) do you use?
Many decisions about grammar, punctuation, and treatment of words are based not on what’s right or wrong, but on a particular style choice. Style guides make it easy for a copy editor to maintain internal consistency on issues like whether to use serial commas, when to spell numbers and when to use numerals, whether to use spaced en dashes or closed em dashes, how to capitalize professional titles, and more.
Fun fact: The Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition) includes 40 sections on the use of the comma.
Which forms of English do you edit?
You probably know that a biscuit in British and Australian English is a cookie in Canadian and American English. Each form of English has its own nuances in grammar and vocabulary—and that’s without getting into regional variations within countries! If you’re hiring an editor from another country, make sure they’re comfortable working with your variety of English.
For rhyming picture books: Are you experienced with rhyme and metre?
If you’ve written a rhyming picture book, hiring an editor who understands rhyme and metre is critical. Rhyming well requires more than matching the final words of each line, and poorly executed metre can harm the reader experience as much as beautiful verse can enhance it.
Are You Looking for an Editor?
Since you’re already here, why not send me a message? I’ve answered the general questions below, but if there’s anything else you’d like to know, please feel free to ask!
Meet the editor: Laura Bontje
What kinds of editing do you do?
Picture books: Manuscript critiques, developmental editing, stylistic/copy editing, and proofreading
Novels: Manuscript critiques, developmental editing, stylistic editing, and copy editing
Query packages for authors pursuing traditional publishing (editing excerpts, query letters, and synopses)
What are your areas of focus?
Categories: picture books, middle grade, young adult, and adult
I love to edit: children’s literature, commercial & upmarket fiction, mystery & detective stories, historical fiction, suspense & thrillers, dystopian & speculative fiction, and more
I’m usually not the best fit for: self-help, memoirs, faith-based literature, erotica, horror, paranormal (usually), or westerns
What editing training have you done?
I have an editing certificate from Simon Fraser University, and I continue to pursue professional development through Editors Canada, ACES: The Society for Editing, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and the Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP). Read more about my background.
Do you have a portfolio or testimonials?
Do you offer sample edits?
I do! Sample edits are free. I’ll need to see your full manuscript as a Microsoft Word document. (For picture books, I can work with Google Docs if required.)
What is your turnaround time? What are your fees?
I will provide a personalized quote and a proposed deadline after reviewing your manuscript.