Are There Editors for Hire? (not here, but reputable companies)

Alpha Echo

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I have two self-pubbed books. I used to self-promote, but that got to be too much with my full-time job and family...but that's beside the point.

For each of those books, after I edited them myself several times, I had a friend do it for free. (Or for a dinner on me).

I can't keep asking the same friends, and I don't have many I would trust to be thorough and unbiased. In short, I've run out of people I can ask.

I'm willing to pay, though. Do any of you know of a reputable company I could pay to edit a novel a plan to self-publish?
 

Torgo

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Have you tried trade associations? The Society for Editors and Proofreaders over here has a directory of freelancers.
 

Kylabelle

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You might want to check out this FAQ by our ever FAQful Medievalist.

:D

*disclaimer* Please do note, however, that the providers listed are NOT recommended by AW, but rather the list is curated by AW. In other words, it's very important to do your own research and fact checking and background checking, and AW can't take responsibility for outcomes if you choose a provider from this list.

Good luck!
 

Alpha Echo

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I just PMed you, BrightSera.

And thank you Kylabelle! I will definitely do my research. I just didn't even know where to start.
 

Old Hack

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I'll move this from Self Publishing to Ask The Editor.
 

Jay365

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For each of those books, after I edited them myself several times, I had a friend do it for free. (Or for a dinner on me).

And this method is as good as any other, for those first early drafts.

Only after that should you engage an editor.

Although I'm new, I've read about the beta readers who are willing to help on here, so going down that route might replace your long-suffering friends!:D
 

LindsayM

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There are a number of editors (like myself) who frequent these pages. E-mail me to tell me a little about your book and I'll suggest a few.
 

Old Hack

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Here's Writer Beware on editorial services:

Third, scams aren't all you need to watch out for. Competence--or rather, the lack of it--is an equally hazardous pitfall. The Internet is rife with editors who've set up shop without much--or sometimes anything--in the way of relevant credentials.

These folks are often entirely well-intentioned, sincerely believing that a lifetime of reading, or a teaching career, or some technical writing experience, is enough to qualify them to edit manuscripts. But it's much more likely that they don't possess the specialized skills that are essential for a useful critique or a professional-quality line or content edit.

And here's a post which names several editors who earned their stripes in trade publishing.

Make sure you use editors who have proved themselves by working on successful books. A few training courses and an English degree does not qualify anyone to be an editor.
 

Namatu

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I'd also suggest asking any editor you're considering to do a few chapters first so you can see the results and evaluate if you want to go further with them. The editor should be paid for this, but it will also save you if the results aren't what you're looking for.
 

Old Hack

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That works for copy editing, Namatu, but it's not so successful for editing, where the big picture is the main focus. It's not always possible to show your vision for a book's development when you're only working with a few pages; and it's possible that those few pages might end up being cut.

If I were hiring an editor I'd want someone who had worked on successful books that I enjoyed; who had several years' experience, preferably spent working at a trade publisher or two, because that's such a good training experience, and it guarantees a certain level of competency.

I would be extremely cautious about employing an editor who had learned through training courses, or one who had only freelanced, or who hadn't worked on-site at a good-sized publisher (that means I'd be wary of people who had always worked from home, and so hadn't fully benefited from the expertise of those they worked with). They can be good: but they can be absolutely awful too, and why trust them with your books when there are people who come with more of a guarantee?
 

Maryn

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I would be extremely cautious about employing an editor who... hadn't worked on-site at a good-sized publisher (that means I'd be wary of people who had always worked from home, and so hadn't fully benefited from the expertise of those they worked with). They can be good: but they can be absolutely awful too, and why trust them with your books when there are people who come with more of a guarantee?
Good point. I had two rounds of edits from home-based editors. One was a genuine pleasure--and suggested substantive changes which greatly improved the story. The other was pretty bad. She didn't understand the twist at the end, inserted errors where it was correct as written, and changed perfectly good words used correctly to synonyms she preferred. I was astounded any publisher would pay her for that level of skills.

Maryn, still tasting the bitter on that one