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[Editing] Kevin Anderson & Associates

JetFueledCar

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Never heard of them. There aren't many red flags, but take it with a grain of salt:

- They say they have tons of well-respected clients, but I haven't heard of anyone on their list.
- They say all writers need professional editors. This might be true, but you don't need to pay for a professional editor if you're going the trade route. You'll be assigned one. In fact, if you're going the trade route, getting a professional edit first can signal that you don't know how to edit yourself and can turn off potential agents. It can also signal that you're not going to want to make changes because you've already paid for a professional edit and thus believe that you're done and ready to go.
- There's no list of prices anywhere on their site. This is a red flag for me because that's the second question I'd ask any editor (the first being what their qualifications are). This suggests to me that they overcharge.
- Their FAQ is empty.

But, hey, if you're self-pubbing, read through their sample edits and see if they give what you'd want.
 

Cassie Knight

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- They say all writers need professional editors. This might be true, but you don't need to pay for a professional editor if you're going the trade route. You'll be assigned one. In fact, if you're going the trade route, getting a professional edit first can signal that you don't know how to edit yourself and can turn off potential agents. It can also signal that you're not going to want to make changes because you've already paid for a professional edit and thus believe that you're done and ready to go.

While I've never heard it said that paying someone to edit for you will turn people off as it shows you don't know how to edit, I agree whole-heartedly with the last sentence. That has been EXACTLY my experience. Authors pay sometimes a lot of money for an "editor" to edit their work and assume that means the publisher will just go with it. My experience is that not once has that happened. In fact, I've had to spend a lot of time re-editing a paid "editors" work which tells me there are a lot of people hanging up their shingles professing to be editors who are not, in fact, editors at all. I'm not saying that about this outfit at all. Do your due diligence and get samples of things they've done and check out reviews of books they've edited and see if there are any comments about the editing. Now granted, everyone has a lot of their own ideas as to what is edited well but generally, you can tell.

Oh and make sure you know what type of edit you want. You may want a content edit and their definition is just looking at typos and the like. Used to be the division between the specific types of edits were clear. Nowadays, you have to ask and make sure. Good luck!
 

Shadowflame

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I know two of the editors in KJA editing services. Both are very dedicated to their craft and do the best job possible.

Saying that, if you are considering them, see if they will do a sample edit first. A chapter would be a good indication of well you would work with a particular editor.
Just my 2¢