Is anyone aware of an editor or company that takes installments instead of all $ up front?

Gunzen

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Unlike with my first novel, I do not have the money to pay an editor in cash this time. I have had an unforeseen health issue, and was looking for someone to edit my book 85k, and let me make payments?

I prefer not to put it in a card, and was wondering if this is even done? I don’t mean 50 bucks a month or anything, just a few hundred a month or more?

Thanks.
 

Old Hack

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If you choose an editor based on their willingness to take a payment plan, you're not likely to get the best editor for your book--or even your genre.

I know this isn't the help you asked for, but still. Better to save your money until you can afford an editor, and get the best one for the job, I think.
 

Fallen

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Are you self-publishing? If you are, I'd certainly think the best option is to get good beta readers at this stage, and maybe save up for an editor as they beta for you.

What access do you have to beta readers?
 

Earthling

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What kind of editing are you looking for? Developmental, proofreading, or something else?
 

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Don't know about the US but in the UK the best source of finance is invariably a bank loan.

I don't understand why people buy cars and even furniture on finance and take the offer that's made in the shop rather than pricing up the item with a bank loan and an offer based on a cash price.

People also get hooked (or hoodwinked?) by "zero percent" deals when the interest is simply built into the purchase price.

Personally I would agree with @Old Hack though - if it isn't essential, wait until you can afford it. The words won't atrophy. In fact give it another polish whilst you're saving and your editing bills will be even lower!



ETA - agree with @Fallen too, make good strategic use of friends and betas
 
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CatherineDunn

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I'm an editor in the UK and yes, it is done. It depends, of course, on the relationship between the editor and the client. I have done it myself and I know of colleagues in the industry who have also done it. It is more common where you have a regular or semi-regular client who has fallen on hard times or just wants to make life a little easier in some respect. If they have paid on time before, the editor may trust them to pay all their instalments. I have made this arrangement with a 'friend of a friend' - I had only met her once, briefly, but knew our mutual friend (who was also her housemate) quite well and was confident that she would be trustworthy. She paid over four months.

If an editor is prepared to accept payment in instalments it doesn't necessarily mean that you're getting a worse job - it's more about the rapport you have with them and whether they feel they can trust you. For instance, I would probably trust you ;-) because I have seen your post here asking for advice! If I received a 'cold email' saying 'I want my book editing but I can't afford to pay yet' I might think you were a chancer.

If there was an agreement where the full edited book wasn't delivered back to you until payment of the final instalment, that could also be helpful as if you were prepared to accept such an arrangement it would help to prove that you were genuine and protect the editor from the chance of you just scarpering with the work done and never paying. It would also give them longer to work on it, so you might even get a better job in the end!
 

WeaselFire

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Put your installments in a bank account and, when the editing is paid for, contact the editor of your choice.

Jeff
 

CameronJohnston

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Most editors will require payment up front for a very good reason - if you are a random first-time client.
The problem with taking payment plans are that a lot of writers don't like getting criticism back, and can't take the harsh reality of what the editors come back to them with the message that they still need to do a lot of work. Then they throw a strop and refuse to pay what they owe. Sure, maybe in some cases the editor was not great at their job, but I've also heard this same story from really good editors too - they have done all that work on a novel, written thousands of words of reports etc and then get totally stiffed by the writer.
 

cool pop

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Just had to say, I would never, ever make a professional payment in cash. No way. You need to have a paper trail or at least an electric one from a place such as Paypal in case something happens. There are a lot of crooks out here and it's not always easy to tell the bad from the legitimate. Always pay in a way where you got something in writing or some kind of receipt because the person can turn around and say you never paid them or worse, run off with your money. I would be very leery of someone offering professional services and taking cash. Also, Paypal will help with any issues as long as you do a business transaction.

Can't you open a Paypal account? That's safer and incredibly convenient.
 
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