Professional Editors

This is the last installment of a three part series on where to get editing help.

Professional editors are people who, umm . . . edit as their profession. These guys and gals are the experts. They can help take your novel to the next level. Professional editors know the business. They understand the market. With their help, your novel can become ready to be queried or to be self-published.

The downside: Finding the right professional editor can be difficult. There are a lot of professional editors out there, but you want one that will work best with you and your project. They should be familiar with your genre and be someone you are comfortable receiving feedback from. (For the upside of the downside, most editors allow you to send a piece of your story to see if they make a good fit and they have connections to others who might be able to help you). Another difficulty with professional editors, is since this is their job, they take money. The results are worth it, but having a critiqued book doesn’t necessarily put kibble in the kitty dish.

Tips for getting editing help from professional editors:

1.      Plan ahead. A really awesome editor will probably have a waiting list for their services. Don’t expect to send them an e-mail and see your manuscript edited within the next week. Sometimes, their waiting list can be as long as 6-8 months.

2.      Make sure your book is as ready as it can be. I’d advise using the other editing methods first so that your book is as polished as you can get it before seeking their help. Getting feedback on stuff that could have been caught and fixed by your critique group will do you no good whatsoever.