Finding A Good Editor - What To Look For, What To Avoid

Today's pair of questions come from Josh Hoyt:

How can you tell if you get a good editor?

What are some things to look for when looking for an editor?

It's a good one.

To answer this, first we have to talk about the word "good", because we're going to use it in two different contexts here.

A "good" editor is a talented person with knowledge of mechanics, structure, story building and who is helpful to the author in applying and sharing that knowledge. It's also someone who doesn't make you feel stupid for not being "perfect" or making mistakes.

A "good" editor is also someone you get along with, can have multiple conversations with, and who ultimately brings the best work out of you. It's also someone available for communication in a timely fashion.

There are editors who are nice people, but who don't meet many of the conditions in the above two paragraphs. Some people are really good at their craft but move slower than tree sloths to get back to a writer, or who can comfortably explain what their notes mean about as easily as my dog can explain quantum physics to me.

There are editors who are awful at their craft, who are destructive in their criticism, who condescend and patronize, and because they subscribe to some idea of competition (in short, writing is supposed to be survival of the fittest, and it's up to them to figure out who's fit), they make writing either mysterious or harder than it should be.

There are other editors who are good at what they do, who answer emails promptly, who you can talk to easily and without discomfort, but you never find them because neither of you are looking for each other, or you just travel in different circles.

Not mentioned here is the expense of an editor, because editing is not an inexpensive thing. Yes, if you go traditional publishing, that cost is something you don't really see or experience, but if you're going self-publishing, plan accordingly. When you find an editor, ask their rates. Figuring out your budget in advance is a huge boon here. Let's put the numbers to one side though, because like so many other purchases, you should make them based on more than just cost.

So, a good editor has some combination or all of the following traits (note: I'm not prioritizing these, just listing them):

+ answers your questions, big and small, promptly and with a level of detail that doesn't leave you scratching your head
+ applies in-line edits and comments that actually improve the content on the page, rather than just tell you what they'd do if they were writing
+ is able to explain to you why a thing does or doesn't work and when things don't work, help you stop making the same mistake over and over again
+ knows the rules of grammar and structure and follows them, and when necessary, knows which ones to bend or break
+ makes use of fair contracts and rates without manipulating the client, especially careful not to take advantage of inexperience or nerves
+ is someone who challenges you to work harder and better, without bullying you
+ is someone who doesn't talk down you, as though you're an idiot, a child or completely terrible at writing
+ supports and promotes clients' efforts on social media
+ is someone who can occasionally cheerlead and encourage you, picking you up out of whatever self-doubt hole you've dropped into

So there's a list floating out on the internet of questions you should ask an editor, like if they know what different style terms are, or how they feel about the Oxford comma, or what style guide they use.

And that's great, but understand that if your first interaction with an editor is a blitz of a dozen technical questions, you're going to put people on the defensive, making them have to qualify themselves to be good enough to work with you - and no one likes jumping through hoops.

There's a practice of offering a page or two of sample work "to see if you like their style". This is an occasional trap. Sure, it lets you know whether or not you can work with a person, but sometimes writers use this as a way to score free editing - which is unfair. You can figure out if you want to work with the person through a few email exchanges or a phone call.

Editing is a two-way street. Yes, the writer employs the editor to some technical degree, and pays the editor according to whatever terms are in the contract, but if either party finds the relationship untenable, either party can fire the other, take a kill fee where appropriate and walk away. It's about equality: the editor and writer are partners with the goal of making the manuscript the best it can be. You're in this together, and as an author, I get it, you're risking an investment and trusting this person you just met with this project you've been working on for however long, but you do need to TRUST the editor and let them do their job.

Now let's talk about some red flags, again, not in priority, just a list.

An editor you don't want to deal with:
- bullies you, makes you feel worse about your writing than before you started
- discourages you from continuing
- changes the terms of a contract without notifying you, and offers no explanation why
- doesn't use a contract
- doesn't answer emails or phone calls in a prompt fashion
- makes unreasonable demands of your writing schedule and discipline, bending you to their schedule or expectations
- makes you feel like you don't matter to them, no matter whether you're their first or fiftieth client
- does not explain the root causes behind the mistakes and issues within the manuscript (this is called "8th grade English teacher syndrome")
- provokes, rather than allays, your fears
- doesn't deliver edits or notes according to the schedule within the contract
- trashes clients on social media

Absent here is mention of "catches every mistake the first time, every time" because that's why editors make multiple passes - which is negotiable within the contract - so just because a mistake in Chapter 3 gets through in the first pass, don't expect in that second pass it'll still be there. NOTE: This is not code for "intentionally make mistakes to see if the editor catches them, so if they don't, you can point a finger and complain about their quality"

So how do you find an editor? Look on social media. Google "list of freelance editors". Ask people on social media. Find an editor's blog (like where you're reading this!) and contact them. Expect to have a conversation with them before either of you commit to anything. Don't rush. However, don't dawdle, as an editor's schedule fills quickly, and if you want space on it, make sure you follow through on your emails and promises.

For me, I have a few hard and fast rules:

1. Be as honest as possible. Be transparent as possible as often as possible. - Sugar coating and obfuscation do no one any favors.
2. Support the writer, be encouraging, handle the fears and anxieties - I'm here to help you make the best thing you can. It's okay to be scared. It's okay to be new at this. Let's work together.
3. Answer emails promptly, and with detail - No one likes not-knowing.


Josh, I hope this answers your question. Enjoy writing.

If you have a question, feel free to email me, and I'll do my best to answer it.

Post #121 - How You The Writer Can Help The Process of Editing

I talk a lot about how editing is a conversation between writer and editor designed to make the product (be it a book, a game, a script, a whatever) the best it can be. What that conversation looks like is this:

1. You send me the document (aka the manuscript, the MS, the thing, your draft)
2. I open it in Word and via applications of comments and Track Changes, begin to mine the good content from the bad.
2b. This includes deleting extraneous elements
2c. This includes adding, changing or reconfiguring existing material into a new position.
2d. This also includes leaving questions in comments that need to be addressed.

Here for example are two such questions: (the first from one edit, the second from a novel edit)

a) "Are you saying that you have three events occurring simultaneously, an X, a Y and a Z? Which one does the mechanic apply to?"
b) This sentence is unclear. Either chop off the beginning or make the ending refer back to the person in question. 

Throughout the revision/editorial process there's a back-and-forth established. I say something, you respond; you say something I respond. Ideally this back-and-forth treats us both like adults and colleagues working together, and it should never devolve into name calling, passive aggressive pissing contests or outright arguments.

Why? Because edits are suggestions. Yes, they're suggestions with good intentions, experience, and expertise behind them, but they're still suggestions. And we (editors) know that. We hope you take them seriously, since we're giving them for the benefit of your project, but there are going to be times when we disagree.

So what can you do to make the process of editing less about our disagreements and more about getting things done and accomplished? Here are a few tips:

i. It's not about you! When I edit something, even something one of my friends wrote, if I edit it, nothing in their personal life comes into play. Not who they're married to, what they're doing Tuesday for dinner, not what they said to me on Twitter this morning...it's all about the work. And if I call them out for making an error (or making the same error repeatedly) I trust them to see and realize that it's not a condemnation of who and what they are, just a bad writing habit I'm trying to excise. An edit in your manuscript is not somehow a mark or slight against you, it's an edit...in your manuscript.

ii. Be ready to listen to a new point of view. When you hand over your MS for editing, be prepared for me to come at it with new eyes. I wasn't in the room when you wrote it, I likely didn't have any input on its genesis or growth. It's also possible that outside of this particular project, you and I have never spoken, so I may not fully grasp the nuances of your humor or dig your taste in metaphors. I'm going to go through your work as a totally new reader and editor, so that may mean I don't get your joke, or understand your explanation the first, second or fifth times. If you're not ready to have someone potentially mark up, flag and question your work, understand that you may need to talk to the editor before you submit to the process.

iii. Editing is NOT reading!The editing process is so much more than spellcheck-ing a document, reading it, and pronouncing it "nice" or "good". It's also not pleasure reading. In fact, I'm not really "reading" your work at it. The process is finer than that. I'm looking for errors, I'm searching for clarity in concept and execution, I'm often looking at the relationship from word to word -- that's of a higher scope and detail than just reading the MS to see if I like it.

iv. Don't lose your temper! Sometimes, it can feel like you're under siege while getting edited. Your hard work, your words, your creation is under a sharp knife wielded by someone who "doesn't get it". It can be frustrating to get back ten, twenty or thirty pages of marked up draft and feel overwhelmed and indignant that someone found so much fault with what you've done. Remember though, it's not personal (i) and what we're having is a conversation, not a lecture. If you're able to rein in your frustrations and express your side of the discussion civilly then the writer-editor relationship will prosper. If you're frustrated, confused, annoyed, bothered....speak up. It might be momentarily uncomfortable, but in the end it will be worth it. Just do so civilly.

I think four items is a good start. If any of my editor friends want to jump in: What can writers do to make the process easier? Leave a comment or two.

Happy writing. We'll talk soon.