How To Find A Book Editor For Your Book

You’ve worked tirelessly and thought through plots, characters, and dialogue. You’ve outlined chapters and sacrificed so many hours, and finally, you’ve written a book! After all that effort, you need to know how to find a book editor for your book to make it into a masterpiece.

Find out where to find the best editors, plus answers to questions like, “how much does a book editor cost?” These tips will guide you as you look for the perfect editor to bring your book to life!

How to find a book editor

Why should you use a book editor?

It’s definitely worth it to have a professional editor go through your book. There are tons of positives to this!

Here are the main reasons finding an editor for your book is a good idea.

You’ll get a different perspective

You’ve worked diligently to create this book, which means it’s important to gain outside, unbiased perspectives.

Someone else can ask questions about the story that the readers might ask and you haven't thought of. An editor will help you by reading your work with fresh eyes and letting you see what someone might see when reading your story.

They can help with basic grammar and spelling

When you find an editor, they can help you with any spelling and grammar mistakes in your writing. When you write something quickly or read it over and over again, it can be easy to miss some of these mistakes.

But an editor who’s trained for this and is reading your book for the first time will catch these errors.

It will make your work more professional

When you go through the process of how to find an editor for your book and eventually pick the perfect person, you can be sure they’ll make your manuscript stand out.

Aside from grammatical corrections, they can help with the overall formatting of your book. For instance, layout, margins, font size, etc.

The amazing story you’ve written will be polished and professional and come out looking fantastic at the end of the process.

An editor can ensure that the story flows and makes sense

When you write a story, you may forget certain parts because you already have the information in your head. It’s easy to forget that the reader may not know everything about the characters and plot that you do.

When you find an editor, they can make sure your story has good transitions and that it makes sense. They will question anything that’s left out and you can add more explanations.

The editor may know agents and publishers who can also help you with your book

When you are learning how to find a book editor for your book, you may find someone who’s well connected. Your editor may be able to introduce you to book agents and publishers that you didn’t have any connections to previously. They can help you get your book out into the world.

How to find an editor for your book

Wondering how to find a book editor? There are many places that you can check out to find someone great. Start with these ideas.

Check editor organizations

There are a lot of editor organizations out there that have teams of editors ready to help you with your book. Here are a few options. These next suggestions work especially well if you are self-publishing.

Kirkus Editorial

Kirkus Editorial offers professional editors who have worked with well-known publishers. The company has been in business for nearly a century, and they offer a few different editing options, from basic to detailed.

Ebook Launch

Ebook Launch has several services, including line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. The editors will edit a short portion of your work before you make a decision.

Find a freelance editor

If you would rather work with an editor one-on-one instead of via an organization, you might want to find a freelance editor. Here are some sites for that if you’re wondering, “how do I find an editor for my book?”

Reedsy

Reedsy can connect you with a freelance editor using their platform. Everything from developmental editing to copy editing is available, and you can choose who you work with.

LinkedIn

You can check out LinkedIn for freelance editors. People post their professions on this site and showcase their work experience, so it’s a good starting place if you want to know how to find an editor for your book.

Upwork

Upwork may be a good idea if you take the time to carefully select the right editor who has lots of experience. Since anyone can set up a profile on Upwork, it’s important to check that the editor is legitimate and has the knowledge to back up their claims.

Although freelance editors can be found here, be sure to do your research and check their reviews first.

Work with a publishing house

Here’s another thing you can do if you are asking, “how do I find an editor for my book?”  This can work if you are going the traditional publishing route. Many publishing houses have in-house editors that can help you with your manuscript.

This will generally involve getting a literary agent, and then your agent finds a publishing house to accept your book. The process takes some effort but is worth it if you want to publish with a very professional publishing house.

Tap into your network

You may not have thought to ask if anyone you know can help you with your book. If any of your acquaintances or friends have connections in the literary world, ask them if they know of any editors who might read your manuscript.

If you know any other authors, ask them who their editor is or who they’d recommend. You never know what connections you might have unless you ask!

How much does a book editor cost?

The big question - now that you know how to find a book editor, you need to know how much does a book editor cost? However, there isn’t just one answer.

Pricing for editors can vary a lot, depending on the type of editing that they’re doing for your book. But let’s go over some average amounts.

Editing costs with a traditional publisher

If you’re collaborating with a traditional publisher, then editing services are likely included. You won’t need to pay the editor because you’ll have a contract with the publisher.

Editing costs if you self-publish

If you’re self-publishing, then you’re probably working with a freelance editor. In that case, there isn’t a set rate. Because pricing can vary by the type of editing, and your editor may be paid by the hour or per word, there are many variables.

According to the Editorial Freelancers Association, editors can cost anywhere between $31-$70 per hour and anywhere between $0.02 to $0.89 cents per word.

So depending on the sort of work you want to be done for your book, how long the manuscript is, and even the type of book you wrote, you can expect to pay somewhere in this range for a freelance editor.

If you’re publishing your book on your own and planning to work with a freelance editor, it’s important to be aware of rates in advance, and also to set aside money for it. While paying for your book yourself can be an expense, it’s doable if you plan for it.

Tips when hiring a book editor

Finding an editor for your book is a process, and there are some things you should be mindful of when looking for the right person. Here’s what you should remember.

Take a look at their previous work

Checking out the editor’s previous work is a great place to start. You can get an idea of how they edit and if you think you would like to work with them. Nothing beats looking at a sample of their work to see how professional and good the editor is at their job.

Know what you’re looking for

Next, you need to start this process with some idea of what type of editing you are looking for.

For example, do you need developmental editing to help you mold your story into what you want it to be? Are you looking for more detailed edits like line editing or fact-checking? Or maybe a combination of a few things?

Whatever you decide, know what sort of editor you need and approximately how much work needs to happen to make your book a success. The editor can help you with the details, but you should have a rough idea of what you’re looking for.

Ask questions

Last, don’t be afraid to ask questions! A good editor will understand that you want to be sure you’re working with the best person and they’ll be happy to help you with your inquiries.

You should ask about experience, pay rate, and authors they’ve worked with in the past.

Related articles on writing a book

Want to learn more about the publishing process? Check out these related articles

Leverage this advice on how to find a book editor!

Getting your book ready for publishing is an exciting time! When you need to know how to find a book editor, remember these suggestions. Be sure to ask around, check editor organizations, or consider a freelancer or editor who works with a publishing house to help you with your manuscript.

Most importantly, remember that writing a book is a huge process that takes time. Finding a great editor is an important part of this that you shouldn’t overlook.

And if you're still in the beginning stages of writing, see our guide on how to become an author!

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