If you are looking for an ideal editor for your fiction book, you may have already written the first draft or may be nearing this achievement. At this point, you may be thinking about hiring an editor to help you improve your manuscript.
Every aspiring author understands the importance of an editor in improving their manuscript. However, the reason for you to feel overwhelmed while making this decision may be seeing so many options. Several editors may claim to be the best in the field but making the final decision relies on you.
If you are not sure what qualities to seek in an editor, here are some of them to remember.
- Inquire About Their Experience
One of the most important things you must seek in a fiction editor for hire is their extensive and relevant experience. The years of experience under an editor’s belt can tell you a lot about their reliability and expertise. It shows that they have encountered a vast range of styles, genres, and techniques.
When it comes to editing your fiction work, you can trust them to keep up with the industrial trends and practices. Based on their knowledge and experience, they can provide feedback and guidance for your work to bring out the best in it.
- Inquire About Their Knowledge of the Genre
Just because an editor has years of experience does not mean that they are the best match to edit your work. There is a possibility that they may have dedicated their career to editing non-fiction work and may not know anything about the fiction genre.
Instead of relying on any editor with the most experience, it is crucial for you to inquire about their experience and knowledge, specifically regarding the genre. After all, every genre has its own conventions and expectations. Only the ones who know about it can help you improve your fictional work.
With the right knowledge and hands-on experience about the genre, the right editor can help you ensure that your work stands out in the genre and appeals to the target audience.
- Access their Attention to Detail
Anyone who does not have a meticulous nature cannot be an effective editor. Being meticulous means that they must pay attention to every detail of your work. If they are unable to pay attention to detail, they may not be able to help you get rid of the most avoidable mistakes.
Avoidable mistakes such as grammatical errors, design inconsistencies, and plot holes can undermine the potential of your book and may compromise your authority as an emerging author. You cannot let such mistakes distract the reader from the bigger picture.
An editor who is attentive to detail can figure out every big and small issue and help you cater to it effectively. This way, they can help you boost the potential of your book in several ways.
- Know Their Communication Skills
Good communication skills matter a lot for someone to be a good editor. You may think that an editor is someone who always has their head buried in a manuscript. However, an editor is a lot more than someone who catches and fixes grammatical mistakes in your work.
Good communication skills are necessary for you to have a smooth relationship with your editor. They must be able to provide clear feedback and constructive criticism to ensure your growth as an author, not just for the current project.
Any editor who is not able to communicate clearly with their clients may only be able to improve the work at hand and may not have any positive effect on their career as an author.
- Gauge Their Creativity
An editor is not someone good enough to point out your mistakes. They are creative professionals who have the potential to be out the best in your work. You must always seek a professional who has a spark of creativity.
Their creativity can help you improve your work with fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. You and your editor can brainstorm together to explore fresh narratives, introduce new plot twists, improve the character arcs, and so much more.
Two creative heads working on one project are always better than one. You and your work can benefit a lot from a creative editor’s fresh perspective and feedback.
- Prioritize Empathy
Empathy is a distinguishing factor that makes a good editor stand out. An empathetic editor will see your work as more than an opportunity to earn money and good rankings on their professional profile. Instead, they approach it with empathy.
Good editors understand that your work is an emotional investment and you have given it your time and energy. Having this understanding, they always approach the work of their clients with empathy and sensitivity and prioritize their best interests.
You can gauge the empathy of the editor you are about to hire in the initial meeting. In addition, make sure to also spend some time reading the editor’s testimonials to learn more about how their clients felt working with them.
- Read their Reviews
One of the most important things you can do to secure the best editor for your work is to read their reviews and testimonials. The editor may be sugar-coating their professionalism or editing skills, but you will not have to worry about any secrets while reading the reviews.
References and testimonials from past clients can provide valuable insights into an editor’s reputation and the quality of their work. If you see frequent bad reviews, it is not only the editor’s bad luck. There is some reality behind it, and you must be ready to seek alternatives in such cases.
It is the best way to ensure that you are entrusting your manuscript to a skilled and reliable professional who will be true to their word and bring out the best in your work. Their efforts will not only help you improve your current project but also help you learn a lot as an author.
