How to Choose the Right Editor for Your Nonfiction Book

Choosing the right editor is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as an author. A skilled editor not only enhances your manuscript but also respects your voice and vision. With so many options available, how do you find the right fit for your nonfiction book? Follow this guide to make an informed choice.

Understand Your Editing Needs

Before you start looking for an editor, it’s crucial to identify what kind of editing your manuscript requires. Nonfiction books often need all of the following:

• Developmental Editing: Focuses on big-picture elements like structure, organization, and content.

• Copy Editing: Improves grammar, style, consistency, and readability.

• Proofreading: Catches typos, punctuation errors, and formatting issues.

Understanding your needs will help you narrow down your search and find an editor with the right expertise.

Look for Relevant Experience

Nonfiction covers a wide range of genres, from memoirs and self-help to academic works and cookbooks. Choose an editor with experience in your specific genre. For example, if you’re writing a memoir, look for someone who understands narrative pacing and personal storytelling. If it’s an academic text, find an editor familiar with citations and scholarly tone.

Check Qualifications and References

A professional editor should have relevant qualifications, such as a degree in English, communications, journalism, or a related field, and experience working with published authors. Don’t hesitate to ask for references or testimonials from previous clients. Reading reviews or reaching out to authors they’ve worked with can give you valuable insights.

Review Samples of Their Work

Many editors offer sample edits or portfolios. Reviewing these can help you gauge their editing style, attention to detail, and familiarity with your genre. A sample edit also gives you a chance to see how well they understand and enhance your writing without altering your unique voice.

Consider Compatibility

Your relationship with your editor is a collaboration, so it’s essential to find someone you feel comfortable working with. Schedule a consultation to discuss your project, goals, and expectations. Pay attention to their communication style and willingness to listen to your concerns.

Evaluate Pricing and Turnaround Times

Editing rates can vary widely depending on the editor’s experience, the level of editing required, and the length of your manuscript. While budget is important, remember that quality editing is an investment in your book’s success. Clarify turnaround times and ensure they align with your publishing schedule.

Finding the right editor for your nonfiction book takes time and research, but it’s a decision that can significantly impact your book’s success. By understanding your needs, evaluating qualifications, and considering compatibility, you can choose an editor who will bring out the best in your writing.

Ready to start your search? Contact me today to learn how my editing services can help your nonfiction manuscript shine!

Tips for Authors on Self-Editing

To cut to the chase a bit, yes, you still need professional editing if you edit your manuscript yourself (and you should!). However, you can keep editing costs down by doing some important work before you hand over your book to an editor. But self-editing can be a challenge, especially if you’ve been staring at your manuscript for months on end. Here are some tips to help you effectively self-edit:

1. Take a break

   After you finish your first draft, take a break before you start editing. This will give you a fresh perspective and help you approach your work with a more critical eye. You can take a few days, a week, or even longer, depending on the length of your work, your schedule, and how much of a break your brain needs. When you return to your writing, you'll be able to see it with a new perspective and identify areas that need improvement.

2. Read aloud

   Reading your work aloud is a great way to spot errors and identify areas that need work. When you read aloud, you'll be able to hear the rhythm and flow of your writing and identify awkward phrases or sentences that need reworking. You can also use text-to-speech software to have your work read aloud to you, which can be helpful for identifying errors that you might miss when reading silently. Conveniently, Word has a read aloud feature under the Review tab.

3. Focus on one thing at a time

   When you're editing, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the number of things that need to be fixed. To make the process more manageable, focus on one thing at a time. For example, you might focus on eliminating passive voice, improving sentence structure, or correcting grammar errors at different times. By breaking down the editing process into smaller, more manageable tasks, you'll be able to make more progress and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

4. Use online tools

   There are many online tools that can help you self-edit your work. Grammarly, Hemingway, and ProWritingAid are just a few examples of tools that can help you identify errors and improve your writing. These tools can be especially helpful for new writers who may not be familiar with the rules of grammar and punctuation. But please note these are not substitutions for a professional, human editor. There are elements and nuances that only a human being can pick up on and correct.

5. Seek feedback

   Finally, seek feedback from others. This could be from friends, family members, or other writers. Ask them to read your work and provide feedback on areas that need improvement. You can also join writing groups or online communities where you can share your work and receive feedback from other writers. You could also hire a beta reader—they usually don’t cost too much. Feedback can be tough to hear sometimes, but it's an essential part of the writing process and can help you become better at your craft.

Self-editing is an important step in the writing process. By taking a break, reading aloud, focusing on one thing at a time, using online tools, and seeking feedback, you can improve your writing and make the editing process less daunting. Remember to be patient with yourself. Editing is hard work!

Do you have a self-editing tip that has proven to be beneficial? Reach out and share it with me!

What Type of Editing Do I Need?

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the editing phase. That’s huge! But now you’re not sure what’s next or what type of editing is needed. Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered!

If you’ve never had an editor look at your work, you probably need developmental editing. This is a big-picture, birds-eye-view look at your manuscript. This type of editor will evaluate if things are in a logical order, if the current structure and flow are working, if scenes can be improved upon, and if there are any plot holes, among other things. Be prepared to do some rewriting at this stage. This is the first time someone is reading your book like your audience will, and their feedback will be invaluable.

Line editing is next and focuses on the way language is used and whether it’s working well or not. A line editor will point out words that are overused, redundancies in the text, paragraphs that can be tightened up, places where the pacing isn’t quite right, and passages or phrases that might be confusing to the reader. Line editing isn’t always needed. But if your developmental editor suggests that your manuscript could benefit from it, they’re probably right.

Copy editing is a more technical look at your writing and looks for things like inconsistent details (Sally had a red car in chapter one, but it’s blue in chapter five with no mention of her getting a new one); inconsistencies in spelling, numerals, hyphenations, numbering, etc.; and spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. A copy editor will also fact-check to make sure there are no factually incorrect statements. Copy editing is always needed after a developmental edit and/or a line edit.

Proofreading is the final editing phase before your project is ready to be published. The proofreader is the last set of eyes that will check for any errors in spelling, grammar, or punctuation, that were missed by the copy editor. They will also check for things like inconsistent numbering or formatting. Proofreading is always needed after a copy edit.

I offer the final two stages of editing—copy editing and proofreading. While I offer both, I shouldn’t do them both for the same manuscript. Why? It’s the same reason as why you need editors. Once we work on something for a while, we are too close to it to see all the errors and inconsistencies. So if I copy edit your manuscript, I’m not a good candidate to proofread it unless some time has passed. However, if you’d like, I’ll be happy to find you someone who is.

Remember that all of these people are on your side and want your manuscript to be the best it can be. Yes, the editing process can be long and frustrating, but it’s absolutely necessary to ensure your audience has a smooth reading experience. The irony of all of this is that when readers read a well-edited book, the thought of editors never even comes to mind! It’s when they read a book that hasn’t been edited well, or at all, that the need for editors crosses their minds. You don’t want that to happen with your book!

Why Do I Need an Editor?

You’re a good writer. You have a comprehensive understanding of English grammar and punctuation. You’ve already edited your work several times. So why do you need an editor?

The simple answer is that you are too close to your work at this point to view it from an objective standpoint. You need fresh eyes on your document to spot things you have missed, even though you’ve really, really tried not to miss anything. The trained eye of an editor reading something that is new to them is a great combination to help fine-tune your work. You’ve done a lot of hard work! It’s now time to turn it over to someone who can’t wait to read it and make suggestions on how to make it even better for your readers.

You want nothing but a smooth and positive reading experience for your audience. And that’s what editors want too! Editors aren’t grammar police out to judge you. We genuinely care about your work and want it to be the best possible version of itself. We’re on your side! And who couldn’t use more people on their team?