Before approaching an agent, consider a Manuscript Critique

A full developmental edit for a book of 140,000 words can be upwards of £2,500.

Eyewatering, right?

For that reason, I dismissed the idea of employing a freelance editor to review my manuscript. For months, I was stuck in limbo. I wanted an editor’s input, but baulked at the huge outlay for a full structural edit.

However, when I re-visited the websites of several freelance editors, I discovered that there is a halfway-house: the Manuscript Critique or Assessment. At around £1,000 it is still not cheap, but worth considering if you feel your text could benefit from a professional review.

This is the chicken-and-egg situation for writers. Do you submit a book that you know could do with further work in the hope that an agent/publisher will accept it? Or, do you give yourself a better chance of success by investing some money up front?

If you have funds available, it is worth considering. If you go for this option, it also means that, if you self-publish, you will have a better product to take to market and, consequently, a chance of better reviews resulting in more book sales.

Find the right editor for you

Careful research is essential before you commit. Editors, like agents, should be a match for your genre e.g. historical fiction, mystery, horror etc. Make sure you enter this criterion in your searches.

Get started with lists of editors from sources such as the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proof Reading (CIEP), the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) or Reedsy.

I started with CIEP whose website states that its listed editors “have demonstrated that they meet the CIEP’s membership criteria via evidence of their experience and training”. In addition, a blue highlight indicates that an editor is one of CIEP’s Advanced Professional Members having achieved the organisation’s “highest grade of membership”.

I found that several of these editors were also Partner Members of ALLi. So, it is worth cross-checking your sources.

I tend to dismiss editors who do not have their own website as I feel that this is not a sufficiently professional approach to business, especially when clients are expected to invest a considerable chunk of their money. A website is a digital shop-front and its absence limits the client’s ability to browse a potential supplier’s skills and suitability.

In particular, an editor’s website should offer a full, professional biography citing relevant qualifications, who that editor has worked for (e.g. the Big Five publishers, small publishing houses, and/or indie authors) and the genres in which they specialise.

Client reviews should also appear on an editor’s website. Exercise caution here. Do the author/publisher clients provide their full name and the title of the books that they have worked on with this editor? Have those books been published? Were they successful? How do readers rate them? (Check out reviews on Goodreads or Amazon).

Experienced editors will offer clear pricing for different services as well as an explanation of what that service comprises (e.g. manuscript assessment, developmental editing, copy editing, line editing etc.). Some also have their own blogs which are worth exploring as they can provide authors with a wealth of useful information.

As a preliminary, editors should offer to have an online or email chat with you.  This should give them – and you – a clearer idea of whether they will be a good match for your writing. Have a set of questions prepared in advance. Does that editor answer them in full?

The Checklist

To summarise, here are some of the things to look for when searching for an editor:

Does that editor:

1             Specialise in your genre?

2             Have relevant qualifications/interests to match your requirements?

3             Offer manuscript critique/assessment?

4             Offer to adjust the price of developmental editing following a manuscript critique/assessment?

5             Have a website with clear pricing structure?

6             Offer an initial conversation online or by email?

7             Offer to read/edit a sample of your book prior to contract (e.g. the first 1,000 words)?

8             List publishers/authors for whom they have worked?

9             Have a number of years’ experience?

10           Have good reviews from clients?

11           Demonstrate that they have worked on successful books?

12           Have a blog which offers helpful information?

And don’t forget …

Do your research before you commit to an editor. This takes time so don’t rush it.

Stay within budget. If you can’t afford it, don’t proceed. Try to find good Beta readers, instead.

Be clear about payment/contract terms before entering an agreement. If you are unsure about anything, ask for written clarification from the editor and/or get advice. (E.g. ALLi lists contract vetting among its member services).

Where do I start?

Today, there is such a huge array of providers offering editing and other services that it can be quite overwhelming.

So, here are some links to get you started:

ALLi is a membership organisation which aims to help indie authors with various aspects of book production, including editing services. Service providers who join ALLi are required to fulfil certain criteria before being accepted as Partner Members. Home – The Alliance Independent Authors

Reedsy also provides a wealth of information for writers seeking services. Find out more at: https://reedsy.com/

The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) provides a free directory of editors: Find an editor or proofreader

The CIEP has also produced a useful table indicating minimum rates for various forms of editing: Suggested minimum rates

For a more general overview of where to start once you have finished your manuscript, here’s a link to last week’s blog https://tinyurl.com/32mnpa69