Choosing the right book editor comes down to a few things: the quality of the sample edit, the editor’s experience, what the service includes, how well they communicate, and whether their approach suits your book.
So, how do you compare book editors without relying on gut feeling alone?
This guide walks you through the 11 things worth checking before you hire an editor, so you can make a more informed decision and avoid paying for an edit that isn’t right for your manuscript.
Why a standardized approach matters
The journey to publication is fraught with critical decisions, and selecting a book editor is arguably one of the most impactful. Without a clear methodology, the manuscript editor selection can easily feel overwhelming.
Before you even request a sample edit from your potential editor, it’s vital to grasp the different types of editing available. Editors often specialize, and understanding these crucial distinctions is key to finding the right person for the job.
Finding the right developmental editor
Your potential developmental editor should be focusing on the big picture. Developmental editing addresses fundamental structural issues, plot holes, character development, pacing, world-building, and overall narrative coherence.
A developmental vs line edit sample will clearly show how a developmental editor might suggest rearranging chapters, cutting entire subplots, or significantly deepening character motivations. Ultimately, it’s about ensuring the story itself works cohesively before ever delving into the nitty-gritty of the prose.
Finding the right line editor
Conversely, line editing dives deep into the prose itself, meticulously, sentence by sentence. This level of editing focuses intently on language, style, tone, clarity, concision, and overall impact.
A skilled line editor will refine word choices, smooth out awkward phrasing, eliminate redundancies, and significantly enhance the rhythm and flow of your sentences. Ultimately, it’s about making your writing truly sing and ensuring your unique voice shines through.
CMOS editing services
Beyond developmental and line editing, many editors also offer copyediting based on a specific style guide. For American book publishing, that’s often The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS). It sets conventions for things like punctuation, capitalization, numbers, quotations, and hyphenation. For example, CMOS generally favors the serial comma in a phrase like “editing, design, and marketing.”
A CMOS sample edit can show whether an editor applies these details consistently without making the prose feel overworked.
Making the most of your sample edit
A well-prepared request for a sample edit not only allows editors to showcase their best work but also provides you with the necessary material for a truly informed assessment. Instead of simply sending a random chapter, consider including:
- A short synopsis of your book
- The specific type of editing you are seeking
- A clean excerpt from your manuscript (1,000-2,500 words) that includes a good mix of dialogue and narration, and ideally contains some areas you suspect might need work.
- Your manuscript’s total word count and genre for accurate quoting and timeline estimation.
- Any specific concerns or questions
- Age demographic of your target audience
Once you receive your sample edits back, the real work of evaluating the sample edits begins. This is precisely where our 11-point editor scoring rubric comes into play, providing a structured editor scoring sheet to expertly guide your assessment.
Our 11-point editing evaluation checklist
Here’s what to look for in a sample edit:
- Clarity, Concision, and Tone Evaluation: Does the editor improve the flow, eliminate unnecessary words, and enhance your unique voice while maintaining an appropriate tone for your genre? A good editor must be able to make your writing cleaner without flattening your voice.
- CMOS Adherence: If you are hiring a copyeditor, check how consistently they apply The Chicago Manual of Style or your preferred guide. Look at details like serial commas, capitalization, hyphenation, numbers, and dialogue punctuation. For example, CMOS favors “editing, design, and marketing” with the serial comma.
- Characters, Plot, and Worldbuilding evaluation: Does the editor expertly catch inconsistencies in character traits, plot points, or world-building details? Maybe your character has blue eyes in Chapter 2 and green eyes in Chapter 9. More importantly, does the editor notice when a character suddenly knows something they were never told, a journey takes two hours in one chapter and six in another, or the rules of your fictional world shift to suit the plot? However, for bigger plot-related problems, you might need a developmental editor before beginning line editing.
- Fact Flags and Accuracy Checks: Does the editor diligently flag areas that might need fact-checking or provide clear, actionable suggestions for strengthening research?
- Quality of Inline Comments: Are the editor’s comments clear, constructive, and easy to understand? Do they effectively explain the “why” behind their proposed changes? “Awkward” tells you almost nothing. “This sentence is carrying three separate ideas; consider splitting it after ‘however’” tells you what the problem is and how you might fix it. Although this doesn’t directly impact the quality of your manuscript, it can assist in your learning and overall understanding of the process.
- Rewrite Rationale: When significant rewrites are suggested, does the editor provide a clear, concise, and logical explanation for their proposed changes? A substantial change should solve a real problem—confusing chronology, repetition, weak emphasis, unclear motivation—not simply reflect the editor’s personal preference.
- Risk Assessment: Does the editor thoughtfully highlight any potential legal, ethical, or market-related risks in your manuscript, offering concrete solutions or insightful suggestions for further consideration?
- Respect for Authorial Voice: Does the editor enhance your voice without fundamentally changing it? Remember, the goal is to polish, not to overwrite.
- Actionable Feedback: Is the feedback practical, clear, and something you can immediately implement?
- Overall Professionalism: Does the sample edit reflect a consistently high level of professionalism in terms of presentation, tone, and overall thoroughness?
- Communication and Respect for Deadlines: Can the editor clearly tell you what the service costs, what is included, when you will receive the manuscript, how revisions work, and how they will communicate with you along the way?
Comparing prices can be a little tricky because editing rates vary widely depending on the editor’s experience, the type of editing you need, and the length of your manuscript. The easiest way to compare quotes is to normalize editing quotes into a per-word or per-page rate.
But don’t stop at the final number. Check what is actually included, when you will receive the manuscript, and how revisions work. Sometimes, a slightly higher quote can actually offer more comprehensive support and peace of mind.
Quick Tip: Be wary of editors who promise impossibly fast turnarounds, as this often compromises quality. Instead, look for realistic estimates and a clear communication plan regarding project milestones. Before committing to the full book, start with a 1,000–1,500-word sample edit.
The best way to choose a book editor is to combine what you can evaluate objectively—the quality of the sample edit, experience, pricing, and process—with your own sense of trust and fit. The right editor should not only improve your manuscript, but also make you feel confident about the editing process.
Ready to see what that looks like? Request a sample edit from Falcon Edits and see how we would work with your manuscript before you commit.
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