Hiring an editor is a mandatory part of the publication process. After writing the manuscript, I advised you to hire a professional editor to read over it. There are a variety of edits, there’s the developmental edit which tackles your story on a plot and story basis. There’s the copy and line edits that deal with sentence structure and grammar. Lastly, there’s the proofread. The final read of your manuscript before continuing on with publishing. I did some research, as there are many platforms to hire editors. The website there seemed the most promising was Reedsy. On their website, I can specify the edit, genre of my book, and match the editor that is the best fit to edit my manuscript. Reedsy also allows you to select up to five editors to request a quote from, meaning they will look at your manuscript to see if they have the skills to accept the job. If you choose to send a sample over, they may offer writing tips and will negotiate a fee if they are interested. It was a difficult decision, as I found a few personable individuals, but I ultimately I could only choose one. I look forward to taking the net leap in my quest for publication. This tedious process results from my decision to self publish, but I’m grateful to have the freedom to choose my editor. If I went the traditional publishing route, the Publishing House would have provided me with an editor that works for them. It may be the more unpopular and expensive option, but I believe the pros outweigh the cons.
You want the best editor for the job. So be patient!
Hiring an editor shouldn’t be glossed over, as they can be an asset to your project. A second pair of eyes and a different perspective can help improve your storytelling and find mistakes you may have missed. Remember, I’m not telling you whether you should self publish or traditional publish. I am not qualified to give such advice. I’d just like you to know the option is there if you need it. You also need a budget in store, hiring an editor doesn’t come cheap. It can cost up to thousands of dollars, so work and save money if you plan on hiring an editor. Patience is key, don’t throw all your cash at the first hire you see. Make sure to weigh your options and pick the editor best experienced with your genre. Editors want you to succeed so that you recommend them to fellow authors in reviews. This process is long. As I mentioned, there are many edits and some offer a package deal. My choice of editor excites me and soon the wheels will start turning. I’ve been working a long way towards this goal and it’s finally happening. I look forward to our collaboration and think it will make me a better writer in the end. Hiring an editor is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make as an author.