Book Editor Near Me
Book editors don’t typically work out of a local office. Even an editor that works for a publisher or editing company usually works remotely. You might be looking to hire an editor near you to keep your vernacular or dialect intact. However, a professional editor from the US can work with a writer from the UK. A professional editor would understand the vernacular and difference between US and UK English.
Both US and UK English editors work with a wide range of dialects. A writer from Texas is going to write differently than a writer from New York City. A writer from Ireland is going to have a different style than someone from Wales. So when you search for a “book editor near me,” what are you looking for? An editor you can work with one on one? An editor you can go over what you want to accomplish before ordering? An editor who you can ask questions and figure out what can and will be done to your manuscript? What about getting a sample of their work on your manuscript before you start? We can provide all that!
Hiring a Book Editor Near Me or Online
Why not both? Get a sample and a price quote for the project and compare it. If you are lucky enough to live near an editor with an office, it’s convenient to meet face to face. But sample edits speak for themselves. If you can get a comparable edit at a fraction of the cost, it’s hard to say no.
When hiring a book editor, keep price and type of edit in mind. There are a dozen or so different types of editing services. They can be broken down into two categories:
- Content Level
- Sentence Level
A content level book editing service would be a developmental edit or some variation. A sentence-level edit would be a copy edit.
At Editmojo we offer a focus on copy editing that includes proofreading and developmental and issue notes. It provides a well-rounded editing package.
How Much Does a Book Editor Near Me Cost?
Local book editors will likely be costly. They are competing for clients looking for local editors, which means they probably don’t have any competition. An online editor would complete on a global scale, which forces a more competitive pricing model.
Most book editors are hired for a copy edit, which would cover the basics like proofreading, but also improve structure flow and remove redundancies on a sentence level. If hiring a book editor directly, expect to pay around $10 per 1K words for a copy edit. Hiring through an agency or local will often cost more at around $40 per 1K words depending on the agency.
Most authors feel they only need a grammar check with a proofread until the editor sends them back a sample copy edit. It’s hard to see your own errors sometimes. Proofreading by friends and family often is incomplete since they are not professional editors. Also, people close to you don’t want to criticize you or hurt your feelings.
Where Do I Find Book Editors
Near Me?
A Google search to find an editor near you will get better results if you live in a city. You can also find great deals on freelance sites, but I would avoid going through an agency due to the extra fees associated with the edit. You are paying the editor and the agency for the edit, which can add up quickly.
Freelance sites also have fees. They charge the editor 20% and the client 20% for a total of 40% of the total purchase. An agency charges upwards of 50% extra. Nothing beats hiring directly for sure!
How Do I Pick a Book Editor?
Once you find a few editors you are interested in, have them do a sample edit. Make sure it’s the same page or content so that you can compare apples to apples. You want to find one that makes changes you agree with and fits your budget.
Most professional-level editors will provide a sample edit. Normally a sample edit is short, anywhere from a paragraph to a page. For those that want longer sample edits, there may be fees associated with it due to the time and work involved, especially if you want to test the editor with a full chapter.
What Type of Book Editor Do I Need?
There are several types of editing services, but the most common is a copy edit. It’s the edit that brings a lot to the table. A copy edit is a sentence-level edit with a focus on grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, consistency, pacing, flow, redundancies, tenses, dialog correction, transitions, clarity, general improvement, and readability.
Most copy editors will leave developmental notes or point out issues as they edit. But, a full-on developmental edit would be better if you are looking for a story and content level edit (not a sentence level edit). Perfect for authors just looking for help with plot holes or story flow issues.
Editing will never change voice or content. Even a developmental edit will be done in notes and separate documents. A common mistake many authors have when hiring an editor is wanting them to rewrite sections or correct large issues in the content. Unless otherwise agreed on, that normally isn’t the case. If that’s the type of service you want, look into hiring a ghostwriter. However, it’s very difficult to bring a writer in on a project that is already complete. They need to understand the story and match your writing style on a very high level. If you feel you need a ghostwriter, bring one on at the start of the project.
A developmental editor can also be brought in at the start of a project, helping to create an outline and direct the flow of content.
Book Editor Near Me
Here is a great article on what book editing costs and how to get the best pricing on a quality book editor.