By Eva Marie Everson @EvaMarieEverson

In the 1960s, Ivory soap produced a number of ads showing mother/daughter duos who looked so similar—or whose hands looked so young—the narrator tried to determine which was the mother and which was the daughter. Despite looking remarkably alike—and youthful—one, indeed was the mom and the other … not. 

Still … at first glance, it was difficult to know for sure.

Are They? Or Aren’t They?

During this season of writers conferences, those of us who have been doing this a while know that there is another imposter out there—the not-quite-a-freelance editor. Like the Ivory soap commercials, they may look like a freelance editor. They may even speak the language and wear all the right clothes. But they are not, in fact, tried-and-true freelance editors.

At the start of most writers conferences, directors will instruct conferees to be wary of anyone claiming to have an editorial service, especially if you are not certain of their credentials. Good advice, but when you are new to the industry, how do you vet those who say they are from those who really are?

Advice from the Pros

If you don’t know, ask a pro …

When you’ve been at this “game” for this a while, you simply get to know the players. But when you are at the start of your career (or sometimes in the middle) the industry is a wide-open, giant-sized question mark, and that knowledge hasn’t come yet. So I asked a few of the pros for their thoughts on how conferees can know for sure whether or not to hire someone who presents themselves as a freelance editor or writing coach. Here’s what they shared:

First, don’t go with the first person who approaches you with a card in hand. While they may be the best editor for you, it’s best to shop around a little before you decide, sign a contract, or pay a fee. Also, be keenly aware that just because someone has a business card—and even if they have a business name—this does not make them seasoned in the industry any more than hanging a medical shingle outside your door makes you a doctor.

Next, make sure you ask all the right questions.

Okay. Easy enough. But what are those questions? Here are a few:

1. 1. What is your training? Note: If an editor is a member of Christian Editor Connection or if they have taken one of their editing courses, they have been extensively screened and tested. This is a good sign for you, the conferee.
   2. Can you give me a list of references? Note: you will then need to vet those references. They could be the friends of the “editor.” Or they could have only recently started working with them. You’ll want to talk to more than one and, even then, it is up to you to screen them properly.
   3. What book(s) /work(s) have you written? Or:
   4. What book(s) /work(s) have you edited or coached a writer through that are award-winning? Note: Ask for a list of those awards. Winning a Christy or any other major award is more prestigious than winning a local writers contest or a writers conference contest—as wonderful as that is. 
   5. What genres are you most comfortable with? Note: The answer should not be a simple: fiction or nonfiction. The answer should be detailed. What genres of fiction? What genres of nonfiction? When it comes to editing children’s literature, what genres are you most comfortable with? Board books? Picture books? Devos? Middle grade chapter books? YA?
   6. What styles/stylesheets are you most familiar with? Note: By style, we don’t mean expository, descriptive, narrative, or persuasive. Instead, we are talking about style guides such as (the Big Daddy of Editing & Style) CMOS (Chicago Manual of Style), AP (Associated Press), APA (American Psychological Association), the MLA (Modern Language Association), SBL (Society of Biblical Literature) and others. 
   7. Which editorial blogs do you read regularly? 

Next you want to find out how they charge. I am always wary of someone who gives a blanket price without having first seen your work. Some editors and coaches charge depending on the type of work they will do. Some charge by the hour, others by the page. For some, it depends on the type of edits they will perform.

What Are the Types of Edits?

Editing, ghostwriting, and coaching come in many forms, depending on what you need. When you speak with a freelance editor, you should have a clear understanding of the differences. For example:

1. A substantive (or developmental) edit deals with the overall structure of the work. 
2. Basic copyediting is the process of correcting errors in a work so that it conforms to an editorial style. Copyeditors look for things like misspelled words, punctuation errors, and capitalization errors. The latter is especially critical when it comes to work within the Christian market as many houses have different styles when it comes to things like capitalizing the pronouns for the deity of God (He/Him/His vs. he/him/his) as well as The Blood vs. the blood of Christ, The Cross vs. the cross, etc. (Note: based on your needs, you may need a heavy copyedit vs. a basic copyedit.)
3. Editorial assessment (or manuscript evaluation) is the process of reading an entire work and then giving a report to the writer as to what the manuscript needs to move forward. Are there holes in the work? Does it flow? Are all questions answered? Is there an element to the writer’s work that needs more attention than others?
4. Line editing falls under the umbrella of copyediting but is more precise. 
5. Proofreading. Those brave souls who take on this job look at every letter in every word of every sentence in every paragraph and every page of a work. They are the eagle eyes who, hopefully, miss nothing. (Still, I have yet to find a book that isn’t missing a period, a comma, a quotation mark … or that doesn’t have at least one misspelled word.)
6. There are other forms of editorial services … such as formatting, researching, translating, transcribing, web design/writing, ghostwriting, and coaching. The difference in editing and coaching depends on the approach of the professional. Seasoned coaches may help you edit a work, but their overall goal is to help develop you as a writer. Coaching may center on a single project. Some coaches work within a lesson-type plan. But the overall goal is to see your craft improve overall.

Some coaches require that you send them a sample of your work before they determine if the two of you are a good fit. This is a good sign. Run from anyone who says they know exactly what you need before they’ve taken a good look at your work, your style of writing, and before you have had a decent discussion of your needs. 

Also, if a coach asks to see the quality of your work before coming to an agreement . . . this is a good sign. This means they are not out to take your money when you are not quite ready for the caliber of their work. They should be able to point you in the right direction of a coach best suited to your needs.

Charges

The charges for editorial or coaching services vary from editor to editor and from service to service. For a basic understanding of professional rates, refer to the Editorial Freelancers Association rates page. Be wary of anyone who offers a blanket service for a set amount, especially if that rate seems either too high or too low.

To help determine whether you and the prospective editor/coach are a good fit, ask if they will perform an example of their work. For instance, many freelance editors will look at the first page or two of your work, edit that page, and then return the work to you for free so that you can see a sample of their work. Others will edit (depending on the type you need) the first chapter for their usual fee (hourly or by the word or page). After that time, you can determine whether this is someone you wish to work with.

Final Words of Advice

Finally, listen carefully to the words of the “editor.” Do they say anything against any other editors or writing coaches? Unless they are icons of the industry you know you can trust, if they become too quick with a negative opinion, this is not someone you want to work with. Pay attention, also, to those who tell you that you must work with a freelance editor before ever showing your work to an agent or acquisitions editor. While that may be a good idea, it is not always the case. In fact, some of the best agents and editors will tell you honestly if you need a little extra help and that, if you receive it, then you should return to them with the edited work.

And, to close, don’t shy away from asking conference directors or those who you are certain are well-established within the industry, about a prospective editor or coach you are about to hire. I have yet to meet anyone in this industry who I respect who would not answer you honestly.

A special thank you to:

Michelle Medlock Adams
Catherine DeVries
Bethany Jett
Edie Melson
Edwina Perkins
Ramona Richards
Cyle Young 

Websites used for this article include: 

https://blog.reedsy.com/types-of-editing/

https://writingcorner.com

http://kathyide.com/  &  http://kathyide.com/the-christian-pen/

https://eliteediting.com/resources/different-editing-styles/

https://www.sbl-site.org/publications/sblhandbookofstyle.aspx

https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html

Eva Marie Everson is the president of Word Weavers International and the director of its two conferences. She is the multiple award-winning author of nearly 40 works and has received awards as a speaker and Bible teacher. Eva Marie is often seen at writers conferences across the States. She served as a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins’ Christian Writers Guild for several years, and taught as a guest professor at Taylor University in 2011. She is the contest director for BRMCWC. She and her husband make their home in Central Florida where they enjoy their grandchildren. They are owned by one small dog and a princess cat.