What should I do before hiring a book editor?
- A self-edit pass before paying anyone.
- A one-page goals + audience summary for the editor.
- A sample package: first 50 pages plus synopsis.
- 3-5 candidate editors with genre experience.
- A sample-edit ($50-$200) before committing.
Before hiring a book editor, run a self-edit pass (structural plus line plus copy), write a one-page summary stating your goals and target audience, prepare a sample (first 50 pages plus synopsis), and research three to five editors who work in your genre. Most authors who skip prep spend 30-50% more on editing than necessary.
Chapter i·Why it matters
Editors charge based on the manuscript state they receive. Sending a polished draft means cheaper structural editing; sending a messy first draft doubles or triples the cost. Five days of pre-editor prep saves $1,000-$4,000 on the editorial bill and produces better feedback because the editor is working at the level you need.
Chapter ii·What to include
- Self-edit pass for structural and line issues.
- A goal statement: what kind of book is this, for whom?
- A first 50 pages plus synopsis sample package.
- 3-5 genre-experienced editor candidates.
- A budget: $2,000-$8,000 for developmental, $1,000-$3,000 for copy.
- A sample-edit ($50-$200) to verify fit.
Chapter iii·Example
A debut author preps for her developmental edit over five days: self-edit on continuity (8 issues found, 6 fixed), one-page goal statement, first 50 pages plus synopsis, list of 6 candidate editors from EFA. She picks one after sample edits. Her editorial bill is $3,800 (down from a $5,400 quote for the original unpolished draft) and the feedback is more structural and less mechanical.
WriteLoom's Edit studio runs your pre-editor self-edit and packages the manuscript for handoff — so the editor's bill stays low.
See the Edit studio