5 Questions to Ask Your Editor Before Hiring Them

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So, you know you're ready for an editor: you understand what type of editing you’re looking for and what your goals and expectations are (because you’ve read the previous posts in this blog series, obviously.) 

There are a few more questions you should prepare and be ready to ask once you have a prospective editor in your sights. Some of these were alluded to in “Five Questions To Ask Yourself Before Hiring An Editor,” but we’re going to talk about them a little more in depth here.

These questions will help you weed out editors that won’t be a good fit for you or your project as well as make sure you and the editor are on the same page with your goals and expectations.

Five Things to Ask Your Editor Before you Hire Them

What comes with the service?

This might seem like a weird question, but sometimes editing services come with a few bells and whistles beyond just the mark-up (AKA the changes and suggestions to your manuscript.) It’s good to know what to expect, and this will give you a greater understanding of what you're paying for. It might affect your decisions in two ways. One, you might ask to remove some of these extras for a discount to the price. This may not be something the editor offers, but it’s worth a shot if you really like the editor, but they are a little out of your budget. Or on the other hand, if it's not offered, you may want to ask if you could pay a little more to get it.

But what are these add-ons I’m talking about? They could be a:

• Style sheet

• Editorial note

• Video call

• Sample edit

While all of these provide value, it makes sense that an editor may not immediately offer them or that you could do without them; it’s all dependent on circumstance. But knowing they exist, so you can have these conversations if you feel so inclined, is important.

What programs do you use and how do you use them?

Another one that might seem a little silly; there can’t be that many programs or ways to use them right? Well, you’ll probably only come across a few programs (namely Microsoft Word and Google Docs,) and there's not very many ways to use them that are standard, but it can make a big difference.

All editors should be using tracked changes (or “suggesting” on Google Docs); meaning that all changes can be found and removed or accepted by the author. However, you might prefer that they don’t change anything in the manuscript but rather just comment. Or you might prefer they make changes rather than suggest them. If they don’t work the way you prefer, they likely won’t be a great fit. And as for what program they use, if they work in Word and you don’t have access, that can become a roadblock in working together. 

How does payment work?

Your editor will obviously tell you how payment works, but asking about it, or even just thinking about the way it may work and what you’re comfortable with beforehand, can be helpful in navigating the sometimes awkward money talk. 

Some things you might want to consider:

• How is payment made? Is it e-transfer, PayPal, some sort of third party app?

• Is there a down payment? Is it a flat fee or a percentage of the total cost? When is it due?

• Do they have an option to pay in installments? Does that change the total price?

• Is the initial quote an estimate or the guaranteed fee? 

• When is the final payment due? Before or after you receive their work?

All of these things might have an effect on your ability or desire to work with an editor. Don’t have or like PayPal? Probably not a good idea to work with an editor that only uses PayPal. You know you can afford the edit but not in a lump sum? You’re going to need an editor willing to work with smaller payments over time or a later due date while you save up.

Many of us hate to discuss money, so if you know what to ask and what your financial status and abilities are, the better it will be for everyone involved. It’s never a bad idea to consider these things ahead of time.

When should I hear from you next?

Clear communication is key when working with other people, and your writer-editor relationship is important. It’s great to know when to expect the next correspondence, so you're not anxiously waiting or worrying if you should be reaching out to them! Some editors will be happy to continually update you throughout the process, while others would rather keep their head down and only reach out when necessary or the project is complete. 

Of course, there’s no harm in checking in if it’s been a while, but knowing when you’ll hear from them next can take the edge off your impatience or worries. You can also request a midway update, if it’s not something your editor would usually do. I can’t guarantee they will, but there’s no harm in asking.

This question should also consider an estimated finish date on the project. If you know they expect to be finished with your project on the 15th and you haven't heard from them by then, it’s well within your right to reach out and ask for an update. Especially so if you haven’t been receiving regular updates.

Understanding how often your editor usually communicates will help you choose the right editor. If you’re someone who struggles with not receiving regular updates or someone who doesn’t want to worry about constant communication, you’ll want to find an editor who works within those preferences. Neither is bad, but it may put strain on the working relationship if your communication styles aren’t similar. This goes for tone and method too! I suppose a bonus question of “How do you communicate?” could be added in here! Some people still like using the phone, some would love to use video calls and others want only text. So keep your preferences for that in mind too!

Can I query your changes and suggestions? How should I do this?

Sometimes we get to a comment or suggestion in our manuscript and we’re not quite sure why it was made or what it means. Does your prospective editor allow you to query these afterward to ask for clarification or further explanation? Does that come with the package or is there a consulting fee? I think, within reason, most editors will answer a few questions no problem. Though if you’re querying every comment, they might not be willing to hold your hand through the whole document without a little compensation, and I think that’s fair!

That doesn’t mean you don’t deserve explanations, and it isn’t meant to make you feel bad if you want to discuss their edits; it just means that’s part of your process, and you should know how that works, so you can find a good fit editor for your process.

Then comes the, “How do I ask those questions?” Should they come by email? Do they have an option to speak on the phone or by voice call? If you have strong feelings about the method of communication on this, it could be a make or break point when choosing your editor. I know many who prefer to have an “in person” conversation at this point in the editing process because it’s just a little easier to bounce ideas back and forth in real time about those unclear suggestions.

At this point, I think you’re ready to hire an editor. You’ve learned what type of editing you need, you’ve understood your goals, you know where to search for an editor and what kinds of questions you might want to ask them before hiring them. You can’t procrastinate any longer; it’s time to find that editor! (And maybe that editor is me; am I a good fit for you?)

This series isn’t over yet, but it’s going on a small hiatus while I work on a few other fun projects for you. Another part of the hiatus is seeing if you have any questions you want answered about the hiring progress! So be sure to drop them in the comments! I’ll be gathering them from here, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to ask or have your ideas stirred by other’s questions! In the meantime, you can always reach out directly through my contact form!

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Jerrica is a writer and editor who inspires up-and-coming writers to create compelling fiction and creative nonfiction works while providing them with the confidence to do it themselves or ask for a helping hand when they need it. She enjoys speculative fiction, horror and gut-wrenching emotion with a side of food & drink and the cozier things in life.