One of the biggest challenges for independent authors is building a team of trusted professionals who can help them get from early draft to published book with confidence. In this extract from her article in the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook 2027, freelance editor Bryony Leah explains what you need to know to choose the best freelance editor for you.
To help you build your self-publishing team confidently, below I’ve compiled a list of considerations to keep in mind when hiring a freelance editor. There are so many creative and knowledgeable professionals out there waiting to help you achieve your author goals – you just need to know where to find us, what to look out for, and how to protect yourself from becoming the main character in a freelance editing horror story!
Do you know which type of editing you need?
- Generally, developmental editing comes first, addressing story structure, plot issues, world-building, character development and many other ‘big-picture’ edits. Expect to perform intensive revisions at this stage, guided by your editor’s notes – which will often be delivered both in-line and as an editorial report.
- Next up, line editing addresses your writing at the sentence level, refining your voice, eliminating narrative distractions and addressing flow, clarity and pacing to ensure the smoothest possible reading experience.
- Copy-editing polishes your sentences even further, ensuring stylistic consistency in grammar, syntax, punctuation, spelling and formatting. Copy-editors also create personalised style sheets for books/series – effectively a ‘story bible’ logging all relevant editorial details, along with character descriptions, word lists and world-building info.
- Finally, proofreading catches any leftover typos or errors from previous editing stages, including any errant formatting issues, before a book goes to print.
Where to find an editor
While many self-publishing authors turn to social media to find their freelance professionals, a more reliable way to hire a reputable editor is to search editorial associations’ online member directories – many of which allow authors to search by location, specialism and genre. You can also seek recommendations from trusted author friends or check the front matter/acknowledgements pages of your favourite self-published books, since editors are typically listed there.
Get your copy of the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2027 at Bloomsbury.com.
Bryony Leah is an award-winning freelance book editor and agented author based in the Midlands. Visit her website at www.bryonyleah.com for information on how to work with her, and follow her on Instagram @bryony_leah
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