Editors, much like authors, tend to have specific areas of focus. Even among editors who consider themselves generalists, there will often be genres they prefer to work on and areas they prefer to specialize in.

These preferences will tend to define most of an editor’s workload—some editors specialize in romance, some may specialize in sci-fi and/or fantasy. Some editors take on exclusively non-fiction works, whether they are trade non-fiction or institutional (such as government documents, textbooks, etc.). Some editors like a blend of two or three different genres to keep things interesting!

Googling “fiction editors” returns thousands of results, so it’s clear that as the author, you have a lot of options. However, during the searching process, how can you determine whether you’re picking the right editor for the job? Here, then, are some pointers and tips on how to streamline your search to find the right editor.

Keywords Are Key

If your manuscript is complete and you’re ready to look for an editor, then a great place to start narrowing your options is through genre.

As the author of your manuscript, you should know your genre. But, if there’s some room for debate, take some time now to determine precisely what genre of manuscript you’ve written. Beyond your manuscript being simply fiction or non-fiction, consider how you might further define it—self-help, speculative fiction, horror, fantasy, mystery, historical, science-fiction, memoir, humorous or instructional guide.

And, within those wider genres, it can also be helpful to define your manuscript’s sub-genres, if you can and if applicable. For example, you’ve written a mystery—but there are many types of mystery. A cozy mystery offers readers a much different vibe than a hardboiled detective mystery, or a closed-door murder mystery (think classic Agatha Christie).

Not only will knowing your book’s genre inside and out assist you in finding the right editorial match, but it will be immensely helpful for you when the time comes to send out query letters, submission packets, or do your own marketing if you’re self-publishing.

Maybe you’re looking for a dramaturg to edit your new play-script, or an academic editor for your periodical. Make a list of the terms you think best describe what you’d like your final draft to represent. From now on, these words will be your search keywords. After all, who has time to look at countless websites?

Know What Editing Services You Want

You can give yourself a huge head start and save yourself a lot of time by figuring out in advance—before you start reaching out to editors—exactly what editing services you are looking for. Does your manuscript need developmental (also known as substantive) editing? Or perhaps copyediting is what you require?

The reason this step is so helpful is because not all editors may offer every service. There’s no point in reaching out to an editor for a quote if you are requesting a developmental edit, but they only take on copyediting projects. Knowing your identified services, combined with knowing your genre, will give you your general search parameters.

These parameters will save you time—when you know you are looking for an editor to copyedit your political thriller, when you come across an editor who only does developmental editing for non-fiction projects, you can dismiss them as an option right away (no matter how great their website looks).  

If you really aren’t sure what level(s) of editing your manuscript needs, you have two options to figure it out.

Option 1 is to do a bit of reading and research and just make an educated guess. There are many resources out there that explain what each level of editing accomplishes—a great place to start is this helpful post on our own TEC blog! 

This blog post from Reedsy also offers a simple overview, with accompanying examples, to help authors identify what type of editing they need.

Option 2 is to get what is called an “editorial assessment” from an editor—it is a paid service, but usually very affordable, and this assessment will let you know what general issues the editor identifies. From there, you’ll know which level(s) of further editing you’ll need.

Once you have a solid idea of (a) what genre, or genres, your book inhabits; (b) the service(s) you’re looking for; and (c) your list of any other search terms, you’re ready to begin the hunt.

Places to Start Your Search

Editors Canada

The Online Directory of Editors

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Editors Canada online directory is an excellent resource for authors looking for Canadian editors of all stripes. The directory offers easy-to-use search functions that allow authors to search by genre, editorial skills, subjects, working languages, and location. In addition to these, a further keyword search option is available if the above categories don’t return the desired results.

The National Job Board

Editors Canada also operates a national job board for member editors who are looking for work. Authors looking to hire editors for specific jobs or contracts can post on the board by emailing their posting to Editors Canada. The service is free for job posters, and posts generally appear on the job board after a two-day review period. Like enrolment in the Online Directory of Editors, the Editors Canada job board postings are only accessible to members of Editors Canada, so authors can be certain that their posts are reaching the editors they’re looking for

Reedsy: Is It the Right Fit for You?

Another directory of editorial professionals (including editors, marketing professionals, ghostwriters, and more) can be found on the online author–editor matchmaking service Reedsy. Reedsy offers a lot of options to authors looking for editors. And, because Reedsy vets its members by requiring proof of experience, authors looking to hire can look through each editor’s past projects, check out verified reviews from authors each editor has worked with, and make an informed decision before reaching out to request a quote. One drawback to using Reedsy or a similar platform, though, is the 20% commission fee Reedsy adds to all transactions (10% of the fee is paid by the editor, 10% paid by the author).

Reedsy, then, can be a good place to find new editors: the advertising exposure that Reedsy provides to new editors reduces the significance of the cost of the commission. Well-established editors who have developed relationships with return clients, however, are less likely to use platforms like Reedsy, since they don’t necessarily need the extra exposure that companies such as Reedsy offer, relying instead upon positive testimonials and word of mouth to drive business.

Pick Up the Phone

It might seem old-fashioned, but sometimes the old ways are best. If you’ve found an editor’s business website, but you’re not quite sure whether they can accommodate the needs of your manuscript, consider giving them a quick phone call or sending an email to discuss some specifics.

ACES

Similar to the job board and job posting options hosted by Editors Canada, the American Copy Editors Society (sort of like the American counterpart to Editors Canada) offers the same services. You can filter by name or keyword, and by specific types of editing, but unfortunately, that’s about all the customization you can get.

However, because the nature of editing work lends itself well to working remotely, the ACES directory lists members that work not just all around the United States, but all around the globe—I spotted editors working out of the United Kingdom, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia.

Indexers Canada

If you’ve written a non-fiction book, odds are you might find yourself in need of an indexer to create an amazing and useful index for your book. Indexing is a specialized skill, and not one the average editor can perform, so your best bet is to start with the website for the Indexing Society of Canada. They offer a directory of available indexers, searchable by subject area, materials, skills, and keywords, that will help you find the best match for your manuscript.

Beth and Lesley-Anne: TEC Owner & Long-time TEC Team Contributor

Not to toot our own horns too much, but if you’re looking for an experienced non-fiction/academic editor or trade fiction/non-fiction editor, TEC owner Beth McAuley and former TEC team member Lesley-Anne (aka, me) could be a great place to start? We’ll let you get to know us on your own terms and go from there—Lesley-Anne’s website is lesleyannelongo.com, and you’re already here on TEC’s website, so you can learn more about Beth on the Why Us? page and check out TEC’s services too.

The Answer May Be Closer Than You Think

Editorial work can be a tricky process. More than simply checking the right genre boxes, the right editor for an author should be someone the author can freely exchange ideas with. Editors Canada, ACES, Indexers Canada, and Reedsy all provide great starting points for authors looking for editors, there’s nothing quite like personal recommendations or testimonials.

If you’re new to the world of publishing and don’t yet have any helpful author contacts, a great way to get those recommendations or referrals is through author communities, which can be found on Reddit, Threads, Discord, and many more outlets out there! Or, if a friend or colleague just published their own manuscript, consider asking them about who they worked with for editorial work. Even if their project was wildly different from the manuscript you’ve written, editors can often refer clients who aren’t a great match for them project-wise to other editors they think might be better suited to specific jobs.

Finding the right editor can seem daunting, but by approaching the process thoughtfully and with intention, and by making use of these resources and exercising a bit of patience, you’ll be able to narrow the search down and find the perfect editorial match for your manuscript.
 

Lesley-Anne Longo is an editor and former TEC team member who worked for TEC for 11 years. She provides editing and proofreading services for fiction and non-fiction authors and publishers. To contact her for a project, you can visit her website at https://www.lesleyannelongo.com.