In the sphere of publishing, an editor means a lot to a writer. New authors, who think they are highly talented may be wondering, “Why do I need an editor?” The reason is simply that your eyes can rarely spot your own errors. We all know that not all writers have a vast knowledge of English. So, after penning down the idea, it is the work of the editor to fine-tune the language so that your book sounds professional. Having identified the place of an editor, the next important question is, “How do I find a good editor”.

Self-editing or passing the work to a family member will most likely not give you the objective view you need to propel your career. With a lot of amateurs posing as professional editors to swindle writers, finding a good editor is not always an easy task. Below are some of the ways to identify good editors.

Look at their previous work

A professional editor should have a website where they display some of their previous works. While discussing with an editor you may also request additional samples of their previous works. Michele DeFilippo explains thus, “The quality of writing on the editor’s website is a good first indicator. Before-and-after work samples posted there can also help narrow the field.”

Test the potential editors

If you have found more than one good editors and hit with the confusion of which one to select, it will be a great idea to give them a test. Most writers will send out a page from their book requesting for a sample edit. This is a legitimate way to see how much skill the editor has to maintain your voice, improve word choices, and catch errors. Make A Living Writing has a different suggestion, “What if you sent an editing quiz to which you had the answer key? You could compare the results of several editors to see who has the best grasp on grammar rules.”

Find a niche editor

There is a popular saying that ‘practice makes perfect’. It is not a surprise that bestselling writers usually specialize in a niche. In the same way, the best editors specialize in one or a few niches. Focusing on a niche will help you to become an expert in that area. If you must trust an editor to make changes to your book you have to ensure that they are highly experienced in your niche.

Keep an eye for a holistic service provider

If you are looking for professional editing, it is likely that you would also need a professional book cover and inner pages designer. According to Editage, “if you are new to publishing and don’t have a set of professionals, it would be better to work with a company that offers all the services.”

Canada based Agora Publishing is making the difference in the publishing industry by not only empowering writers with good editors but also offering all the publishing services that a writer would need to create a masterpiece.