I have written in the past about how delicate the nature of the relationship with an editor can be. These are rocky waters to sail because anyone can call themselves a professional editor, take your money, and give you very little in return. Or, do a good job but play mind games with you (some people really are in it for the power rush).

Quite frankly, I maintain now and always that finding the wrong editor is much, much worse than not having an editor at all. A bad or mismatched editor can cause far more lasting damage to a writer than a bad review on Amazon ever will.

That said, having a good editor is crucial. I appreciate the job my publishing house’s editing staff does with cleaning up my stories, but it is not the same as having a true professional get on your case about things like story construction, character development, and voice.

If you are looking for advice on how to find an editor, I highly suggest this blog post, Hiring a Freelance Editor, by writer India Drummond. She explains step by step what she did to find, vet, and choose her new editor and I can’t think of any better how-to guide out there. Do what she did, and you will find the perfect editor for you!

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