| Obviously, all your good work has come to | | | | payment in advance! |
| fruition and you are finally holding your completed | | | | Once such editor I contacted is also the editor of |
| manuscript in your hands! Of course, you have | | | | a science fiction magazine and his correspondence |
| been re-reading everything many times over and, | | | | was peppered with words like 'new world order' |
| to your dismay, have always found misspellings | | | | 'astro this' and 'space that'! And her quoted fee, |
| and sentences that need improvement. It is | | | | too, was astronomical! Some editors do very little |
| amazing how difficult it is to detect one's own | | | | work for their money, claiming that they were |
| shortcoming. You virtually need to have a split | | | | not 'ghost writers', another editor insisted on being |
| personality and go over your writing with the eye | | | | paid in advance and then did not touch my |
| of a different persona. | | | | manuscript for two months. Upon cancellation of |
| As the next step, you are looking for an editor. | | | | the contract, she wanted a cancellation fee. |
| There are many freelance editors advertising their | | | | One editor seemed to be perfect in every way, |
| services in writers circles and it is a good method | | | | but she was booked-out for almost a year with |
| to start looking at the ones advertising at you | | | | another assignments for a large publisher. One |
| state's Writers' centre. | | | | editor quoted turn-around time two weeks which |
| There is a paramount need to ask for an editor's | | | | was obviously far too short for a voluminous |
| references, for previous authors to contact, or | | | | manuscript, another editor sent my manuscript |
| writing projects they have completed, their | | | | back only half- way through because he's lost his |
| university training and for their fee. Like with | | | | interest. There are myriad things that can happen |
| resume's for job applications, everything needs to | | | | and it is very important that a first-time author |
| be investigated and followed-up to avoid financial | | | | checks and re-checks these editors before |
| and literary consequences. | | | | contracting one. |
| Some editors prefer to have the manuscript sent | | | | After the manuscript has been returned, |
| to them printed out, some insist on an electronic | | | | physically or electronically. The author then needs |
| transfer of the manuscript. Some insists on | | | | to go over his writings once more and change the |
| contacting you and discuss every word they find | | | | corrections into clear print. Once this tedious work |
| while others are happy if you tell them that you | | | | of probing an editor will not only result in getting a |
| accept their improvements in advance. By | | | | person whom you will enjoy working with really |
| approaching several editors, you get an idea of | | | | well and the waiting for the edited manuscript will |
| the standard fee. The rule here is that the height | | | | be a joyful period instead of one filled with |
| of the fee is no guarantee for quality and neither | | | | anxious nail-biting. |
| is paying a bit more for extra good work or | | | | |