Finding an Editor

Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Look in the back of Jeff Herman's Guide; you'll probably find a copy in your local library. He lists official groups of editors. These are all reliable people, most of whom have worked for big time publishing houses. You email several that look like they deal with your work; you tell them you're contacting several; you take your pick based on their responses.

I've had two books edited this way, and I'm pleased with the results.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Rationalist said:

How does one go about choosing an editor?

Log on to the EFA website and look around for someone who specializes in the subject you are writing on? Or rely on a sample edit of your work?
...

I’m looking at a substantive edit – would an editor specializing in nonfiction with experience in a big publishing house be able to do justice to a book on philosophy that includes evolutionary theory, genetics, and neuroscience on a basic level, or must one look for a scientific editor? I am writing for a general audience (I take Richard Dawkins’ writing style as the gold standard) – not sure if an editor of academic/scholarly works would really be able to help with that.

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The EFA is a reputable organization, like several others in various countries, and has a job board. You would likely get a lot of responses from qualified editors, and the fit may be better than you'd find if you looked through profiles yourself.

The recommended book is likely to focus on editors at publishing houses, rather than independents whose primary work is actual editing of manuscripts.

Many editors have particular sets of specializations. You might find several who work on both nonfiction for the general public and more scholarly topics.

A sample edit is more appropriate as a way of evaluating copyediting or line-by-line editing, rather than substantive editing.

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

While Jeff Herman's book does include the names of editors at publishing houses, the section in the back deals with independents.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal