Looking for a good editor * Help please*

Writerwanna

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Does anyone know any good editors that are for hire that isnt sketchy. My book is a 80k young adult ( which i would loooove to cut it down to 50k ) I had a editor many years ago that was good but lost contact with her because i quit writing, but im getting my passion back. any help or comments is much appreciate.
 

Unimportant

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I know one editor who is extremely good and very reasonably priced: Debra Doyle.

And I know of a second editor who, by all reports, is extremely good, but I think is a bit more expensive: Nicola Griffith.

I'm sure other folks here will have some recommendations as well.
 

Maryn

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I hear nothing but praise for Debra Doyle.

I've used AW member Chase as my go-to guy for all grammar questions. He is also an editor. IIRC, he does a few pages for free so you can see what he does and whether it suits you. I usually find him on the Grammar board.

Maryn, still learning
 

Justin K

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I edit chapters for free, here in the SYW forums. But I'm pretty sketchy.
 

Writerwanna

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I know one editor who is extremely good and very reasonably priced: Debra Doyle.

And I know of a second editor who, by all reports, is extremely good, but I think is a bit more expensive: Nicola Griffith.

I'm sure other folks here will have some recommendations as well.

I checked out Debra Doyle page and she seems really professional and in my price range, Thank you for the info!
 

Writerwanna

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I hear nothing but praise for Debra Doyle.

I've used AW member Chase as my go-to guy for all grammar questions. He is also an editor. IIRC, he does a few pages for free so you can see what he does and whether it suits you. I usually find him on the Grammar board.

Maryn, still learning

Lmao im still learning as well!
 

wampuscat

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You might try posting a chapter or 2 in SYW. The feedback there might help you edit your own work (or at least better prepare it to send to an editor). You have to have 50 posts in order to add a thread in SYW, but critiquing other people's stories has always helped me edit my own work as well. Just a thought. (Not that editors are bad. I love editors! I just also know that depending on your purposes, learning to edit your own work might be more beneficial in the long run. Of course if you're planning to self-publish, please ignore me.)

Also, just curious, but why do you want to cut from 80K to 50K? 80K is a fine size for YA. (Or do you just feel like the writing isn't tight?)

Good luck! (And welcome!)
 
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stephen andrew

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Mary Kole is a great option: http://marykole.com.

She looked over my MS at a SCBWI event a couple years ago. Though, for professional editing you will have to pay a bit. But she has options for partials too, to give you an idea of how you can make it better yourself. She also has a great book on writing KidLit, I read last year, and highly recommend.

But I would definitely post it on here for feedback. Be sure and spend some time critiquing others work while you are working up to 50 posts. And probably don't make your chapters post 51.

80k is a fairly safe range, unless it's contemporary, then it might be running a little long.
 

Becca C.

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Mary Kole is a great option: http://marykole.com.

She looked over my MS at a SCBWI event a couple years ago. Though, for professional editing you will have to pay a bit. But she has options for partials too, to give you an idea of how you can make it better yourself. She also has a great book on writing KidLit, I read last year, and highly recommend.

I had an R&R with Mary when she was an agent, and her feedback on my manuscript was fantastic. She ultimately passed, but the book became so much better with her help. If I was looking for a freelance editor, I'd go with her in a heartbeat.

And I second the recommendation to read her book! It's great.
 

Justin K

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LMAO!! Do you read ya and what kind of story do you have?

I don't particularly read YA for enjoyment, probably because I see a hundred clichés per page with voice alone, but I love writing/editing it. I'm working on one myself (see sig. line), and the SYW forum here has been a great source of insight from other AWers
 

Cathy C

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P.N. Elrod is a terrific editor, who is trying to raise money right now for some pet hospital bills. Another terrific editor is Anna Genoese, (my former editor at Tor Books) who is having a sale on editing fees right now!

I highly recommend either one and have worked with them personally. I've heard good things about Debra Doyle also.
 
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Bing Z

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Cathy, P.N.Elrod is super great but she isn't that into YA, especially if one writes in first person present. She loathes this style and has put up a note on her critique page (after reading my snippet :tongue.) She is probably fine with YA fantasy not in 1PP.