ling will take place before the contract is signed. If a quote sounds too high, ask for a lower price and see what happens. Many editors expect to negotiate, so don’t pay a high price when it isn’t necessary.

My Business Isn’t Regulated

Unfortunately, there is no governing body that licenses or certifies editors to run a business, which means that hiring an editor is always a gamble. Let me stress again that you should always request references and/or samples before signing a contract. Anyone can become a member of a writers’ group or organization, so don’t assume that affiliations mean that your editor is a good one.

I’m Going to Make More Changes Than Necessary

Even if you’ve never published anything in your life, you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Working for free or severely discounted pri

Freelance editors are largely a stand-up crowd, but as in every industry, you’re going to find the occasional bad apple. If you know what to look for when hiring an editor, you might be able to escape the trap into which many an unsuspecting victim has fallen before.

It Doesn’t Really Take Three Months to Edit a Manuscript

If your editor is charging you by the hour, he or she might tell you it’s going to take three (or even six!) months to edit your manuscript, when it is actually completed in a week. Your bill will be padded with dozens of unused hours and you’ll be significantly more out-of- pocket than if you’d been charged by the page or the word.

If your editor is going to charge by the hour, make sure you receive a time sheet that explains exactly what work he or she did on which days. Even better, ask for a price by the word or by the hour. That way, you’ll only pay for work that is done.

You’re Going to Pay for Photocopies and Phone Calls

If you through that freelance editing contracts didn’t contain hidden fees, think again! Unscrupulous editors will find ways to charge you more than what is absolutely necessary, so look out for clauses in the contract that outline unspecified costs. If you’re going to be charged for photocopies, insist (in the contract) that your editor clear all additional copies with you before going ahead. To save on phone calls, make them yourself.

I Don’t Really Know What I’m Doing…

A significant number of freelance editors have no real training in grammar, structure or even writing. An English degree does not an editor make, so be sure to see samples before you sign a contract. If your editor can provide examples of his or her work, it’s time to find someone else.

…But I’ll Do It Anyway!

Even if your editor doesn’t have any training, he or she will still charge you to work on your manuscript, and may actually make it worse! Incorrect edits can ruin your chances of landing an editor or publisher, so make sure to get references before forking over the dough.

I’m Not Going to Edit Your Manuscript

Just because you’ve signed a contract with Joe Editor doesn’t mean that Jane isn’t going to do all the editing. Many unscrupulous editors hire people from India and other countries to do their editing for a fraction of what they are paid. They can take hundreds of projects at once without doing any actual work.

I’ll Do Anything to Get You to Hire Me

Unfortunately, freelance editors are often strapped for cash. They need money now, and they’re going to do everything in their power to get you to hire them. That’s life. So be sure to thoroughly interview your prospects before handing over the cash. If your editor strikes you as uneducated or uninformed, switch gears and hire someone else.

I’m Not a “Real Writer”

When you hire a freelance editor to handle your fiction or non-fiction manuscript, you take a risk. Just about anyone can look for spelling and punctuation mistakes, but what about developmental editing? If your editor is not also a writer, he or she isn’t going to be able to improve upon your writing. It’s best to find an editor who can do both – well.

I’d Charge You Less if You Asked

In many cases, editors inflate their prices with the assumption that some haggling will take place before the contract is signed. If a quote sounds too high, ask for a lower price and see what happens. Many editors expect to negotiate, so don’t pay a high price when it isn’t necessary.

My Business Isn’t Regulated

Unfortunately, there is no governing body that licenses or certifies editors to run a business, which means that hiring an editor is always a gamble. Let me stress again that you should always request references and/or samples before signing a contract. Anyone can become a member of a writers’ group or organization, so don’t assume that affiliations mean that your editor is a good one.

I’m Going to Make More Changes Than Necessary

Even if you’ve never published anything in your life, you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Working for free or severely discounted pric

he word or by the hour. That way, you’ll only pay for work that is done.

You’re Going to Pay for Photocopies and Phone Calls

If you through that freelance editing contracts didn’t contain hidden fees, think again! Unscrupulous editors will find ways to charge you more than what is absolutely necessary, so look out for clauses in the contract that outline unspecified costs. If you’re going to be charged for photocopies, insist (in the contract) that your editor clear all additional copies with you before going ahead. To save on phone calls, make them yourself.

I Don’t Really Know What I’m Doing…

A significant number of freelance editors have no real training in grammar, structure or even writing. An English degree does not an editor make, so be sure to see samples before you sign a contract. If your editor can provide examples of his or her work, it’s time to find someone else.

…But I’ll Do It Anyway!

Even if your editor doesn’t have any training, he or she will still charge you to work on your manuscript, and may actually make it worse! Incorrect edits can ruin your chances of landing an editor or publisher, so make sure to get references before forking over the dough.

I’m Not Going to Edit Your Manuscript

Just because you’ve signed a contract with Joe Editor doesn’t mean that Jane isn’t going to do all the editing. Many unscrupulous editors hire people from India and other countries to do their editing for a fraction of what they are paid. They can take hundreds of projects at once without doing any actual work.

I’ll Do Anything to Get You to Hire Me

Unfortunately, freelance editors are often strapped for cash. They need money now, and they’re going to do everything in their power to get you to hire them. That’s life. So be sure to thoroughly interview your prospects before handing over the cash. If your editor strikes you as uneducated or uninformed, switch gears and hire someone else.

I’m Not a “Real Writer”

When you hire a freelance editor to handle your fiction or non-fiction manuscript, you take a risk. Just about anyone can look for spelling and punctuation mistakes, but what about developmental editing? If your editor is not also a writer, he or she isn’t going to be able to improve upon your writing. It’s best to find an editor who can do both – well.

I’d Charge You Less if You Asked

In many cases, editors inflate their prices with the assumption that some haggling will take place before the contract is signed. If a quote sounds too high, ask for a lower price and see what happens. Many editors expect to negotiate, so don’t pay a high price when it isn’t necessary.

My Business Isn’t Regulated

Unfortunately, there is no governing body that licenses or certifies editors to run a business, which means that hiring an editor is always a gamble. Let me stress again that you should always request references and/or samples before signing a contract. Anyone can become a member of a writers’ group or organization, so don’t assume that affiliations mean that your editor is a good one.

I’m Going to Make More Changes Than Necessary

Even if you’ve never published anything in your life, you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Working for free or severely discounted pri

or can provide examples of his or her work, it’s time to find someone else.

…But I’ll Do It Anyway!

Even if your editor doesn’t have any training, he or she will still charge you to work on your manuscript, and may actually make it worse! Incorrect edits can ruin your chances of landing an editor or publisher, so make sure to get references before forking over the dough.

I’m Not Going to Edit Your Manuscript

Just because you’ve signed a contract with Joe Editor doesn’t mean that Jane isn’t going to do all the editing. Many unscrupulous editors hire people from India and other countries to do their editing for a fraction of what they are paid. They can take hundreds of projects at once without doing any actual work.

I’ll Do Anything to Get You to Hire Me

Unfortunately, freelance editors are often strapped for cash. They need money now, and they’re going to do everything in their power to get you to hire them. That’s life. So be sure to thoroughly interview your prospects before handing over the cash. If your editor strikes you as uneducated or uninformed, switch gears and hire someone else.

I’m Not a “Real Writer”

When you hire a freelance editor to handle your fiction or non-fiction manuscript, you take a risk. Just about anyone can look for spelling and punctuation mistakes, but what about developmental editing? If your editor is not also a writer, he or she isn’t going to be able to improve upon your writing. It’s best to find an editor who can do both – well.

I’d Charge You Less if You Asked

In many cases, editors inflate their prices with the assumption that some haggling will take place before the contract is signed. If a quote sounds too high, ask for a lower price and see what happens. Many editors expect to negotiate, so don’t pay a high price when it isn’t necessary.

My Business Isn’t Regulated

Unfortunately, there is no governing body that licenses or certifies editors to run a business, which means that hiring an editor is always a gamble. Let me stress again that you should always request references and/or samples before signing a contract. Anyone can become a member of a writers’ group or organization, so don’t assume that affiliations mean that your editor is a good one.

I’m Going to Make More Changes Than Necessary

Even if you’ve never published anything in your life, you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Working for free or severely discounted pri

ance editors are often strapped for cash. They need money now, and they’re going to do everything in their power to get you to hire them. That’s life. So be sure to thoroughly interview your prospects before handing over the cash. If your editor strikes you as uneducated or uninformed, switch gears and hire someone else.

I’m Not a “Real Writer”

When you hire a freelance editor to handle your fiction or non-fiction manuscript, you take a risk. Just about anyone can look for spelling and punctuation mistakes, but what about developmental editing? If your editor is not also a writer, he or she isn’t going to be able to improve upon your writing. It’s best to find an editor who can do both – well.

I’d Charge You Less if You Asked

In many cases, editors inflate their prices with the assumption that some haggling will take place before the contract is signed. If a quote sounds too high, ask for a lower price and see what happens. Many editors expect to negotiate, so don’t pay a high price when it isn’t necessary.

My Business Isn’t Regulated

Unfortunately, there is no governing body that licenses or certifies editors to run a business, which means that hiring an editor is always a gamble. Let me stress again that you should always request references and/or samples before signing a contract. Anyone can become a member of a writers’ group or organization, so don’t assume that affiliations mean that your editor is a good one.

I’m Going to Make More Changes Than Necessary

Even if you’ve never published anything in your life, you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Working for free or severely discounted pri

ling will take place before the contract is signed. If a quote sounds too high, ask for a lower price and see what happens. Many editors expect to negotiate, so don’t pay a high price when it isn’t necessary.

My Business Isn’t Regulated

Unfortunately, there is no governing body that licenses or certifies editors to run a business, which means that hiring an editor is always a gamble. Let me stress again that you should always request references and/or samples before signing a contract. Anyone can become a member of a writers’ group or organization, so don’t assume that affiliations mean that your editor is a good one.

I’m Going to Make More Changes Than Necessary

Even if you’ve never published anything in your life, you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Working for free or severely discounted prices will only hurt your career. Come up with a few samples for your website that show off your talent and offer those pieces to your prospects, but never agree to write something for free. Ever!

There is no way to protect yourself completely from unscrupulous editors. Unfortunately, they will always exist and the best thing you can do is remain vigilant. Don’t give an editor a change to take advantage and you’ll have a far better experience.