How to Hire The Right Editor or Coach

Writers need outside eyes on our stories. External feedback will identify what we’re doing well, and where our stories need work. Working with a professional editor or book coach is one of the most efficient ways to improve our skills and write the best we can. However, we also need to work with professionals that we trust will support us in telling the story we envision, rather than overwriting our voice.

Finding the right editor or coach can be overwhelming! The options can seem endless, the cost of the investment can be high, and it may feel like you’re taking a chance no matter who you choose. How do you know that an editor is a good fit? Will your investment be worth it? Can you trust that the person you’re working with will preserve your vision for your story?

It may sound like an impossible task, but you CAN find the person who is right for you. As editors and coaches ourselves, we’ve compiled our insider tips below to help you find the right professional for YOU.

Step 1: Understand your needs

The first step in hiring an editor is understanding what type of editing you need. Are you looking for a full read through or help drafting your story? Do you need big-picture revision help, or are you ready for copyediting or proofreading in preparation for publishing? Are you somewhere in between?

No matter where you are in your journey, there’s an editor who can help, but it will save you time and money if you start with an awareness of what you and your story need. Then, you can begin searching for editors who provide those services.

What’s the difference between an editor and a book coach?

One tricky thing about this industry is that a lot of professionals offer both editing AND coaching services. It can be hard to know which you need! The key questions to consider are:

• Do you want ongoing support as you draft or revise, with regular check-ins, assignments, and feedback on a work in progress? → If yes, you’re looking for coaching!
• Do you want a full pass of feedback and support, where the editor reads your full manuscript and provides a specific type of feedback before returning it to you in full? → If yes, you’re looking for editing!

Once you’re clear on what YOU want out of the relationship you can ask prospective hires what services they offer.

Looking for coaching? Let’s chat!

If you’re interested in working with us as book coaches, we’d LOVE to have you. In Story Magic✨—our one-on-one, six-month book coaching program—you’ll master the art of storytelling, unlock your writing genius, and complete an outline you KNOW works. If you’re ready to learn more about how Story Magic could fast track your writing dreams, set up a free consultation with us here. We book up months in advance, so don’t wait!

Step 2: Determine your goals

Once you understand what type of editing or coaching you’re looking for, figure out what your goals for the relationship are.

Ask yourself:

• What do YOU want to accomplish with the editor or coach?
• Where do you want your work to be when you’ve finished working with them?
• What does a good edit look like to you?

We have many clients who come to us without knowing what they hope to accomplish. On the one hand, that’s fine, because an experienced editor can help you tease out what you need through conversation or after actual review of the work even if you don’t know yourself. However, if you search for an editor or coach knowing what you want and you lead the conversation by establishing your expectations, you are much more likely to find a professional—and receive a service—that satisfies you.

Step 3: Knowing if an editor is right for you

When choosing a professional, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Think of it like a job interview, where you want to hire the person that’s the best fit. Regardless of if the editing relationship will be short or long term, you still want to make sure you and the editor mesh well together in personality, expertise, and process.

Think of it like a job interview, where you want to hire the person that’s the best fit. Regardless of if the relationship will be short or long term, you still want to make sure you and the editor or coach mesh well together in personality, expertise, and process.

Here are some great starting points for surface level questions:

• Do you work in my specific genre or age group?
• What is your editing/coaching process like? What will I receive when the edit/program is finished?
• What qualifications do you have? Do you have any training or experience?
• What’s your expected turnaround time? Does it line up with when I need edits back?
• Do you have any samples, reviews, or testimonials?

Because giving and receiving feedback requires so much trust, we recommend diving a little deeper to determine if an editor or coach is right for you. We love when our clients ask hard questions that serve to answer these deeper inquiries:

• Does the professional believe wholeheartedly in your story and/or vision?
• Do you trust this editor or coach will work to understand and preserve your vision for your story?
• Do you enjoy talking with them and/or feel you can build trust with them?
• Would you feel comfortable receiving praise and criticism from this editor or coach?
• Will this professional teach you how to improve your writing craft overall?
• Will they focus their efforts on improving your story or you as a writer?

Step 4: You’re ready to hire

Once you’ve narrowed down the candidates and you’ve decided on one or two folks that really stand out, you’re ready to move forward. Before pulling the trigger on payment, review the below checklist to ensure you’ve covered all the bases!

1. If you haven’t already, set up an intro call. Editors and book coaches should offer a free call option to discuss your needs and get to know you. Calls are the best way to get to know the professional, and see if they’re a good fit for you, before “buying.” Use this opportunity to establish trust and to explain your vision/goals for your story. Utilize the questions from step 3!

2. Ask for a sample (or example) edit. Editors and coaches should be able to provide real examples of feedback they’ve given in the past. This gives you an opportunity to review how the professional gives feedback, what kind of feedback they give, and how much they focus on ‘fixing’ versus ‘teaching.’ Use this to see how the editor or coach’s work aligns with what you’re looking for and how YOU learn.

3. Ask about which service the editor or coach thinks would fit your needs the best. Many professionals offer a “menu” of services; sometimes what you think you need isn’t always what the editor or coach would recommend. Have them review all options with you so you can make an informed decision.

4. If you don’t know already, ask what you can expect to get back when an editor is finished or what you can expect to get out of a coaching program.

For Editors:

• Will you get a feedback letter? Roughly how long will it be?
• Will there be line edits or no?
• Can you expect track changes and/or comments throughout?
• Will there be a follow up call to go over the feedback?

For Coaches:

• What exactly can you expect to have finished by the end of the program?
• How much of a focus will there be on story structure versus writing skills?
• What will weekly communication look like, how and when can you expect feedback? In what format?
• How many times will you go over each assignment?
• Are they focused on accountability goals (getting you to the end of a draft) or learning goals (leveling up your understanding of story development and line-level writing skills)?

5. Confirm price or rate expectations. Some editors operate on a price-per-word rate, while others set hourly rates. Many coaches have a monthly fee. Make sure you understand the cost as best as you can before you decide. Ask for a quote where applicable.

6. Confirm turnaround time. Turnaround time can vary depending on many factors. Always confirm expectations before you decide.