Looking for editor

[harding]

I may be shot down in flames if this is the wrong place to post this.

I am looking for an editor for a book I have just finished. I am willing to pay for editing services, but in trawling the commercial market it is difficult to find anyone interested in editing erotic material or they are asking a pretty high price.

If anyone is able to help out PM me or I'd also be grateful for any tips or warnings on what to look out for, as well as a rough idea of what is a reasonable rate for getting my manuscript (56,000 words) edited.

 

[PacoFear]

Hiya Harding,

Do you have a publisher lined up? Assuming you can get your draft into a serviceable condition, some publishers will edit it for you as part of their service and to conform to their house style. Point is, don't shell out for an edit if you don't have to. Check with your publisher or intended publisher first.

Hope this helps,

-PF

 

[sr71plt]

What do you consider a "too high a price"? Not that I'm offering, but, although it's true that some do ask for more than the market average (some ridiculously more), it might also be that you have an unrealiistic view of what it should take (and therefore are spinning wheels). The rate of $1 for 100 words is a reasonable price and is a slightly low average for the industry--but is usually enough to find a trained editor.

Agree with PacoFear, though. Try to find an e-publisher who will do the editing at their own expensive. It's harder to find an e-publisher that will do this than a legitimate print publisher, but, conversely, it's easier to find an e-publisher than a print publisher.

Someone else has noted that a possible way to find an editor for erotica is to check the staff pages of on-line erotica publishers. Sometimes the publisher's editors are listed--and often they'll do editing on the side. (eXcessica has such a list, for instance.)

If you are good at grammar and punctuation and word usage yourself, you might try trading manuscripts with someone else also looking for an editor.

And for trying to attract an editor--like here--you would be better served specifiying the genre and wordage of the manuscript you want edited.

Do you have access to PayPal? In the erotica area, this is a standard way of delivering payment. And since this is an anonymous arena, expect to pay half an estimated cost up front and the other half after you've received the edited manuscript back. That splits the risk.

 

[Firebrain]

I agree with Paco. Your grammar and prose aren't bad; if you're worried about plot then you're better off looking for a critique partner. I don't think anyone should pay for editing services unless they are planning to self publish (and 99% of the time, even then, you won't make back what you spent on editing).

 

[harding]

Thanks

Thanks guys.

sr71plt - I don't know why you seem to come in for so much vitriol on these boards. You are always around with good and sensible advice and there are some of us who appreciate your presence here.

Yeah, I should have posted more detail on what the novel is.

if you're worried about plot then you're better off looking for a critique partner

Firebrain - you're probably right. I used to be an editor a while ago, and am improving my self-editing but you always miss something. A critique partner sounds a sensible route.

 

[sr71plt]

sr71plt - I don't know why you seem to come in for so much vitriol on these boards. You are always around with good and sensible advice and there are some of us who appreciate your presence here.

Thanks. I think it's precisely for that reason. I get the same responses on mainstream publishing advice boards, getting the best responses elsewhere where they've paid me to get the advice.

I think it goes with the Internet (false) concept that every poster is equal. They are not, of course. Behind each poster is an actual fund of knowledge, running from the ever popular (on the Internet) zilch-but-since-it's-the-Internet-we-can-easily-pretend to the realm of useful and relevant. Those on the zilch end of the scale resent being called out on their zilchness. And those asking for help tend to go with the "every opinion is equal" nonsense. It's the way of the Internet.