Affordable Book Editing Services:
Get the Best Edit For Less
Finding affordable editorial services alone simply isn’t enough. To be beneficial, editorial feedback must come from a reliable source--someone of authority with extensive experience. Many of the offerings catching your attention at the top of search engine listings may be affordable, but will they deliver true value for their investment?
These listings inundate potential clients with misleading promotions, such as exceptionally low fees and free sample edits. And the high placement of these services in search results doesn't necessarily reflect the quality of their offerings either; rather, it indicates that they've invested more in search engine optimization and paid placement compared to more seasoned editors whose websites often rank lower.
Book editing is an honored profession. The best editors don’t beg for business.
Also, when conducting an online search for book editing, it’s common to be drawn to links such as “The Top Twenty Booking Editing Services” or “The Ten Best Book Editors.” However, clicking on such titles in this instance would be a huge mistake. Read Best Book Editors? Says Who? and see why. They simply can't be trusted.
Affordable book editing doesn’t equate to inexperience or inferior quality either. Some of the most seasoned professional services are actually the least expensive but their websites are not likely to boast fancy designs or offer heavy pitches to get your business. Delve deeper into search results to find them.
The following six tips will help you wade through all the clutter to find the best, most experienced and affordable book editing services available:
TIP #1:Don't be Impressed by fancy websites
Suppose, for instance, website #1 looks great.
It's highly impressive and has all of the fancy bells and whistles that you
would expect of a major corporation's website while 
book editing site #2
is only simple and straightforward in design.
Does this mean the services of site #1 are better than
those of site #2?
Of course not.
It only means that site #1 spent more money on web
design than site#2.
Obviously, this has
nothing to do with the quality of services provided. It only means that
site #1 has higher operating expenses that will likely be recovered through higher
fees.
Perhaps site #1 belongs to a corporation with plenty to spend on web design.
As for site #2, most established editors with years of experience rarely
spend a lot on web design.
Why not?
Because they don't have to!
They get plenty of business from referrals and through their professional
reputations. As a result, since they don't have to recover the cost of web
design, the best book editing services can actually be the most affordable.
Or perhaps the editors at site #1 are part of an association of editors operating under the corporate umbrella of a big business conglomeration. These outfits typically assign an editor to you. How impersonal is that?
BOTTOM LINE--Don't be fooled by the overall appearance of a book editing services website. Simpler often reflects better, more affordable editing.
TIP #2:Don't be impressed by high search engine rankings
Search engines are not as smart as you think.
For example, we assume that top ranking search results represent the best services.
Not so.
Search engines know nothing about editing services. Accordingly, they only know how accurately sites are designed to meet their search parameters.
Again, the money spent for web design is a factor here. Further, the top web designers know how to make their sites rank highly in search engines. In truth, it has nothing to do with the quality of the services offered or which are most affordable.
Don't be impressed by search engine rankings. Again, they reflect nothing at all about the quality of services offered. The most qualified editors rarely rank near the top. Site #20 can be that of a far more qualified editor than site #1.
BOTTOM LINE--Look for the best, most affordable book editing services lower in search engine rankings.
Don't be flattered by inflated
Praise of your manuscript
The time will come when you'll directly contact prospective
services and submit your manuscript,
but don't be fooled by sugar-coated praise of your work.
Some services will say virtually anything to get
your business,
so pause to consider if their accolades
are genuine.
The most qualified professional book editing services don't resort to hard sales tactics to get your business. In fact, they often reject more business than they accept.
BOTTOM LINE--If you detect even the slightest level of come-ons or false encouragement, look elsewhere. Professional editors never do this.
TIP #4:Don't be scammed by sample book edits
Sample edits supposedly provide an example of what you can expect from a full scale edit, but do they really?
Not hardly
Major manuscript problems, such as poor pacing, point of view violations, faulty characterization, etc. can't be evaluated through a small sample. In fact, only minor issues that don't really matter are detectable in a few pages.
Do you really want to choose book editing services on the basis of how effectively he/she identifies the small stuff? Sample edits are typically a come-on by lesser experienced editors to give you something for nothing.
BOTTOM LINE--Sample edits are worth what they cost. Nothing.
TIP #5:
Look for honesty and
Straightforward responses to your questions
Again, providers of the best book editing don't beg for business. They're professionals, and their communications are reflective of such.
You'll be lucky to have your manuscript edited by a top pro as they are in great demand.
BOTTOM LINE--It's easy to find someone to edit your manuscript. It's more challenging to find the right editor at the right price.
TIP #6:Focus strongly on Verifiable Editing experience
Many, if not most, book editors you’ll find online are weak in experience. How many of them have twenty years or more to their credit? Their dazzling web sites are designed to disguise this fact, to minimize or hide their lack of experience.
Think about it. For instance, if you required major heart surgery, would you rather have a doctor fresh out of medical school (or with no education at all) or a surgeon with hundreds of such procedures to his credit?
Don't be fooled by any of the above factors that can be faked. Years of experience cannot be bought. Prospective book editing services either have it or they don't.
And don't be fooled by sites that claim to teach you how to self-edit and thereby save the expense of hiring an editor. Consequently, you can't learn to self-edit any better than you can learn to be your own doctor.
BOTTOM LINE--Editors with many years of experience offer the most valuable book editing services.
EXPERIENCE MATTERS . . . in everything!
If you follow the above advice and expand your evaluation of search engine results to perhaps the top twenty or so, then you’ll find the most affordable services with extensive applicable experience.
The best book editing service is worth
More than its cost.
My affordable book editing services are available on a limited basis to a
select few unpublished authors who show exceptional talent and professionalism in their work. If you’re a serious
writer with an impeccable manuscript that showcases a story of interest
to me, I will consider editing your manuscript.
For further details and fee info go to my instant pricing page.
I will forever be grateful to Michael Garrett for making me a better writer.
-- Lisa Kay Presley via WritersDigest.com
I learned more from your advice than from all of the books I've read and the courses I took at Gotham Writers' Workshop.
-- Jack Trandahl
My agent called to tell me we received an offer for a three-book deal from Penguin. Thank you for all the knowledge you passed on to me. I learned so much from you.
-- Cecy Robson, author of Flame and Promise
Affordable book editing is yours if you
take the
time to search for it.
Related Articles:
Don't Trust Online Book Editing Searches!
The Down Side of Critique Groups!
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