Am I the right editor for you? I hope so, but the truth is that we won’t know until we try. There’s always the possibility that your text would benefit from someone with different experience or domain knowledge. And sometimes my editing style just doesn’t work for a potential client. We’d rather find that out before we wade into a project, right? Writing is supposed to be enjoyable. Or at least productive.
So for longer projects (2,000 words or more), I always offer a sample edit so we can get to know each other. On the shorter end of that spectrum (2,000–5,000 words) I’ll review and mark about 5–10 percent for you—a paragraph or a few paragraphs. For longer works, I review and mark a representative portion (a reasonable chunk of a white paper, a few passages from the manuscript), depending on the size of the project. This has several advantages for both of us:
- You’ll get a more accurate estimate. Because I’ve been able to review the full manuscript and “practice” editing it, neither of us will be surprised by a light copyedit that should really be an extensive line edit.
- You’ll know I’m confident in my qualifications. I’m fascinated by science but a poor choice to edit a biochem textbook. I don’t have the necessary domain knowledge. Sample edits help us both spot those mismatches.
- You’ll know how long your edit will take. Since I have a good read on the pace (pun fully intended) I’ll know how much time I need and how it will fit in with my other projects.
My goal is always for you to be delighted with my work and yours. Sample edits are one tool I use to make that possible.
How sample edits work
When you send me your manuscript (and style sheet, if you have one), I will skim through it, then pick a few passages somewhat at random to edit. Generally, I’ll take something from the beginning, middle, and end, to get a sense of the whole thing. This avoids the problem of selection bias—working only on the text you’ve workshopped a dozen times or only on the part you dashed off at midnight and haven’t touched again. If you’ve got a sample from another prospective editor, I’m happy to mark up at least some of the same passage for you (without looking at their version, of course), so you can make a direct comparison. I’ll return the edited portions to you along with my proposal and quote, so you don’t have to ferret through the document to find my markups.
With the sample edit, you’ll be able to review my style and see if it elicits any strong reactions. But this is also your chance to provide feedback and make requests. If you want me to do something differently, watch for something specific, or make particular alterations, this is our chance to match up those expectations.
Common questions
My project is a full-length book. Do I have to provide the full manuscript for a sample edit?
Not necessarily, but it’s the best way to get a firm, reliable estimate. The less of your manuscript I see before producing a quote, the fuzzier the quote will be. If I do a sample edit on, say, a single chapter, there’s a risk that you’re sending me the one chapter that you’ve written and rewritten six or seven times, so it won’t necessarily be representative of the rest of the text. It’s natural to want to put your best foot forward, after all.
That said, many of the books I’ve worked on have progressed chapter by chapter rather than from a completed manuscript. By the time we get to the later chapters we’re each more comfortable with the other’s voice and comment style, so the pace picks up accordingly. In the end, it evens out in the wash.
So for book-length projects, you don’t have to send me the full manuscript. You certainly can and I will not object—it’s by far the best way to get an accurate estimate. But if you’ve only got a chapter or two ready to release, that is enough for us both to get comfortable with the project specs. If you’re currently reworking a previous draft, you can send that along with your final test chapters. I promise I won’t judge you. Your rewrite secrets die with me.
My project is smaller than a full-length book. Do I have to provide the full manuscript for a sample edit?
For shorter projects like book chapters and white papers, yes, I need to see the full manuscript. The less of your manuscript I see before producing a quote, the fuzzier the quote will be, and with a smaller project there’s a strong tendency to select the one paragraph or section that you’ve combed over fifteen times for someone else to see. There can be a lot of variation in the writing even in a short piece, so I need to see the whole thing to give you an accurate estimate and protect us both from unpleasant surprises. But I can provide an estimate based on a not-quite-final draft if you are still making revisions (with allowances for the variation that introduces), and I will not share the rough draft with anyone else.
Is my submission confidential?
Absolutely. I do not post or broadcast your work—not even excerpts of it. Your manuscript will not be used as an “editing sample” for another client. You may be confident that I will zealously protect your manuscript and your privacy. If you decide to work with a different editor, I will destroy all copies of any manuscripts you have submitted to me. If we work together, I do reserve the right to feature your project on my portfolio page, and to reprint acknowledgments that are included in the published text, but no one else will ever see your unedited manuscript or my corrections and comments. What happens in Track Changes stays in Track Changes.
Will you sign an NDA before reviewing my document?
I’m open to it. Some of my business clients prefer this protection, and I understand that. But for a book author, I promise you it’s overkill. I have no interest in taking your work or taking credit for it. Only you could write the book you have written, and it’s not a book I could ever write or want to write. If you require an NDA to feel confident, we can work that out (as long as it’s not obnoxious—I’ve seen some odd ones) but I will treat your manuscript just the same with or without one.
Will you just edit a chapter for me?
If you are writing a chapter that will be included in a larger multiauthor work, I am happy to work with you and your project editor to ensure everyone is delighted with your contribution. In that case, I definitely don’t need the full manuscript, only your portion.
If you are creating a prospectus or pitch document and want to polish a few chapters, I’m open to that (but respectfully suggest it may not be the best way to go about pitching your book).
If you are just looking for editors who will piecemeal edit individual chapters to provide some sort of budget version of book editing, I’m not your gal, and you won’t be happy with the result if you find folks to go along with it. At least, you won’t be as happy as you would be if you used a professional editor to review the full project.