Help for writers: How to choose the right editorial service

One of the trickiest issues for the inexperienced self-publishing author is choosing an appropriate editorial service. 

Self-publishing is technically quite easy. However, when we self-publish we have to take responsibility for all of the things that a traditional publisher would handle. Among these responsibilities are various levels of editing.

In truth, most manuscripts require professional intervention. When I self-published two how-to guides for my editorial colleagues (Business Planning for Editorial Freelancers and Marketing Your Editing & Proofreading Business), I didn't rely on my best mate and my husband to help me knock my writing into shape. I hired editorial professionals – copy-editors and proofreaders – whom I could trust to sort out the problems that my own eye couldn't see. Because my colleagues are professionals, they weren't worried about offending me or saying what they thought I wanted to hear; instead they got on with doing the job they specialize in: making writers' writing better.

For the novice self-publisher, working out which editorial service to choose can be daunting. My colleague Sophie Playle has produced an excellent infographic to make the job easier. I liked it so much that I sought her permission to include it in my free booklet, Guidelines for New Authors.

You can download the Guidelines here if you want to access all the introductory advice on navigating your way through the self-publishing process.

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Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and copyeditor. She curates The Proofreader's Parlour and is the author of several books on business planning and marketing for editors and proofreaders.

Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or connect via Facebook and LinkedIn.

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