Which Book Editing & Proofreading Service is Best?

Many people who are writing a book with the hope of self-publishing or publishing it through a traditional publisher ask, “Which book editing service is the best?” Although there are numerous book editing services that are excellent, no book editing service is the best for each and every author. However, there is likely a “best” book editing service for each individual writer given the unique book manuscript, stage in the revision process, preferences and goals, communication style, and budget. Book editing and proofreading services vary in price and quality, so you need to be careful when making any agreements with a book editing service. Whether you choose a private book editor or work with a book editing services company, you should know the qualifications of the person doing the actual editing of your book manuscript. These qualifications include the book editor’s education, experience, and editing style. Examples of editing style are whether the book editor develops a style guide when revising your manuscript and whether they use Track Changes. The book editor’s qualifications are just one aspect of choosing the best book editing service for you.

Another aspect of choosing the best book editing and proofreading service for you is the type of book manuscript you’re working on. If you’re writing a memoir, for example, you want to select a book editor who has experience editing nonfiction and, preferably, memoirs. If you’re writing a novel, you want a book editor who is experienced with editing novels. If you’re writing for a niche audience, an editor familiar with that type of book and its particular audience is helpful. For those writing academic books, editors with academic book editing experience would be the best fit. Some book editing services will offer a variety of editors who can work on many types of book manuscripts, while others may focus specifically on certain genres of books.

When searching for the best book editing service for you, another consideration where you are in the revision process. Do you need developmental editing, structural editing, copyediting, proofreading, or something else? Which type of editing you need will influence the book editing service that is right for you at that time. If you only need proofreading, or a check of the final mistakes and errors in your book manuscript, you don’t want to pay for higher levels of editing such as structural editing.

Which book editing service is best for you also depends on how much interaction you want to have with the book editor, what type of feedback you want the editor to provide, and what level of detail you want in the feedback provided by the book editor. This information will influence your choice of a book editing service and should also be clearly communicated to the editor when you submit your book manuscript. If you don’t provide detailed instructions, the editor doesn’t have clear information on your goals and expectations. Good communication is important in every type of relationship, including the relationship between a writer and book editor.

When having your book manuscript edited, you should clearly establish the deadline for the book editing service to complete the editing of your manuscript and return it to you. This is important to establish before you pay or have the book editing service start to edit your book manuscript. If you need to submit your manuscript to an agent, editor, or publisher by a certain date, you need to think about how much time you will need to review the book manuscript after receiving it from the copyeditor or proofreader (dependent on which will be your final stage of editing before submitting your manuscript).

Your budget also affects which is the best book editing and proofreading service for you. Before submitting your book manuscript or any type of payment to a book editing service, you should clearly understand the total price of the book editing service and what that price includes. Is the price for one round of book editing services, or does it include two reviews? Is the book manuscript only reviewed by one editor, or do two editors review the book manuscript? Will the editor use Track Changes markup so you can see the revisions they’ve made or is another process used by the book editor?

As stated in this article, no book editing and proofreading service is best for all authors, but writers can find a best book editing and proofreading service for their unique situation. Before submitting your book manuscript for editing, writers should fully understand the book editing service’s policies on prices, deadlines, and the editing process. It is also important to define preferences and budget before comparing book editing services, as well as to clearly communicate requirements and preferences when purchasing book editing services.

About Editor World: Fast Book Editing & Proofreading Services

Editor World provides fast, affordable book editing and proofreading services without sacrificing quality. Writers and authors choose their personal book editor and can communicate directly with the editor throughout the editing process through an internal message system. All editors who provide services through Editor World are native English speakers, and our book editing and proofreading services are available 24/7, 365. Editor World’s prices for book editing services are affordable and transparent. We love helping you perfect your book manuscript to get you closer to publishing your work!