I came across this handy article and thought it might be helpful to some folks. I got it from Jane Friedman, who I consider a very influential resource in the publishing realm.
Comprehensive Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with an Editor by Jane Friedman
The Christian PEN is open to any Christian* who:
It is also the place where authors can find a seasoned Christian editor to help them with their projects. Check it out!
Need to check your grammar, word choice, definitions, and so on? Here are a couple of great tools for that.
Sometimes it’s easier just to watch a short video about how to run the Track Changes feature on Word than it is to try and explain it on the phone. I highly recommend these two resources, one a short video and the other a blog-style resource to get you started on the basics. Anything that can help the work flow more smoothly between writer and editor is worth it.
Different publishing houses prefer different style guides, which is a very handy piece of information to know if you’re a writer or editor. If you are an author who self-publishes, the key is to pick a style you like best and move forward with that, making sure to stay consistent with one style. I tend to prefer CMOS.
Some of these resources require memberships to access their online style books, or you can buy a hard copy as a reference tool. AP and MLA you can access on the Purdue OWL website (see links below). Here are the typical ones I use:
Like lawyers, consultants, and other professionals in their field, editors are professionals in the field of writing and publishing. How can you know if your editor is charging too much or if you are getting a great deal? It depends! How many years of experience does your editor have? Have they worked in or for publishing houses? What type of editing are they doing for you? Are they professionals, as in do they make a living editing, or is proofreading a side job or hobby? If you’re interested in knowing the industry standard for professional copyeditors, here’s a great resource for you:
The author (or publisher) is responsible for obtaining a copyright for their work (not the editor). You don’t have to file for a copyright with the Copyright Office, but I recommend you do. Technically, your work is protected once you create it. But if it were to get stolen or pirated, your only recourse would be through the Copyright registration process.
Here is a website to access information and fees from the Copyright Office: http://www.copyright.gov
This is a great website for writer’s of all levels.