Now you know what to look for as far as the type of editing you need, it's time to look at ways to find the right editor for your book. As with most things, you can never be certain about anything without experiencing it or going on trusted recommendations but there are a few ways to get right to the heart of the matter:

Ask For a Short Sample Edit

Most editors will offer you a short sample edit for free, usually between 1000 and 2000 words. Pick a sample of your writing and send it several editors; this makes it easier to compare the quality of their work. If you choose a company that you think suits you, ask them for profiles of their editors and choose the one you think has the most experience in your specific genre.

Use Responsiveness to Gauge Professionalism

How quickly does the editor respond to you? Do they stick to their own deadlines? Do they fully understand the doubts you may have and address them in such a way that you want to work with them? All of this can give you an idea of how professional they are.

Never Underestimate Project Management

It took you months to write your book; don’t expect the editing to be a five-minute job. You want an editing company who gives your book to a dedicated project manager. This gives you one person as a point of contact and one person who will oversee every aspect of the editing, making life easier and smoother for all concerned.

Consider a Holistic Service Provider

If you are looking for a professional editor, you most likely want a professional cover design too. Look around for a company that can offer most, if not all, the services you need to bring your book to completion.

Keep An Eye on Extra Costs

You could consider editing to be iterative – you may want multiple goes before the book is ready to be printed. When you are looking at pricing, look at how each round of editing is priced and whether any discounts are offered.

Make Sure You and Your Editor Can Communicate

Confirm with your editor that they are available to help assuage or clarify any doubts you may have and check how easy, or otherwise, this process will be, and how much time it will take.

Understand Their Complaints Policy

Even when you have gone through a tough screening and picked the editor you think is right for you, there may still be disappointments in store. Before you choose an editor, check on their feedback and complaints policies.

One thing that you should keep in mind is that while you may consider yourself to be a good writer, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you will be a good editor. Editing requires knowledge of the latest style conventions, an eye for detail, and a lot of patience. How embarrassed would you be if you edited your own books and then had to face a barrage of poor reviews because your book was full of silly errors? Setting a portion of your budget aside for a professional editor is a sensible investment; even the biggest bestselling authors need one!