As an author, my book is my baby, currently in the last trimester, due to “birth” in June. Early on, I was fortunate to find a developmental editor, Nakiska Papenfuss from Reflection Harbor. also new to the field, who offered me a fantastic deal and did a beautiful job. However, finding a copy editor proved to be more challenging. Last year, while working on a different nonfiction book, I hired an editor from Craigslist who ripped me off. This experience was so discouraging that I set the book aside and have not picked it up since.

Joining Facebook self-publishing groups has been incredibly educational. Through these groups, I found editors for my fiction book but still need a proofreader. When I am ready to work on my nonfiction book this summer, I will know what to look for. The best advice I received was to submit a 1000-word sample to editors before hiring anyone.

On Fiverr, a freelancer site, I thought I had selected an editor, but when asked to provide a sample edit she put it into AI, gave it back without track changes, and tried to pass it off as editing. After sharing this story in a Facebook group, I was flooded with offers from editors. It felt like when I was seventeen years old and my sister and I, armed with fake IDs and clad in miniskirts, went to a bar on a nearby army base, almost all men (that is how long ago it was), wow, we were popular.

My advice for selecting an editor is similar to what I recommended to pregnant women during my years as a midwife. As important as credentials are, establishing a good personal connection is crucial. Your “baby” is precious; find the best hands to entrust its life to. My genre is time travel/alternative history, the book also addresses indigenous and environmental issues. All proceeds are going to a nonprofit organization. I needed to find someone who would listen to my voice, have impeccable professional credentials, and be affordable—the unicorn of editors.

The first screening criterion was an excellent website. Many editors don’t have one, but to screen multiple people without time-consuming communication, I needed to see their portfolios, reviews, and genres to get a feel for who they were.

Originally, I intended to hire a copy editor who was an American woman of color, who could relate to my content closely. I chose seven editors with diverse backgrounds for the 1000-word sample. All the editors offered a substantial discount because they liked the premise and knew the proceeds were going to a non-profit organization. The bids for the 141k book ranged from $800.00 to $4000.00.

A friend, who is not a professional, did an initial edit to identify the most significant errors. She later helped by reviewing the submitted samples, knowing no one’s background or the price. We both picked the same person. I did not choose the least expensive and ended up with a white British man. He found major errors the other six missed, gave useful and educational feedback, and obviously had the most professional experience. My friend pointed out that he probably gained more experience because he is a white male. Despite this, I chose the copy editor whom I felt I could safely entrust my “baby” to. Proofreading is simpler, and I would love to find a woman proofreader of color because if we do not give enough chances for diverse people to gain experience, nothing changes.

Anyone looking for an editor should take their time and find just the right person to “midwife” your baby for the best outcome.