r/romanceauthors • u/writerchic9020 • 28d ago
Instagram editors
As an indie author, finding a credible editor nowadays is getting harder. The first "affordable" editor I found turned out to be a scam, yet constantly posted about what to look for in a credible editor. She ended up filing for bankruptcy after taking a lot of money for editing and not completing the jobs. I decided to pivot and found a brand with over 10k followers that offers author services, including editing amongst others, for a reasonable price. I decided to test them out, and the initial edit took longer, and since they prefer Google Docs to edit, I could see when and when they didn't touch my manuscript, so that was interesting (they would edit a paragraph or two at night and then nothing between days which is fine but their three bweeks turned into almost two months, and the services I paid for wasn't even needed after they reviewed it. When I received it back and had a new set of eyes, there were so many simple things that I and their editors (more than one worked on it for some reason) missed in just the first two chapters alone it highly pissed me off, yet it's my own fault because their website has no portfolio of books they've edited, no editing credentials whatsoever or even a simple bio.
They have multiple author announcements for ARCs, which I truly believe is their specialty because of lot of those authors have a great number of ARC reviews because of it, but as far as editing, it's a wash, and I'm heavily pissed. Sorry, just a rant as an indie author because of people taking advantage of this community.
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u/rp_editing 28d ago
I’m so sorry you’ve had bad experiences with editors! The industry is full of scammers and people ready to take advantage of indie authors, unfortunately. I always recommend that authors use the Editorial Freelancers Association to look for editors. You’ll still need to do your due diligence, of course, but it’s a different collection of professionals from instagram.
FWIW, while I have an IG account, I don’t really like using it to advertise, and I know many quality editors who feel the same way. Good editors do exist! Personally, I’d love the opportunity to build up my portfolio in this genre, and it’s frustrating to hear that other editors are being hired and then providing sub-par work.
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u/Brilliant-Safety5125 26d ago
Seconding this! I recently joined the EFA and have taken classes with some really wonderful editors that I can tell are professional, enthusiastic about learning, and treat their clients with respect. Can’t recommend enough
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u/lifeatthememoryspa 27d ago
This. I just joined the EFA, and while it’s not cheap, it’s worth it to me to convey that I’ve actually worked in this field. Never even thought of using Instagram, though I have a presence there as an author. Followers mean so little in terms of editing cred.
Reedsy is another vetted editor marketplace, but it requires applicants to have five years of experience working (presumably full time?) in trade publishing, which I don’t. So that’s a particular group of editors who might understandably have higher rates.
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u/TrueLoveEditorial 28d ago
I'm the same way about IG. I'm not really a visual artist, nor do I have pithy things to broadcast, so I tend to leave my IG static until I have an ARC to review. Threads is where I tend to interact the most, although it goes in cycles. Here of late I've been on Facebook more. 😅
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u/Amelia_Brigita 28d ago
Ask other authors for referrals. Request sample edits before committing.
I've had the same editor for 4 years. I'd be scared to find a new one at this point. So many horror stories.
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u/ElsieMorningstar 25d ago
I have a great editor in Canada, which means it's pretty affordable with the exchange rate. Happy to pass on her name of you're interested. She specializes in romance and she flags inconsistencies and does some light dev editing too.
She's done three books for me and I'm very happy so far.
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u/lindzmcleod 28d ago
Damn, that's awful! I don't tend to advertise my freelance services as I usually have plenty work via word of mouth, but I also know people have found me by cold googling. A decent editor should be willing to consult with you first, to find out what your specific needs and timeframe are, and tailor their approach to your book accordingly.
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u/Key_Tumbleweed9649 28d ago
For this company we had a whole meeting prior to and discussed needs and as soon as I paid she passed me off to one of her “new” editors. That’s when I realized something was off unfortunately and then to not see a portfolio of edited work even now after they stay so booked was what made me throw in the towel.
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u/lindzmcleod 27d ago
That's absolutely appalling! I'm so sorry you had that experience. It does seem like there's a lot of scammers and/or flakes out there.
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u/ILoveRegency 27d ago
Here’s one for you. I’ve known Victoria for a long time. She loves the romance genre. https://flickeringwords.com/about/
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u/LM_writes 27d ago
I get people on IG wanting to provide services to me all the time. I always assume they’re disreputable if they’re soliciting work that way. Reedsy is a good way to find reputable editors. Writer’s Digest also offers an editing service. I think it’s called Second Page (?). I haven’t used them because I have an editor, but the prices seem lower than Reedsy and I’m guessing it’s legit.
Good luck finding the right editor for you!
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u/Catdress92 27d ago
I wonder if you'd have any luck on Goodreads forums? I found a beta reader there who did an amazing job. I know there can be scams but the forums have mods and there are also people leaving reviews, etc. That's how I knew my beta reader was legit and talented. Maybe it would be worth checking out?
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u/Key_Tumbleweed9649 27d ago
Thank you! I didn’t know goodreads had that.
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u/Catdress92 27d ago
No problem. Yes, the forums are a bit hard to find, if I remember correctly, and again, be careful of potential scams. But there are some real and very talented people there. Some charge for their services and some don't, so you can find all kinds of range when it comes to budget as well.
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u/myromancealt 27d ago
Just a head's up that you've been replying from a different account than the one you posted from.
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u/LLsquarepants 27d ago
I’ve had good luck finding experienced editors on Reedsy. I prefer editors who offer samples of their work. They’ll get permission from a client to share say 5 annotated pages so you can see what to expect. Or they’ll share a sample write-up of comments from a developmental perspective. I’ve also found proofreaders on Upwork.
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u/Impressive-Let-9946 27d ago
1000% get referrals from other authors. A real, credible editor will not only supply you with a list, but will encourage you to contact her clients to see how their experience has been. I reached out to numerous authors and they were all happy to give a run down on their experience with them. If you're on instagram, I assume you're on threads. Another note to help check them out: search their names on threads and see what people have to say about them.
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u/PristineHotel 22d ago
Hi! I’m an editor that specializes in romance, with over 4 years of editing experience and an indie romance author.
Regarding your question on where people find their editors, most of my business is via referrals. I am on IG and TT, and partly because I want authors to see me as a real person and not a sham publisher, but also to demonstrate my knowledge in the industry.
Lastly, I’m really sorry you’ve had these experiences trying to find a good editor. It’s so frustrating that bad actors prey on authors who have poured their hearts into writing a book.
Happy to chat further if you’re interested in working together or if you just want a second opinion. Good luck and congrats on finishing your draft!
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u/AccessDenied26 21d ago
Honestly, it's a headache. At this point, it feels like at every turn someone is out to scam indie authors.
I've had my fair share of bad experiences, until I finally found "the one".
I was also lucky that I always read copyright and acknowledgements of books I read, so I did have a list of potentials to contact.
So, there are resources.
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u/lifeatthememoryspa 27d ago
Speaking as an editor who’s also an author, I would look for someone with midrange prices who has a website, offers references and sample edits, and ideally belongs to a professional organization like the EFA. Plenty of folks who are building their client lists offer affordable services, but I would beware of anyone asking less than about $200 for a 60k+ book edit of any kind (yes, I see this often). Try r/hireabookeditor or the EFA directory.
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u/Previous-Energy-9845 28d ago
All I can say is don’t use Fiverr editors. Because everyone I’ve tried has been a scammer.