Does the editor have a smooth communication process?
When you first make contact, see if the editor has a prompt, easy flow between reviewing your work, making an estimate and initiating the project. An editor should be experienced enough to handle these most basic elements of client communication well. • Is the editor willing to do a sample edit? Most editors do a free sample edit on a few pages of your work so that you can assess the chemistry between editing and writing styles. Some perfectly reputable ones do not. In any case, ask. Even if the editor doesn’t provide a free sample, you should never be made to feel silly for wanting more information. And if you do get a sample edit, it’s an excellent opportunity to see exactly what you’ll be getting. • Who are the editor’s clients? Ask for references or testimonials, a list of successes (acceptances by agents or publishers, brisk sales of self-published works), and what kinds of projects the editor usually handles. You’ll start to get an idea of whether his or her experience is a good
