How to Spot Red Flags When Hiring a Freelance Editor
Why your choice of editor matters
Editing is an investment. A good editor helps shape your novel into something compelling, polished, and agent- or reader-ready. But the wrong editor can do real damage — draining your budget, giving unhelpful advice, or even derailing your voice. Writers need to know how to spot the warning signs early.
Red flag 1: Unrealistic promises
If an editor guarantees you’ll land an agent or a publishing deal, be wary. No editor can promise outcomes beyond their control. What they can promise is to strengthen your manuscript and prepare it for submission or self-publication.
Red flag 2: Lack of experience
Editing business reports or academic essays isn’t the same as editing novels. Fiction requires sensitivity to pacing, voice, character, and genre. Always check that your editor has worked on published novels similar to yours.
Red flag 3: Vague contracts or no contract at all
Professional editors set out clear terms: what’s included, how many words, what format, when you’ll receive feedback, and at what price. If you don’t get clarity, you risk misaligned expectations and hidden costs.
Red flag 4: No sample edit or discovery call
A good editor will show you how they work — either with a short sample edit or a discovery call. If they refuse, you won’t know if their style suits your project. Editing is a collaboration, and compatibility matters.
Red flag 5: Excessively fast turnaround
Deep editing takes time. If someone promises a 90,000-word developmental edit in a week, they’re either rushing or outsourcing. Neither serves your book.
Red flag 6: Overly negative (or overly flattering) feedback
Feedback should be constructive, not crushing. Likewise, endless praise without critique is unhelpful. An editor’s role is to balance honesty with encouragement.
Red flag 7: Poor communication
If responses are slow, unclear, or dismissive before you’ve even hired them, expect worse once money changes hands. Clear, professional communication is part of the service.
How to choose with confidence
Ask about their background (publishing, agenting, editing fiction).
Request references or testimonials.
Be clear about what you want — manuscript assessment, developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, or proofreading.
Start with a small piece of work before committing to a full novel if you’re unsure.
The right editor feels like a partner. They challenge you but respect your vision. They push your novel to its potential without making it theirs.
Ready for the next step?
Book a discovery call with Tom Witcomb to talk through your project
Get in touch if you’re unsure which service fits your manuscript
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