I have been a professional full-time editor for more than twenty years with BubbleCow working for publishers, agents and directly with writers.
During this time I have seen the industry change dramatically. However, one thing that has remained a constant is the prevalence of under-qualified, under-experienced and simply just scammy editors.
I have written about this topic several time on Reddit, but the rise of ‘AI slop’, has prompted me to revise the feedback and create the detailed post.
Please note that if you are interested in developmental editing as a topic, here is an expansive article I keep updated that cover just about every aspect of developmental editing you will need.
OK, let’s delve into how you have avoid hiring a crappy editor.
Use of AI
Before I get to the flags, I wanted to say something about AI.
This is not so much the use of AI in general, but how its being used and what the writer is being told.
The problem with AI, in my eyes, is one of consent. Over the coming years, we are going to see the rise of AI tools for both copy editing but also, to some extent, developmental editing.
For me, ethical concerns aside, the main issue from an editorial perceptive is when an editor is putting a manuscript into an LLM (such as ChatGPT) without the writer’s explicit permission from the author.
It might be that a author is willing to pay for a cheap and fast AI driven editorial service, and that’s fine. What you want to avoid are editors that are doing this without first revealing the fact.
So, here are two situations I feel are undesirable for authors:
- Non-human feedback. This is when a writer is expecting a human to edit their manuscript, but gets an AI generated report.
- Lack of Permission. This is when an editor is putting a manuscript into an AI system without explicit permission.
As you will see from the red flags below, many of the suggestions are designed to ensure the editor can do the job they promise, and to ensure that you are not getting tricked with the use of AI.
What follows is a list of red flags. These are in no particular order. Its worth noting that I keep this article updated, which means I will often add new insights into the sections that seem to make the most sense.
Slipping into your DMs
A growing red flag in the industry is editors cold-messaging writers, especially via unsolicited emails or DMs.
Good editors are busy and are often booked up several weeks, if not months, in advance. They don’t sit around hunting for work because writers, agents, and publishers are already coming to them.
Legitimate editors also tend to have established ways of finding new clients: word of mouth, repeat business from past clients, and ongoing relationships with publishers and agents. In other words, they don’t need to chase random writers online.
Because of this, a reputable editor has very little reason to slide into your DMs. If someone is contacting you in an unsolicited way and pushing their services, that’s a major warning sign. It usually suggests they are short of work and actively chasing business, which should make you cautious.
Before you consider hiring an editor who has reached out to you like this, ask them directly why they are contacting you. There can be legitimate reasons… perhaps they are new and building a client base, or something about your book genuinely excited them. However, in most cases they are simply desperate for business and essentially cold calling.
No free sample
ALL legit editors will provide you with a free sample of thier work.
They will do this quickly and without question. In fact, for good editors, this is simply part of the process and they will assume an author requires a sample. Typically, this will be a couple of thousand words, but will vary from editor to editor and book to book.
The sample should include some kind of report or written feedback. Plus, (and this is important) if you are paying for line or copy editing your original manuscript with tracked changes.
The reason tracked changes is so important, is that copy and line editors that are using AI to create reports, are unable to provide samples with tracked changes. They will be copy and pasting chunks of your work into an LLM. They don’t want you to know this before cash has changed hands, so many of these will refuse a sample.
Little note here. A fellow editor informed me recently that there is a way to get around this and allow the AI to leave tracked changes. I stand by this red flag but proceed with caution.
AI a side, its worth noting that all types of editing, developmental editing included, will offer some kind of sample. If they are refusing to provide a sample, this is a HUGE red flag. An editor should be confident in their work and happy to show it off.
Also, consider that the editor is ‘interviewing’ your book. A free sample gives them a chance to assess if they can provide the type of feedback that you and your book needs. Legit editors will say no to manuscripts that are not working for them.
Note that some editors will charge for a sample. This isn’t an immediate red flag, but it is worth asking the editor why they are not prepared to do the sample for free. Feel it out and go with your gut.
Cost
You are going to see a huge difference in the cost of editing, especially developmental editing.
Here’s a detailed article about the [kinds of prices you can expect to pay for developmental editing].
As a general rule you tend to pay more for experience and expertise.
For example, I have been editing for twenty years, have worked with hundreds of writers, big five publishers, and have knowledge of traditional and self-publishing industries. Therefore, my prices are higher than a newcomer who is just learning their trade.
The issues come with editors that are charging very high or very low prices.
If an editor is quoting you a price way above the going rate, you need to ask why? What is justifying the excessive price? Don’t be scared to ask the editor directly to justify their pricing.
If an editor is quoting a very low price, again, be cautious.
It takes about a month to edit a full novel. This varies greatly with each novel, but this is a good estimate. If someone is offering to edit your book for say, $500, you have to ask yourself just how they are making money. Even if you JUST consider the time it takes to read a book and don’t include the time to write the report, the emails, the face-to-face meetings, and all the admin involved, $500 is VERY cheap. You have to ask what you are getting for this price.
One other thing to consider is the use of third party services, such as Reedsy. These services take a cut of the money changing hands, normally around 20%, and this is passed onto you, the author. Just be aware of this when comparing prices.
Payment
When considering payment there’s two things to consider.
The first is the speed of payment. If the editor is pushing very hard for you to submit and pay an invoice, this is a red flag. Scam editors are often looking to ‘close the deal’ as quickly as possible and will be putting pressure on you to part with cash. If this is happening, resist and run.
The second is availability of split payments. I feel that the best option for writers and editors is for the payment to be split into two chunks with half due on submission the rest on completion. This way the risk is being shared between the writer and the editor. This can even be done using an escrow system.
Splitting the payment also adds one additional benefit for you the writer. If, when you get your feedback, you suspect its been AI generated without your permission you are in a much stronger position. Editors that are knowingly creating less than ideal reports will be very resistant to splitting payment.
Contacts and NDA
Not all editors offer a contract as standard, and I don’t feel this is a red flag. In fact, I went for about ten years without offering a contract as standard, However, ALL legit editors will provide a contract on request. For myself, I have a detailed terms and conditions on my website, which I show writers. I also provide a contract.
The red flag is when an editor refuses to offer a contract. Scammy editors prey on this lack of protection and if an editor is refusing to provide a contract its time to ask serious questions.
The same goes of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA). I don’t offer an NDA as standard, since its not a concern for most writers. However, I will provide a detailed NDA on request. The same rule applies here as to contracts. An editor that refuses an NDA should not be trusted.
I recently updated my standard contract to include an NDA, not sure why I didn’t think of that years ago!
Contact
Book editing is a service and, like any other business, you have the right to know your editor and have direct contact with them. In fact, I’d go one step further and say that having direct one-to-one contact is essential. At a very minimum, you should expect to have the editor’s name and email. However, a legit editor will be happy to provide more.
I’ll be blunt about this one, I personally feel that you should have direct access to your editor. You are paying a lot of money for someone to edit your book, the least you should expect is an email. I have started giving out my WhatsApp number, as I find it is often the best way to communicate. I also encourage face-to-face video meetings before and after the editorial feedback.
If an editor has nothing to hide, then why would they not want contact? What are they trying to hide? If an editor is refusing sufficient contact this is a huge red flag.
Little personal note here… I would argue it is impossible to edit a book without having a vert clear understanding of the authors intent. This will often require a face-to-face chat prior to the edit.
Availability
Good book editors are busy, pretty much always. Word of mouth is powerful and an editor with a good reputation will be turning away work.
For me, I tend to have about a three or four-week wait before I can start a book edit. I make sure that the writer is clear about the time frame as soon we start discussing the process. I work on a first come first served basis, so its typically impossible to jump the line.
One red flag to consider is if an editor is saying they can start on your book immediately. If this is the case, then you need to ask why. It might be that they are new and are building a client base, but if this is the case they should be open and honest about it. However, it might be that they have no client base and are looking to just turnaround manuscripts as quickly as possible.
Testimonials
All experienced editors will have a list of books they have previously edited and should have some testimonials. I have found that satisfied writers are often more than happy to say nice things about an editor’s work. Some writers will indeed want a level of privacy about their book, but, honestly, this is pretty rare. So as an author, ask for testimonials if you feel it will help your decision making process. If an editor refuses then it should be a worry.
Turnaround time
The time it takes to edit a book varies greatly but an average novel (60,000) will take around one calendar month to complete. Though an editor will probably not be able to give you an exact return date, they should be able to give you a ball park figure.
One thing to understand here is that it VERY hard to speed up the editorial process. The editor will need to read the book twice. Some editors read faster than others but, honestly, if they are working at more than about 5000 words a day they are going too fast.
Though there’s no single red flag with turnaround, there are several things to consider.
The first is just how long the editor is going to take to complete the work.
If they are telling you a time that seems very short, then proceed with caution. If the editor is dumping the book into an LLM (AI) they will be getting results in minutes, not days.
On the flip side, if they are quoting a time that seems overly long, you should also be wary. It may be that the editor is very busy, but it might also be that they are very unorganized. Another explanation is that they may be working on your book on a part time basis. Again, not a reg flag in itself but you may find that working with a full-time editor will meet your publishing time frame. If you are unsure, ask the editor if your book is their primary focus or a side gig.
Once the edit starts, don’t be scared to ask your editor for an update. If you are starting to worry that an editor is not being truthful about the progress on your book, just ask them where they are up to. One trick is to ask them a questions such as, ‘Do you think the opening chapter contains enough world-building?’ Any legit editor will be more than happy to answer questions such as these part way through an edit. They might not want to give you sweeping conclusion but they will have some thoughts.
The last suggestion is more of a tip.
If you look at the tracked changes and comments within your edited manuscript, you will see time stamps, this will give you some idea of just how long the editor has spent on your manuscript. Also, if you are in Word, you can go to file - info and look at the ‘total editing time’. This figure should be taken with a pinch of salt, but its a good indicator.
Revisions
This isn’t a red flag, as such, but it is something that you should consider. Once you get your edit back you will want to make revisions and get some kind of additional feedback. You need to bring this up with your potential editor and see what their policy is for revisions. There is no real industry standard for this, so play it by ear.
What is important is that the editor is able to work with you post-edit in a way that fits your writing and publication process.
Recently. I decided I would offer unlimited revisions, I was nervous at first that I would get stuck in a constant stream of revisions from writers, but, to be honest, that’s not happened. Authors have respected the policy and it works well.
Bestseller effect
One other thing to consider, though not a red flag, is what I call the ‘bestseller effect’.
You may find that an editor is linking themselves to a bestselling book. This is great and its a huge feather in an editor’s cap. However, there’s one thing to consider. If an editor was working for a big publisher, the chances are they will have been attached to a popular book at some point. In many cases, the book would probably have been popular with any editor. That’s not to say they are not adding value, just that the value is probably only a small part in the books runaway success.
In my case, early in my career, I was involved in editing the hugely popular Horrible Histories series. At one point this was the bestselling non-fiction series in the world! I would like to think my input was essential in the global success but the reality is that it would have done just as well with another editor doing my job. It did, however, teach me a lot about what the editorial process looks like for a successful book. [You can read more about what I learned here.]
Platforms
Writers often ask me about the big platforms, because they feel safer than hiring an editor directly. Sometimes they are. Sometimes they’re just a different set of risks.
Here’s how I’d think about the two most common ones.
Reedsy
Reedsy is probably the best-known platform for author services. It started as a way to find freelance editors, then expanded into other areas such as design and marketing. More recently, they’ve also moved into paid education as they broaden their reach.
Reedsy does vet freelancers and that’s a real positive. But it’s important to understand what that vetting is (and isn’t).
In most cases, ‘vetting’ means the freelancer can provide evidence of prior experience editing book in a particular genre. What it generally doesn’t mean is that someone at Reedsy has reviewed the editor’s actual editorial output.
Reedsy are vetting for experience NOT quality.
This is why you can end up with horror stories such as this writer’s experience of poor service on Reedsy To be fair, this is problem not typical but something that you should hold in your mind.
So yes… vetting can give you some reassurance that the person isn’t completely unknown. But it’s not a guarantee of quality, and you still need to do your due diligence.
One other practical detail. Reedsy takes a cut (20%) of the transaction. That doesn’t make it “bad”, marketplace platforms cost money to run and this is pretty much the industry standard, but it does mean the same editor may be more expensive via the platform than if you work with them directly. Keep that in mind when comparing quotes.
One tip, if you are going to use Reedsy. You are limited to pitching to five editors. The editors will be made aware of your project and then they will provide a price. Pay attention to the time is takes a potential editor to respond. If they have not replied within twenty-four hours I would start to wonder why. Remember for a lot of the editors on Reedsy, freelance editing is a side gig and you will not be their number priority. If they are not pitching for potential business quickly, this is a red flag for me.
I have a really detailed article on [how to hire a freelance developmental editor using Reedsy].
Fiverr
Fiverr is a general freelancing platform. It isn’t built specifically for publishing, and you’ll find everything from voice over artists to logo designers to editors.
Unlike Reedsy, Fiverr doesn’t really vet editors in a meaningful way. They do have systems for reviews, dispute resolution, and they’ll remove sellers who consistently fail to deliver what’s promised but the platform is fundamentally buyer-beware.
Let me say this up front. Fiveer is the Wild West in terms of finding editors. There are many reports of people be scammed. Here’s an interesting article with lots of comments suggesting authors should proceed with caution.
That doesn’t mean you can’t find good people there. You absolutely can. But you need to pay very close attention to what you’re actually purchasing, because “developmental edit” can mean anything from a thoughtful, manuscript-specific analysis to a generic checklist and a few vague paragraphs.
Fiverr is often where you’ll see very cheap services and very new providers, which can be useful in the right situation but you should always ask the obvious question: why is this so far below market rate? Sometimes it’s a bargain. Sometimes it’s rushed, shallow, outsourced, or AI-driven.
And just like Reedsy, Fiverr typically takes a cut (again, often around 20%) which shapes pricing on the platform.
If you are going to consider Fiveer, I’d suggest you read this article about how to hire cheap developmental editors and this one about [how to hire a freelance developmental editor using Fiverr].
Agent/editor
I feel that I need to say something about scummy literary agents. Some less reputable literary agencies also offer their own internal editing services.
The pattern tends to be the same. You submit your book and receive a reply saying there is a major issue with the manuscript. They may then suggest that, if the book were professionally edited, they might be interested in representing it. Conveniently, they will recommend their own paid editing service.
I am not saying the editing will be poor. In fact, it might be really good. The problem is how the service is being sold. There is a clear conflict of interest when the person judging your manuscript also benefits financially from telling you it needs editing.
Be especially cautious of vague promises that the agency will reconsider the book after you have paid for an edit. This is not the same as an offer of representation, and there is normally no guarantee that the agency will be interested once the work is complete.
The editing may have genuine value, but make sure you are buying it because you want the editorial feedback, not because you have been led to believe it is a route to representation.
While I am talking about agents, there are some editorial services out there that offer a scouting service. They will match manuscripts they have edited with an agent. The problem is that the company then takes a 15% finding fee of any publishing deal. If you think that the agent will probably take 20%, it means the author will be giving away 35% of any earning. This has always pissed me off, its just shitty behavior from the editors.
Things I’ve noticed
These are just a list of additional things I’ve noticed over time, that may or may not be worth considering.
I am a huge fan of Reddit and I do feel it can be a good place to find an editor. However, not only do you need to watch for wannabe editors slipping into your DMs, but if the editor you are considering has their past posts and comments hidden, then ask yourself why? What are they hiding? Small point but, for me, its a little red flag.
Everything editors
Be cautious of editors who claim to offer every type of editing: developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. These are all VERY different skills, and each requires a different approach, mindset, and level of experience.A good developmental editor is looking at structure, character, pacing, and the book as a whole. A copy editor is focused on grammar, consistency, accuracy, and technical detail. A line editor is working sentence by sentence on voice, clarity, rhythm, and style.
It is possible for an experienced editor to offer more than one service, but someone claiming to be an expert in absolutely everything should make you cautious. This is especially true if they use the same vague description, sample, or process for every type of edit.