This is a question I see a lot of indie authors and book publishers alike asking: How can you find a good editor?

It’s not difficult to find an editor these days. The profession has relatively little regulation, which means almost anyone can call themselves an editor. So long as you’re good at English and you want to edit books, you can start billing yourself as an editor.

There’s a difference between “finding an editor” and “finding a good editor.” While editors of all qualities might be a dime a dozen, the “good” ones are a little more of a rarity. If you want to find a good editor, follow some of these tips.

Know What You Want

One of the biggest problems I see is people who don’t know what they want or what they need. Even publishers don’t know sometimes. I’ve been told to do a “mechanical edit” when what the book really needed was a solid substantive edit. Later, there was some feedback about how the editor didn’t address this issue or that issue—although addressing these issues wasn’t in the editor’s purview.

If you don’t know what type of editing you want when you go hunting for an editor, of course you’re going to be dissatisfied when you get the edit back!

If you want an editor to address only major spelling mistakes and the like, say so. If you want someone to take a deeper look at underlying issues of structure, you’re going to have to ask for a more comprehensive edit. Before you reach out to an editor, familiarize yourself with some of the terms editors use to describe what they do. Learn the differences between a copy edit, a proofread, and a substantive edit.

Keep in mind editors themselves squabble about what really constitutes almost any kind of editing and where you cross the line between a “line edit” and a “copy edit.” You don’t need to be an expert, but being familiar with the terms—and what you want in the edit—will help you find the right person.

Look at Their Resume

What credentials does your editor have? As I said, almost anyone can bill themselves as an editor. You could start up your own business tomorrow and call yourself an editor. As a result, it makes sense to always ask to see a prospective editor’s resume.

Keep in mind there are no credentials that make someone a guaranteed good pick for an editor. I’ve met editors who have certification through editorial associations, and I’ve still been let down by their work. Some editors have no formal training at all—but they have years and years of experience. Editorial training programs are a relatively recent invention, so editors who have been in the game since the 1970s and 1980s might not have a fancy degree or training, but they may have worked for a litany of authors, publishers, organizations, and others.

You should also take a look at where the editor’s specialization is. Over time, most editors tend to carve out a niche. As a result, you may not want to hire someone with a primarily academic portfolio to edit your comic book.

What do you want to see on an editor’s resume? A combination of experience, training and credentials, and expertise in your area.

Ask Around for a Good Editor

If you have other authors in your circle, ask for recommendations. If someone truly enjoys working with their editor, they’ll likely give you the name! A publisher may also be able to give you some recommendations, although publishers can be more guarded about their lists of editors, especially if they use freelancers. They may want to keep those “gems” for themselves.

Asking around can also tell you who to avoid. Bad editors develop matching reputations. Your author friends may not want to put anyone on blast on Twitter, but they’ll likely be willing to give you names in private. They want to make sure you spend your money wisely when it comes to hiring an editor.

A Good Editor Should Prepare a Sample or Proposal

Most editors will give you a sample edit. The best editors will also outline what they believe your project needs and how they’ll approach it. You might also ask for the names of projects they’ve worked on and check them out yourself through a service like Google Books or Amazon’s preview function.

The sample allows you to see how the editor works. A sample edit on your own work might be difficult to look at, but it can give you an indication of what to expect. The proposal will also give you a good idea of what the editor saw and how they plan to address it. It can also give insight into their process.

If you’re still seeing mistakes in the editor’s sample or their proposal doesn’t address major flaws (or ignores your major concerns), you might want to consider another editor.

Look at Their Website

Another thing authors and publishers alike need to look out for is scam artists posing as editors. They are out there. Take a look at the website of any editor or proposed editing service. How clean is the copy? If the website is littered with typos and grammatical errors, chances are your work will come back to you in a similar state.

Good editors will also be willing to tell you about the people they’ve worked for and the projects they’ve worked on. If the editor is cagey about all of their clients, or they can’t name a single book project they’ve worked on, you should take your business elsewhere.

Finally, you should always be able to contact your editor! Most editors use a form for initial contact, but many also list mailing addresses or other contact methods. If you contact someone through a form and don’t get more information than a PO box or a generic email address, you might be looking at a scam.

Be Mindful of Your Budget

I once contacted a new prospective freelancer about working on a book project. He was very, very senior in the industry. He was well-known and well-respected. He wrote a lovely proposal about how he would work on the book.

There was one major problem: He wanted to charge $10,000 for the editing project. My budget was a fraction of that.

This guy was likely a good editor; I can’t say he was a great editor because I never worked with him. We negotiated a little, but couldn’t come to terms. Our budgets were too far apart. We parted on polite terms, but that was the end of it.

Always be mindful of your budget. Yes, you might find a good editor, but you may not be able to afford them. Some will be willing to negotiate, but others may not be able to. You may not be able to agree to terms. Your budget does factor in to who you will be able to hire, and it may rule out some of the best editors available.

Don’t think that means you can’t find a good or even great editor, however. I’ve worked with many affordable editors who do wonderful jobs, and many who go over and above for every project.

Conduct an Interview

Writing is your business. If you were hiring a vendor for any other business, you’d interview them. Same thing if you were planning to hire someone for your business; you’d most definitely interview them!

If you can meet with your prospective editor in person, do so. If not, try to arrange a video call or a phone call with them. Chatting or emailing can be useful, but it doesn’t always give you the same sense of the person. Of course, you’ll likely do most of your correspondence over email! Nonetheless, talking in person or on the phone can give you a real feel and understanding of the editor. Their enthusiasm for editing and for your project should shine through.

Look at Professional Associations to Find a Good Editor

If you’re really stuck for names and recommendations, peruse one of the professional associations for editors. While not all editors choose to enroll themselves, you’ll at least find a starting point here. If the association’s database offers you search tools, use it to look for editors who list experience or expertise in your genres.

It doesn’t have to be incredibly difficult to find a good editor. There are many ways to find someone who not only knows their stuff, but who works well with you.