Calling All Editors

Snapple Real Fact #830: The average human dream lasts only 2 to 3 seconds.

(Found under the lid of my Snapple Papaya Mango Tea - Inspired by India and The Amazing Race)

Let’s hope my dream lasts a little longer than average!

So what’s the deal with the Snapple Real Fact? I drink a lot of tea. I mean a lot. I’m not that picky either: sweetened, unsweetened, peach, black with lemon, raspberry, white blueberry, infused with pomegranate, Long Island. You name it, I probably drink it. Lately I’ve been on a Snapple bender so I thought it would be fun (and maybe even educational) to start each post with that days Snapple Real Fact.

Now back to business. I put the finishing touches on my manuscript today and am ready to move into the next stage of production: editing. Turns out, editors don’t come cheap. My first quote came in at $1,700. Yikes! I knew it was going to be pricey, but I wasn’t quite prepared for that number. (Good thing I was at happy hour when that one came in. It helped take the sting off a little bit!)

My dilemma is twofold:

1.       Should I invest that kind of money in an editor at this point?

2.       How do I know I’m getting my money’s worth?

I believe in my work. It’s good and would definitely be classified as commercial. I’ve gone through the manuscript three times to scrub it for grammatical and syntax errors and all that good stuff. Unfortunately, I’m also a realist who’s at least marginally self-aware. I’m comma happy. What I need most is a grammar guru.

I’m confident I could find cheaper editors, but how do I know if they’re really any good until it’s too late? They’ve all got piles of testimonials on their websites, but frankly most of them don’t instill a lot of confidence in me.

Here’s the deal… I’d love to be able to go cheaper, but I’m sure it’s a case of ‘you get what you pay for’. I’m going to keep searching for the time being.  If you know anyone who’s got an English background or experience with copy editing (and who might be looking for some freelance work), feel free to drop me a line.

J.J. Bonds