Self-Publishing a Book? Be Prepared to Hire Multiple People

January 17, 2024

Hey, folks!

Today’s blog is largely inspired by postings I see on Upwork. There are many writers who will list jobs in search of “an editor/formatter/illustrator” to help get their book ready. Not for three separate positions, but for a single one.

I have no doubt there’s at least one such person in existence – a unicorn of an editor, formatter, illustrator combo ready for the task. However, it’s important not to expect to find someone with every one of the skills you need.

When moving on to the hiring-professionals stage of the self-publishing process, approach the task as though you’ll need to hire someone for each individual thing – a developmental editor, a line/copy editor, a proofreader, an illustrator, a formatter, and whatever else you may need/want (sensitivity reader, blurb specialist, publicist, etc.).

If you’re posting to something like Upwork, it’s good to approach it like this. If you’re hoping to hire one specific person, you could word the posting something like this:

I’m looking for a developmental editor for [project details]. If you also offer line editing and proofreading, or any other publishing skills, please let me know.

That way, you not only alert editors that you’re in the market for things they may offer, but you’re also signalling that it’s not an expectation.

If you’re not posting to a platform, do some research! Search out the types of professionals you need, and then see what they offer. I recommend starting with the initial tasks of editing, and then branching out from there. You may find the team you want involves many people, but you may stumble upon a unicorn or two!

In general, approach the task with each individual job in mind. Here’s a non-comprehensive list (though still a decent one!) of what you’ll likely need:
– A developmental editor
– A line/copy editor (most editors do do both of these at once)
– A proofreader
– A formatter
– A cover designer
– An illustrator (for picture books, and sometimes for poetry collections)

Keep in mind:
– Many developmental editors don’t offer other types of editing
– Many line/copy editors also offer proofreading
– Some proofreaders are formatters
– Some illustrators/cover designers are formatters
– Some editors offer query packages to help with query letters and synopses
– Marketing (another tasks I’ve seen lumped with postings for an editor) is a rather unique niche, and the other professionals already listed may not be able to help you in that department beyond pointing you to a few resources

Of course, there are always exceptions, which is why it’s important to do research and put feelers out there. You never know what combinations you’ll find!

I offer developmental editing, copy/line editing, proofreading, and collection organization for poetry, copy/line editing and proofreading for novels, and developmental editing, copy/line editing, and proofreading for picture books. I’m happy to work with you on any and all of my services for your project! (Make sure to check out all of my services here.) And for services I don’t offer, I may be able to point you towards resources you can use to start in the right direction.

Have any questions? Sound off in the comments! And if you’re interested in a quote, send me a message 😊