When Should You Contact an Editor?

June 13, 2024

Hey, folks!

A quick little PSA:

Make sure to reach out to an editor sooner than you think you’ll need to, especially for longer-form content. (But really, any content, just in case.)

There are times that I and other editors can start working on the project you come to us with in a couple weeks. But it’s not guaranteed, especially for things like large poetry collections or novels.

Sometimes start dates will be months down the line. I currently have a client with a hefty project set to start in September. I’ve booked a proofreader for my own novel, and I requested a start date of November, which she had room for.

My client’s ideal start date was early August, but I wasn’t able to accommodate that for her given project, so I offered the next best option, which she was happy to take.

And if I waited until October to reach out to a proofreader, I highly doubt I would’ve gotten one to start for me before January.

Sometimes schedules are open; but it’s best to expect a wait, or request a date far in advance. Anything sooner can be a bonus!

Deadlines can be tight; editors know that! But stress can be removed on both ends with some planning. (You in that you know you have an editor secured, can plan other elements around those dates, and know how much time you have to work on things in the meantime; the editor in knowing they have a guaranteed job coming up, and there’s less rush to get prep documents ready.)

This isn’t to say you need to reach out six months in advance every time (though some editors are booking that far out); a couple months out can be possible, depending on the editor’s timetable and the project at hand.

So if you know you’re going to need an editor for a project, reach out to them sooner rather than later, just in case. It’ll save you both some stress!

Want a sample edit? Contact me today!