So, you’ve read the previous post, and you know what you’re going to pay for and what you’ll do yourself. But how do you find someone to hire? How do you make sure they’re any good?
In this post, I’ll let you know what to look for, what to avoid, and also whether or not I think it’s a good idea to hire a friend!
Sensitivity Readers
What they do: If you’re writing any characters who have an identity you don’t share (race, disability, LGBTQ+, etc.), I strongly recommend you hire a sensitivity reader. This is someone who has that identity and can let you know if anything you’ve written might be problematic or harmful.
Where to find them: I used Salt & Sage Books and had a great experience. There are plenty of companies like this. They have a variety of editors, and you can request the one who best fits your needs. There are also lots of people who freelance as sensitivity readers. Try searching the term on Twitter and looking at the accounts that pop up (not just the tweets).
Red flags: If the person/company guarantees, either explicitly or implicitly, that hiring them to read your diverse character will prevent any backlash from people who have that identity, don’t believe them. A reader is only one person, and they can only bring their experience to the piece. There will likely be other readers who have had different experiences and won’t like your portrayal. The diversity reader’s job isn’t to make everyone happy, it’s to prevent harm to readers.
Using a friend: If you have a friend who shares the identity of the character you’re writing, it might be tempting to have them do a diversity read for you. While it might work, I would caution against it for two reasons: One, if you have written something problematic, it could potentially put them in a difficult position to call you out on it, and if they do (since that’s what you asked them to), make sure that you are ready to hear it and your friendship can handle it. (TBH you should make sure your friendship is always a safe place for someone to share if you’ve hurt them, but that’s another rant).
The second reason is that often our friends, even if they have some different identities, have similar experiences or backgrounds – economic level, type of education, job. If that’s not the same background as your character, it’s probably better to find someone who had a different experience from you, to cover your blind spots. And even if you use a friend, absolutely compensate them, whether that’s by paying the industry rate, doing a service in return, or taking them out to dinner if they don’t want any other payment.
Other notes: Be aware of intersectionalities; I had a lesbian Latina character, so I had a queer Latina woman read – those two identities will play off each other.
When you receive your feedback, don’t be a dick. Honestly, that’s the only way to put it. Make sure you’re in the right headspace to potentially receive criticism that can feel personal in a way other critique on your writing doesn’t. If your gut reaction is to feel like they’re wrong, take a breath and remember why you hired them.
You should have already done deep work into the culture you’re writing – don’t write a white person who happens to have dark skin and then ask your diversity reader to then them into a realistic person of color.
Cover Designer
What they do: Unless you have hefty experience with designing, you need to hire someone to create your cover. I promise you, it is worth it! They should know the market well and be familiar with your specific genre, as well as all the standard design tools like Adobe InDesign and Photoshop.
Where to find them: Look at indie books in your genre with covers you like and see if the designer is credited (either in the acknowledgements or on the copyright page). If not, you could try reaching out to the author to get the info, or even reverse image searching to see if the designer has the cover on their website. Don’t be afraid to use a pre-made cover, either. Sometimes that’s the cheapest option and they can look great! There are also lots of groups on Facebook, either for specific designers or where people get feedback on cover designs. Do a Facebook search and ask for recommendations in the group. Some other resources, compiled from Kirsten at Create If Writing: Go On Write and Parker Book Design.
Red flags: If they have no familiarity with your genre, it might be better to choose someone else. The look of a romance cover vs. a sci-fi cover is very different, and so you want someone who has successfully designed multiple covers in your genre.
Using a friend: I did it, and it worked out! But there were some key factors that made it successful. One, I knew we had similar styles and tastes. I have several friends who are fantastically talented artists, but not all of them fit what I had in mind for the cover.
Second, I knew our friendship could handle if I wanted to go a different direction or he really thought something was best. If you can’t be honest (like, really honest) then don’t go into business with them.
And as always, be sure to compensate your friend! I paid him the standard rate. We adjusted it as we went along and he spent more time than expected. But it was worth it.
Other notes: Do your own research – search Amazon for comparable titles and see what the covers look like. It’s a tricky balance of trusting your gut for what the cover should look like and knowing that the cover artist probably knows best.
Editors
What they do: Make your words better! But there are lots of different types of editing. I talk about this some in a previous post in this series, and it’s important to know at what stages you’ll want an editor. I only hired a proofreader at the very end, but if I were going to hire an editor for multiple stages, I would suggest choosing an editor who does all of that. They’ll be more familiar with your book and your style, and it won’t be starting from scratch each time.
Where to find them: Well, I’m a freelance editor! I do the later stages of editing: Line edits, copy edits, and proofreading. So I’d love to talk to you about your project! Otherwise, ask around in the writing community for suggestions of who other people have worked with and how it went. You can also look in the acknowledgements section of indie books and see if they’ve thanked their editor and look them up from there.
Red flags: See if they have any experience and/or testimonials. Yes, someone might be a great editor without these things, but it’s not worth taking a risk if they don’t have a background to show for it.
Using a friend: Go for it! If you have a friend who is a freelance editor, or just really good with grammar, I think this is a great chance to support their business and work together. Again, make sure your friendship can handle some critique (especially if you’re doing it at an earlier stage and they might really dig into your story). And of course I would recommend paying them the standard rate. But I think, especially for later stages like line and copy edits, a friend who is a keen editor could be great.
Other notes: If you’re looking for someone to do developmental editing early on in the writing process, see if they’re willing to have a short phone call with you. Ask them about their writing style, and be honest about how you receive feedback—do you want it without sugarcoating? Do you need some encouraging notes throughout? Make sure your editor knows this and that their editing style fits your needs.
Have you worked with anybody before? Are you a freelancer? Let me know in the comments!
Featured image by Christin Hume