A book doctor (or, as the reputable ones prefer to be called, an independent editor) is someone who, for a fee, will undertake to edit your manuscript for grammar, style, plot, character development, and so on.

Many independent editors are highly-qualified professionals with substantial publishing and/or writing experience. They're reputable and responsible, and will do an excellent job of getting your manuscript into shape. However, there are also many editors who set up shop with little experience and few relevant qualifications; these individuals, well-meaning or otherwise, don't possess the skills necessary to perform a professional-quality edit. Still other editors and editing services are outright frauds: Edit Ink, for instance, an book doctoring firm that engaged in a kickback scheme with agents and publishers.

Dishonest book doctors (and the less-than-reputable agents who refer to them) often prey on the anxieties of beginning writers by stating that publishers won't look at manuscripts unless they've been professionally edited. Editors, they say, no longer have the time to edit--they want books that are picture-perfect and ready to publish. This isn't so. While it's true that editors are overworked, and less willing than in the past to spend time on a promising manuscript that needs a lot of tweaking, it's false to say that editors don't edit (they do), or that professional editing is a prerequisite for publication (it isn't), or even that the name of an editing service on a manuscript will make a publisher more likely to read it (no one at a publishing house is going to be impressed by the name of someone they've never heard of just because "editor" is attached to it). In other words, your submission needs to be finished, polished, and properly presented--but no one will hold it against you if you accomplish this yourself.

It's also not necessarily true, as many dishonest book doctors claim, that professional editing will enhance the commercial potential of a manuscript, or make it more likely to be published. Editing, no matter how much expertise is brought to it, is a subjective process. It may very well improve your manuscript, but there's no magic fix that will make your book a bestseller, or even guarantee a sale.

A few common-sense guidelines if you're considering hiring an independent editor.

• Request a resume. Ideally, an independent editor should have actual editing experience with a good-sized publishing company, or be a successful published writer (someone with a marketing or advertising or even a teaching background isn't necessarily going adequate editing skills). A good independent editor should also be able to cite published books he or she has worked on (be sure these are legitimate publishers). Membership in the Editorial Freelancers Association, the Independent Editors Group, or the Consulting Editors Alliance are all good indications of professionalism.

• Be sure the editor's experience is appropriate to your work. Someone whose main experience involves nonfiction, for instance, may not be the ideal choice to edit your epic fantasy novel.

• Verify that the editor is independent, especially if you've been referred to him/her. No second party (such as a literary agency) should benefit from your use of the editor's services.

• Get references, and check them. This is important. Other than a recommendation from someone you trust, it's probably your best way to judge an editor's professionalism and effectiveness.

• Ask to see a sample of a critique the editor has written. This will give you an idea of what you'll be getting for your money.

• Get a written commitment--ideally, a contract--for the work you'll be paying for, including the exact scope of the editing to be done (will the editor line edit only--i.e., tell you you should have used a colon instead of a dash--or is s/he going to provide a critique of your plot, character development, etc.?), the exact charges you'll incur, and the time period involved.

• Give serious thought to alternatives. Editing is an expensive--sometimes a very expensive--proposition. Do you have a friend you trust to critique your work? Is there a writers' group in your area? Would one of the online workshops be a possibility? If you're really serious about a writing career, you can't rely on others to edit your work--you have to learn to do it yourself. Workshops and writers' groups can help you with that.

And if you encounter any of the following, be wary:

• A referral from a literary agent or publisher. An agent or publisher may tell you that your book needs work, and suggest that you think about hiring a professional editor. This isn't a problem--unless you're urged to use a specific editor or editing service. In such cases, a kickback arrangement may be involved, a la Edit Ink. It's even possible that the agent or publisher owns the editing service (some use different business names to hide the relationship). Either way, it's a conflict of interest. How can a writer trust a referral that makes a profit for the referrer?

• Extravagant praise or promises. No reputable independent editor will tell you that your book has huge commercial potential or that it's likely to become a bestseller. Nor will s/he tell you that an edit will make agency representation more likely, or improve your chances of selling to a major publisher. Why? Because these are promises that can't be guaranteed, and a good editor, like a good agent, knows better than to make them.

• Statements that publishers nowadays won't look at books that haven't been professionally edited. See above. No reputable editor will ever tell you this, because it isn't true.

• An offer of a special deal and/or pressure to accept services. One way disreputable book doctors attempt to hook clients is by promising a special fee reduction or a limited time offer. Reputable independent editors don't operate this way, nor will they ever try to pressure a writer into a decision.

• Refusal of reasonable requests for information. Like a reputable agent, a reputable independent editor should have no problem providing a resume, references, and samples of his/her work. You need this information: it's your best way of evaluating the services you'll be receiving. If you encounter vagueness or resistance in any of these areas, move on.

• Lack of commitment to specific services. An editor should be willing to say exactly what s/he will do for you. If an editor is vague about costs, or doesn't want to specify what his/her fees cover, move on.

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