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For a dozen years, one of my biggest career dreams has been to edit book manuscripts on a beach beneath sunny, tropical skies, palm trees, and palapas, maybe swinging in a hammock. Well, this winter I’ve had the opportunity to do just that. In mid-January, my husband and I left Canada’s harsh winter climate for a six-week tropical getaway to southern Mexico. He’s retired and the snowbird lifestyle appeals to him, and my work is portable, so our plans seemed ideal for me to combine some adventures in Mexico while still working part-time.

So you’ve finished your masterpiece. You’ve had it reviewed by peers, beta readers, a few trusted friends. You’ve revised and revised, written a second draft or even a third, polished some more, and at last you feel ready to release it to . . . no, no, not the world! What you need next is a freelance editor—and you clearly already know that because you’re reading this article. Every writer needs an editor. But it’s confusing and sometimes overwhelming out there in the world of editorial services, and perhaps you’re unsure of how to go about hiring a freelance editor. Following are four steps to help ensure you find the ideal editor for your manuscript.

Wouldn’t it be appropriate to begin the new year on a positive note―with some gratitude? I thought so. After doing the same job for almost a dozen years, you might think I’d become bored with it, but the opposite it true. I love my work more than ever. To me, written language, along with music, is the most expressive of all the arts. No two authors have the same writing style, and the manuscripts I receive are marvelous in their variety. I’m often challenged, occasionally frustrated, and invariably astonished at the breadth and scope of the writing I edit. I’m never, ever bored.