Last weekend was, for me, finally, a lazy weekend. The kids were off doing the stuff my kids do and I had time and space to sleep in, lay around, breathe, and read.

And then I woke up Sunday morning to find this: Great Editors for SFF Novelists.

Author Traci Loudin has listed her top five picks for editors. And while she gets my turnaround time wrong (I strive to get your manuscript done in no more than one business week), the rest is pretty darn good.

Just goes to show what a lot of hard work will get you, right? First India Drummond, who has been an incredible client and a valued friend, too. And now Traci Loudin, who I haven’t yet had the chance to work in-depth with, but I’m hopeful we’ll get to. Both of these writers have recognized me for being among the best at what I do.

When you’re vetting your editor, remember this, especially because the other thing I had going on over the weekend was someone vetting editors strictly on price. Sometimes, you have to pay more for the editor who winds up on top lists. Every time (well, at least when it’s me you’re paying more for), it’ll be worth the extra cost.

As I said to that potential client, “I can fix errors in your book after it’s published. But I can’t fix the bad reviews that led you to ask me to fix someone else’s bad job.”

Even if it’s a stretch, hire the best you can afford. That means samples, sure. It means time spent doing research. But your book will benefit for it, and at the end of the day, isn’t that what you’re here for?