It’s #ThrowbackThursday! The Editors’ Weekly archives are a treasure trove of valuable advice and insight. In this series we highlight some of our favourite gems from the past.
It is a question all freelance editors must ask themselves: To offer a sample edit or not to offer a sample edit?
To find the answer, today we’re featuring Laura Bontje’s December 2022 post The Pros and Cons of Sample Edits, in which Laura explores the reasons for and against offering potential clients a brief preview of your editing style and expertise.
An update from the author
Laura recently provided us with an update to her original piece:
It’s been nearly four years since I wrote about sample edits, and I’m pleased to say that my system still works well for me! If you’re considering how to approach sample edits, I have two points to add to my previous reflections:
- I provide free sample edits to new clients (for reasons you’ll see in the post). I don’t do sample edits for returning clients; they’ve already seen my editing style in far more detail than a sample could show!
- Sometimes a manuscript isn’t ready for editing or the content isn’t a fit for my services. For a long time, I felt obligated to include a free sample edit even if I knew I’d be declining the project. I don’t do that anymore. After all, if a client won’t be working with me, then they don’t need a preview of my editing style — and if I’m not the right fit for the project, then I’m probably not the right person to offer guidance anyway.
Have your sample edit practices changed over time?
Be sure to check out the original post here.
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Previous post from Laura Bontje: Welcome to the Grammar Table
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Laura Bontje
Laura Bontje is a freelance editor whose clients include award-winning authors, Big 5 publishers, indie authors and those just beginning their writing journeys. Her areas of specialty include children's literature (from picture books to YA), mysteries/thrillers and upmarket fiction.
When she's not editing other people's books, Laura writes her own. Her picture books include Was It a Cat I Saw? (illus. Emma Lidia Squillari), When the Air Sang (illus. Sarah Whang), Marian's Big Dig (illus. Scot Ritchie) and more to come.
Laura served as managing editor of The Editors' Weekly from 2023 to 2025. She lives in London, Ontario.