Editors love what they do.
One becomes an editor for any number of reasons. They enjoy helping creatives. They have a passion for books/stories. They’re word nerds. The list goes on.
Editors do not love turning down work due to already being booked and their client not giving them proper notice. There are only so many hours in a day, and nobody can say yes to everything.
The number one way to minimize scheduling conflicts is to plan ahead. Let your editor know well in advance when you believe you’ll need them so they can get you on their calendar as soon as possible. This is beneficial for both parties, and it doesn’t mean things are set in stone. It gives your editor an idea of what they can say yes or no to around that time, and it gives you a goal to work toward, a soft deadline. And if you do have to push things back, the sooner you let your editor know, the better. They won’t be irritated if you send them an update saying you need more time; they’ll thank you. It means they can potentially book someone else for that time and still get to you when you’re ready (a win-win). If you do end up having a last-minute delay, try to be okay with the fact that they’ll likely need to push your work behind a prior commitment.
It’s never a good idea to rush a project. Take all the time you need with your story before you send it off to your editor, and in turn give them the time they need to do a good job. Trust me, they won’t take forever because they want to say yes to as many clients as possible. If things do get pushed back and you’ve already established a good working connection with them, it’s better to be patient and wait until they’re available as opposed to scrambling to find a new editor. Building lasting working relationships is invaluable.
Timothy