3 Reasons to Hire a Professional Editor for Your Novel
Before having a professionally edited manuscript, we wrote the book, put it away for years, and rewrote it. That experience gave us much thicker skin—and boy did we need it. Editing is hard. The idea of taking a project you’ve poured your soul into and see it bleed and ripped to shreds turns many authors off to professional editing…or any editing.
The editing process requires a different mindset. Think of your manuscript as the raw materials for a house. Editing is the tools and expert labor that make those raw materials into a finished, livable dwelling. Without good editing, your rooms could be out of square, doors and windows could end up in the wrong place, and the roof will probably leak.
Here are three reasons you need a professional editor for your book.
1 – You’re too close to your content
You have a clear idea about your characters and themes and are confident you can communicate those things on the page. You finish your first draft, or maybe your tenth draft, and are convinced it’s perfect. What you don’t know, you don’t know. A man standing three inches from a wall without a level doesn’t know he’s hanging a picture crooked.
Professional editors are (1) professional, meaning they know industry standards and modern writing techniques you may not be aware of or just miss in your attempts to self-edit. Professional editors are (2) emotionally removed enough from your content to see its flaws. They can help you communicate your ideas in a way the reader will clearly understand.
2 – Professional editors are objective
Friends make bad editors. Friends and family will most likely give praise in heaps and criticism in teaspoons. They will tell you to change the wallpaper when what you really need is a remodel. Professional editors have no stake in your emotional wellbeing. They will tell you exactly what you need to make your story clear and cohesive.
3 – A good edit makes a good story great
When we first drafted our book and gave it to friends and family to read, they gave us feedback (positive and constructive) that sent us down rabbit hole after rabbit hole. We added whole sections to the plot that were out of scope of the story and took away things that needed to be there. Some of these were good writing exercises but had no real place in the process of creating a finished product.
A good content editor will help you keep your project in scope and on track. A good line editor will help clarify your themes and ideas. And a good proofreader will save you from embarrassing errors. Combined, these disciplines will take a good story and make it great. Don’t settle for good. There are a lot of good stories out there. If you truly want to stand out, especially if you are self-publishing, get a good professional editor.
Professional editing is a must for any author.
If you think you don’t need it, check your ego at the door. If you think you can’t handle it, let go of your first draft and get a thicker skin. If you think you can’t afford it, save your money. It’s well worth the investment.
Editing has become our favorite part of the writing process. It’s amazing to see these raw materials become the masterpiece we envision. Learn to love the editing process. It’s the best thing you can do for your writing.
And yes, this blog post was edited…several times.
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