Debatable: Do You Need a Professional Editor?
Weighing the Pros and Cons
Writing and publishing advice can sometimes feel obvious or like common sense: Have a fresh concept. Cut everything that’s boring. Keep the reader turning pages. But being able to truly see if you’ve been successful in writing a compelling work requires objectivity and distance that can be hard to achieve on your own—and this is where a professional editor comes in.
There are three primary reasons to hire a professional:
- The learning experience: You’ll grow as a writer by working with an expert who can point out your strengths and weaknesses, and give you specific feedback on how to take your work to the next level. Sometimes if you have an excellent mentor or critique group, you can learn the same things, but the process takes longer, and often there’s more confusion and doubt due to conflicting opinions. When you pay a professional, you’re partly paying for distance and objectivity. But you’re also paying to receive trustworthy and meaningful feedback and learning how to apply that feedback. This is a skill you’ll use again and again. You’ll begin to develop an intuitive understanding of what kind of attention your work needs and at what point in the writing process you need feedback. (There are different types of professionals, which we’ll cover in detail later, who work with you at different stages of the writing and revision process.)
- The industry advantage: The right professional editor typically offers industry insight, experience, or perspective in your genre that critique partners don’t have. Assuming you work with someone with industry experience, you’ll increase your understanding of what a quality editorial process looks and feels like. Once a writer has experienced the work of an editor who can make her work dramatically better, she often sticks with that editor for as long as possible. It becomes an invaluable career relationship.
- Submission preparation: The question of whether to hire an editor almost always arises just before or during the submissions process as a way of increasing the chances of a book’s acceptance. For better or worse, this is the key motivation many writers have in seeking an editor. The learning experience goes unacknowledged or becomes a side effect.
In query letters, I see more and more writers claim their manuscript has been professionally edited, and it’s no surprise. People inside the industry are known for emphasizing the importance of submitting a flawless manuscript. However, when evaluating professionally edited work, I find that it tends to be of lesser quality. This is quite paradoxical. Shouldn’t this material be much better?
Unfortunately writers don’t always understand what type of editor to use or how an editor is supposed to improve their work. This results in surface-level changes that don’t meaningfully affect the chances of publication. Less experienced writers tend to be more protective of their work and less likely to revise. This is also true of early-career self-published authors, who may fall prey to “it’s good enough” thinking or simply not have enough resources to invest in a professional edit. This can be a serious, career-stopping mistake. If the editing has been sloppy or haphazard, you’ll see that reflected in readers’ reviews. Even worse, if a reader has taken a risk on your work and been disappointed, he may never return.
APPRAISE YOUR EDITING NEEDS HONESTLY
When writers ask me if they should hire a professional editor, it’s usually out of a vague fear that their work isn’t good enough. They believe or hope that it can be “fixed” by a third party. While a good editor can help resolve problem areas, their work on the manuscript often requires the writer to do just as much work in order to improve the manuscript.
If you’re hoping an editor will wave a magic wand and transform your work into a publishable manuscript overnight, you’ll be disappointed by the results. But if you feel you’ve reached the limits of your own ability to improve the work, you’re more likely to benefit. Writing teacher Richard Gilbert once advised, “The more frustrated a writer is with his own piece—meaning he has struggled hard with it on all levels and has turned it into an external object, a misshapen piece of clay he’s almost angry at—usually the more help an editor or teacher can provide.” I couldn’t agree more.
Before you hire anyone to edit your work, you need to first understand the different stages of writing and revising, the different types of editing available, and what an editor can and can’t do in terms of making your work publishable. One challenge is that the terminology used to describe editing can be subjective and therefore may differ from editor to editor or from service to service. This may seem strange, given that we’re talking about an industry that specializes in language, but unfortunately it’s a gray area you’ll have to deal with. Before hiring an editor, it’s critical that you’re clear on exactly what level of editing or service will be provided. The first rule to remember: Never hire a copyeditor until you’re confident your book doesn’t require a higher level of editing first. Perhaps it seems obvious, but I see writers do it all the time. And doing so is like painting the walls of your house right before tearing them down.
Here’s another way to think about the editing process: Don’t hire a rules-based editor—someone who will look for sentence-level errors—when what you really need is a big-picture editor, who will identify strengths and weaknesses in the work. Some editors can provide all levels of editing, but it would be a mistake to hire an editor to perform all levels of editing in one pass.
UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF HIGH-LEVEL EDITORS
Developmental editing, content editing, and book doctoring fall under the broad category of high-level editing. This process inevitably leads to revision and significant, substantive changes in your work. It would be nearly impossible for a writer to work with a high-level editor and not end up doing rewrites. Even if the editor can assist in rewriting the manuscript to fix problems, the writer should not expect validation or praise but rather an extensive editorial letter and manuscript notations with detailed advice so he can successfully revise.
A thorough developmental or content edit from an experienced professional is expensive and sometimes cost prohibitive for writers. An alternative to this type of edit is a more general manuscript assessment, in which an industry professional reads and assesses the strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript. You won’t get page-by-page advice on revision but a broad overview of how to improve the work. Fortunately some high-level editors also provide assessment services in addition to more intensive editing work.
Developmental editors (DEs) are most commonly used for nonfiction work, especially by traditional book publishers. DEs focus on the structure and content of your book, and if they work for a publisher, their job is to ensure the manuscript adheres to the vision set out in the book proposal or the contract. They get involved early and while the writing process is ongoing.
Content editing has more or less the same purpose as developmental editing—it’s focused on structure, style, and overall development, for both fiction and nonfiction. However, content editors don’t often work on your manuscript while it’s still in progress. You’ll sometimes hear the term book doctor used in connection with this type of work. A book doctor is someone who performs developmental or content editing on your manuscript, usually after you have a completed draft.
In his essay “Developmental Editing,” Paul McCarthy writes, “A successful collaboration allows the author to feel sustained and liberated by knowing that she doesn’t have to bear the burden of creation, development, and refinement alone.” Either a developmental or content editor gives you someone else to trust and lean on. This editor’s goal is always to produce the best book possible for the reader, and her suggestions are made with an eye on producing better sales. She’ll be concerned with the narrative arc, pacing, and missed opportunities. She’ll do her best to troubleshoot and offer solutions to any inconsistencies or structural problems.
However, authors can be sensitive to feedback that suggests changing the book’s structure or eliminating entire chapters. As a result, they can find this kind of editing very uncomfortable, even though it tends to be the most valuable form. A thorough high-level edit requires you to let go of things that may be important to you personally but might not belong in the book from a market-driven perspective. It can be hard to see or accept the bigger picture of what the editor is recommending.
Whether you can overcome your discomfort will largely depend on two things. First, if you trust your editor, then you’ll be more likely to listen to his ideas and accept that he may see things more clearly than you can. Second, writers who see the editing process as a means of professional development—to improve their own abilities and perspective on their work—often tackle revisions with a more accepting and enthusiastic frame of mind.
KNOW WHEN TO EMPLOY A SURFACE-LEVEL EDITOR
Earlier I discussed writers who claimed to have their work professionally edited, yet their manuscript quality didn’t reflect a professional’s involvement. In many such cases, a writer has hired a line editor, copyeditor, or proofreader, which all encompass sentence-level or surface-level types of editing.
The task of line editing focuses on sentence structure, word use, and rhythm. Its goal is to create smooth and streamlined prose. Copyediting is generally more focused on correcting errors in grammar, syntax, and usage. Some copyeditors also fact-check and seek out inconsistencies or lapses in logic. Proofreading comes at the very end of the editorial process, sometimes after the book is already typeset. At this late stage, an editor would only be looking for typos, formatting mistakes, and other egregious errors that shouldn’t make it to publication.
Unless you have serious recurring problems with grammar and punctuation (which is sometimes the case with nonnative English speakers), it’s not usually necessary to hire a surface-level editor before submitting your manuscript. Here’s the rule of thumb I use: If you have some “oops” errors here and there, it’s not a problem, but if the agent or editor can’t read for more than a page without getting distracted by surface-level problems, you need to fix them.
CONSIDER THE RIGHT EDITOR FOR YOU
Knowing what type of editor to hire requires some level of self-awareness—you must know where you’re at in the writing and revision process and what kind of help you would most benefit from. Unpublished writers who keep getting rejected may need to hire a high-level editor to receive an honest and direct appraisal of how to improve big-picture issues. Some writers mistake a technically correct manuscript, one that follows all the rules, for the goal of editing. While the polish helps, no polish can make a flawed story shine.
Let’s return to the reasons you might want to invest in a professional. The three reasons are to learn and grow as a writer, to understand the role of the editor, and to become better at the editing process. Yet your true motivation may be to get closer to a publishing deal. Unfortunately not even the best editor can guarantee you’ll get an agent or publisher based on their work. There’s no editorial formula that will transform your book into a bestseller.
Ask yourself: Will you be okay spending several thousand dollars on a high-level edit if your work doesn’t succeed in getting published? If the answer is no, then you’re probably not in a good position to hire an editor. If you’re comfortable spending that much on long-term career growth—if you’re okay investing in improving your future work—then you’re in a better and more appropriate mind-set for this sort of thing.
If you are in a position to hire an editor, then the next question is: How do you find one? Start by asking other writers who write in your genre or category; word of mouth can lead you to someone who is qualified and has happy clients willing to recommend him. If that doesn’t lead anywhere, take a look at the freelancer listings at publishersmarketplace.com. Freelancers who are members of this site are likely more knowledgeable about the industry by fact of keeping an updated profile at one of the most trafficked sites in book publishing. They might also be actively working with traditional publishers and agents, which is a good sign.
You can also search through established associations of editors, such as the Editorial Freelancers Association in the United States and the Society for Freelance Editors and Proofreaders in the United Kingdom. These organizations also provide helpful information about what rates to expect, what freelance agreements might look like, and more.
EVALUATE FREELANCE EDITORS
Whether you search for an editor through a database or an organization, or conduct an online search for freelance editors, you’ll likely have dozens if not hundreds of options, and you’ll have to learn how to evaluate them based on what information they make available online.
First, it’s okay to judge them by their website. If you don’t get a sense of professionalism and confidence from the site, keep looking. You should be able to find a range of testimonials from happy clients—or if not testimonials, then success stories. If you can’t find any, ask. Avoid hiring an editor who can’t provide evidence of quality work.
Most experienced editors specialize in specific genres or types of editing. You’ll get the best results by hiring an editor who has a long track record of editing within your category of work. That means that if you’re working on a romance, avoid hiring a nonfiction editor, and vice versa.
Also, most experienced editors will work with you on a sample to ensure their style is a good fit and that you know what to expect. Sometimes this sample work is done for free, and other times you’ll be charged; both practices are normal. I recommend not hiring an editor until you feel confident the match will work out; it’s a big investment, and you want to reduce the possibility of a surprise at the end.
Avoid any kind of editing situation where you don’t know the name of the editor you’ll be working with. This can often be the case for writers who obtain self-publishing services or other packaged services. It’s important that you’re able to communicate directly with the person editing your work. You should be able to ask questions and have confidence in the qualifications of the editor. It’s not often possible to do this with a middleman obscuring who’s really doing the work.
Sometimes during the submissions process, you may hear back from an agent or publisher who recommends you retain the services of an editor and asks you to resubmit after you pay for the revision. You may be sent to a very specific service or freelancer they trust. While some agents and publishers do this in good faith in an effort to be helpful, others receive kickbacks for business they send to freelancers. So be cautious and always independently vet any recommendations you receive. It is generally considered a conflict of interest and inappropriate business practice for the publisher or agent to recommend his own editing services for a fee.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is assuming a friend or colleague who has an English degree or is an English teacher is qualified as a professional editor. Editing isn’t about academic credentials or having a good eye for typos. Book editing is a specialized area of expertise, and your average English major has never been exposed to either the book publishing industry or what professional book editors do for a living.
However, to save money you may be tempted to hire someone who has less experience. This might be acceptable if you’re looking for a rules-based edit or a polish, but ask yourself: Do you really want your book to serve as a practice project for someone else?
I recommend you seek a professional with a clear record of book-related experience who is willing to share the specifics of her writing and publishing credentials. It’s also a good sign when an editor is selective about what projects she takes on and doesn’t have immediate availability. Quality editors are in demand, get repeat business, and have their schedules booked well in advance. For that reason, you’ll have to be realistic about who you’ll be able to hire. The editors of best-selling books might be perpetually unavailable or out of your price range. They’re also more likely to turn down writers or manuscripts they don’t think are ready for their level of expertise or involvement. They’ll straight up tell you if they don’t yet see a strong enough foundation in place for you to benefit from a high-level edit.
Unfortunately it’s far more common to encounter the opposite situation: There are plenty of unqualified editors out there offering services and trying to sell you on how they can make your work more publishable. No formal accreditation process exists for freelance editors, so anyone can call himself one, and many set up shop with little experience or qualifications. Plus the growth of self-publishing has increased the number of people who are putting out their shingle. This means that freelance editors can quite easily point to published works they’ve edited, which may not reflect high-quality work.
REVISE, BUT AVOID ENDLESS EDITING
So begins the long journey of learning how to improve your self-editing skills, perhaps among the most important you will ever have. The most common advice you’ll receive from any writer or editor is revise, revise, revise. Revision is what separates the serious writers from everyone else; professional authors revise their work multiple times, with and without professional advice. If you expect to get anywhere in your writing career, you’ll need to find the right process or method for revising. The editing process is one each writer develops on her own through experience and trial and error.
But be warned: It is possible to overedit. If you find yourself rewriting everything again and again or going through a series of editors for your work, you might be using editing as a means of avoiding potential rejection. Sometimes it’s more important and helpful to get finished pieces into submission in-boxes than it is to spend endless time refining the same manuscript over and over. Most writers, though, are far more likely to be hurt by too little editing than by too much.