Why hire a professional editor?
That’s an easy one to answer. You hire a professional editor because you want your work to be the best it can be.
A professional editor …
can help you create your best work and fulfil your vision for your writing.
Writing may be a private and solitary occupation, but publishing is not. It’s public, noisy and out there for everyone to see. In a marketplace crowded with competition, whether you are going the traditional or the independent/self-publishing route, it is vital to put your ‘best face forward’ and get your message across clearly to readers, agents and publishers at all times.
A professional editor can help you do this
Often, you only have one opportunity to make an impression that counts. Many writers’ biggest regret is that they sent their work out too soon and before it was ready. And, while having your book professionally assessed or edited is no guarantee of book sales, marketability, or that it will be accepted by an agent or publisher, there is a comfort in knowing that you have done what you can to achieve the best version of your work before you send it out into the wide world.
And last, but certainly not least …
Professional editing has a value over and above the edited manuscript returned to you. What you learn from the editing process, you take with you into your next project. So, in that sense, it’s not just an investment in your current book, but also in your career as a writer and/or independent publisher.
For further information, why not check out Book Nanny’s blog posts: ‘Remind me again why I need an editor’ and ‘The Business of Writing’.
So, what’s next?
Once you have decided to hire an editor, there are a number of other questions you should ask yourself:
- What type of editing do I need?
- When should I bring in an editor?
- How do I choose an editor?
- How long should I allow for the editing process?