If you have recently finished a manuscript, or are looking to do so soon, you may be wondering when to start searching for an editor – or if you even should! This is a common concern for writers and the answer can vary depending on your specific needs. There are however a few questions to consider before making any decisions.
Is your manuscript complete?
Most editors require you to send over a finished manuscript. What counts as finished? you might ask. Well, ideally a manuscript that has a complete plot and is polished to the best of your ability. Of course, if you're looking for an editor, it's likely because you need help with the polishing stage. However, you should have done everything you can to make the manuscript publisher ready.
Some editors (structural and developmental) will work with you on earlier drafts of a book. They can help you to shape the plot and create an effective structure. What editors tend not to do is work on first drafts or rewrite the story for you. Either way, it's always worth researching the right type of editor for you and only doing so once you have done all you can with your story.
Are you planning to submit to agents and publishers?
If you are submitting your manuscript to traditional agents and publishers, you may not require an editor just yet. Publishers have their own editing process so if your manuscript is successful, it will go through multiple reviews anyway. If you are content with the quality of your work and have perhaps had friends and family provide you with feedback, it might be best to hold off on hiring an editor.
Having said that, editors are trained in handling manuscripts and can help you prepare yours for submission. If you know you're awful at grammar and punctuation, asking a proofreader to run a quick check prior to submission can help to eliminate any last minute errors. Ultimately, the choice is yours but the message here is that an editor isn't always essential if you are planning to go down the traditional publishing route.
What if you want to self-publish?
There is no hard and fast rule saying you have to hire an editor before self-publication. However, your book will almost certainly be better off for having a set of professional eyes glance over it. Authors who edit their own work nearly always miss something. However skilled you are as a writer – or even editor – some errors always slip through. A professional editor can offer a fresh opinion on your writing and catch those tiny mistakes that will haunt you post-publication if they are missed.
If your book is complete and you feel ready to upload it to Amazon, then now is the time to find an editor. Bear in mind that editors can be busy, so searching for someone to help you sooner rather than later is generally beneficial.
Have you received feedback and don’t know how to implement it?
If you have already submitted your work to an agent/publisher and received feedback, now can be a good time to enlist the support of a good editor. Perhaps you have questions about why your work was rejected or maybe you’re unsure on how to implement suggestions. Of course, you might feel confident enough to make the amendments on your own but if the feedback is significant, having someone help you to improve your work can be useful and actually save you time.
To sum up
These are four of the most important questions to ask yourself when looking to hire an editor. Think about what stage your manuscript is at, how successfully you can polish it yourself, and who you are submitting to before making a final decision.
If you're still unsure, feel free to reach out with your query. I offer manuscript assessments and can help you determine what sort of edit you require or whether you need an editor at all.
Comments