Investing in Yourself

Hiring an Editor Is an Investment

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to better understand the value of investing in oneself. For example, a little over a year ago, I started working with a personal trainer at a gym. I don’t have far-reaching goals for the weightlifting and strength training I’ve been doing; I do it simply for general fitness and to feel good. The stronger I get, the better I feel. It’s an investment in my health, both short-term and long-term, and wellbeing. On top of that, I’ve learned a lot in the process.

Hiring an editor is also an investment–and not just for the manuscript at hand (though that’s certainly part of it!). There’s also value from what an author learns from the editing process, much of which can be applied to future manuscripts as well.

When I was a graduate student, I remember a linguistics professor saying something about how they hired a proofreader when working on their dissertation. I don’t recall the exact context or phrasing, but I recall one of my fellow students expressing surprise, and the professor responded with something like this: “I put in all this time and energy studying, researching, and writing. Why in the world wouldn’t I hire a proofreader to make sure I was submitting the best possible document I could?”

The same could be said for most any kind of writing. If you’ve spent time–often years–writing a book (e.g., a novel, a memoir), why wouldn’t you hire an editor? Why wouldn’t you invest in your project and in yourself?

What Does an Editor Do?

An editor’s job is to help you take your writing to the next level. An editor has a specific skillset–very different from a writer’s skillset–that they’ve honed over time, usually through a mixture of formal and informal training, professional memberships/groups, and experience. And the learning process is ongoing. For example, I regularly attend webinars or take classes on various editing topics–several each year. Like with any profession, staying on top of trends in both writing and editing is crucial. (Yes, writing does change! Languages changes, and trends come and go.)

There are four levels of editing: developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading.

Most creative writers need all levels of editing, and each level of edit is typically done separately. Developmental editing is done first; proofreading, last. Some editors specialize in developmental editing; others in copyediting and/or proofreading. Not all editors can perform all levels of edits. Some editors have specialities according to genre as well. If you’re not sure what kind of editing you need, that’s okay, too; your editor will help you figure it out.

Debunking Myths

Lately, I’ve become aware of an unfortunate shift in attitude among some writers–writers who are actually discouraging other writers (e.g., in writing groups) from hiring professional editors. It’s not clear to me why this would be happening, but it may stem from the unfortunate prevalence of under-experienced/unqualified editors offering their services (often for ridiculously low rates) and writers subsequently having a poor editing experience. As a result of such negative experiences, writers may not see the value of hiring an editor, and that’s unfortunate.

[On a side note: If you’re not sure how to find a reputable editor, one place to check is the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA). I am an EFA member myself and am also active in a number of editing networks. If I’m not the best fit for an author who contacts me, I can quickly find other editors to refer the author to. Most editors I know have a similar referral practice.]

Below are some common excuses I’ve heard for why a writer might not hire an editor; some are myths I’d like to debunk.

“It’s too expensive.”

It’s true that hiring an editor is not cheap. But it’s an investment in yourself and in your writing, no different from taking a class or getting a certification or advanced degree. At some point, if you’re serious about getting your work published (particularly for long-form work like a novel or memoir), you will need to take that plunge. If you’ve spent years on your craft/years writing, it’s rather silly not to make sure your manuscript is as polished as it can be before you submit it (to an agent, publisher, etc.) or self-publish.

“I don’t want someone to change what I’ve written. It won’t be *mine* anymore.”

My job as an editor is not to change your story (or your voice) but to help strengthen or enhance it. During a developmental edit, for example, I don’t make any changes to a writer’s manuscript. Instead, I ask questions and leave comments with thorough explanations and examples. Although I give the writer a specific plan for revision, it is ultimately up to them to decide what they change and how. A manuscript often changes substantially after a developmental edit and subsequent revision, but it is the author who is making the changes.

With other levels of editing, I use Track Changes in Word and leave detailed comments to help the writer understand why I’ve suggested certain changes. A line edit, in particular, is focused on enhancing the author’s voice/message and tone of a piece. The writer can decide whether or not to accept an edit. An editor (generally) does not rewrite a manuscript. (There are cases in which authors want the editor to do substantial rewriting; editors usually charge more for that.)

“I’ve got friends to exchange work with [or a writing group], so I don’t need an editor.”

Having writer friends to exchange work with is great (I have several writing peers myself that I’m always happy to exchange my short-short fiction with), but when it comes to long-form fiction/creative nonfiction, peer feedback is not an adequate substitute for professional feedback. And you should almost never rely on peers for line editing or copyediting, both of which are generally outside of the scope of a writing critique group.

“People have always told me my writing is good; I trust what they say.”

When you hire a professional editor, what you get is objective feedback based on that editor’s knowledge and experience. I’ve worked with lots of good writers. In fact, the majority of my clients are good writers. They often write very well, in fact. But there is still room for improvement, often substantial improvement.

And even editors need editors. My stories have been published in dozens of journals; I know I’m a decent writer. But that doesn’t mean that everything I write is publishable (not by a long shot!). Although one gets better at it as they improve as a writer, it is very difficult to assess your own writing. I typically need someone who is a better writer than I am to look at my work. (And typically that person should be knowledgeable about the genre I’m writing in, e.g., flash fiction.) It’s important to note that not all writers are editors, and not all editors are writers. Remember that writing and editing involve two distinct skillsets.

Writing and Running

It is an investment to hire an editor, but if you are serious about your writing, it’s a worthwhile investment. (I say this as both an editor and a writer.)

I often compare/contrast writing with running. I’m a runner, but I’m not a fast runner, and I’ll never be a competitive runner. I run for fun; I run for my health. I register for a few races a year (just for fun, with no intention of winning anything). I buy expensive shoes to protect my feet. I run two or three times a week (on a good week!). In short, I make a fairly minimal investment in the sport. If I wanted to run competitively or to improve in a substantial way as a runner, I would probably hire a running coach, and I would likely put a lot more time into running practice/training. Either way, I’d definitely need to make big changes in regards to how I approach running.

But I run only for myself. And similarly, many people write just for themselves, with no long-term goal of publication. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! If you are only writing for yourself, with no plans to publish, then you probably don’t need to hire an editor. It’s like me with running: I do it because I like it. I may get better over time, just from doing it and from watching others’ techniques, but I don’t put a lot else into it. In fact, it took me a long time to even call myself a runner. But I am. (And, similarly, if you write, regardless of whether you’ve been published or want to be, you’re a writer.)

What’s Your Goal?

Unlike running, writing is an activity that I take very seriously; I don’t just write for myself. Thus, over the years I’ve invested a substantial amount of time and money into workshops, classes, editors, etc. And I’ve started to see a return on my investment (e.g., noticeable improvement as a writer, dozens of publications, and nominations for several awards). I will continue to invest in myself as a writer because it’s not just a hobby to me the way running is.

There is no one right goal. It’s possible that people say about my running, “She could be such a good runner if she just did X, Y, and Z.” In this case, X, Y, and Z may be investments of time, etc. that I’m not interested in pursuing. I’m okay with where I’m at as a runner. And many writers are, likewise, okay with where they are at as writers. There is absolutely no shame in just writing for yourself and/or because you want to.

But if writing and/or improving as a writer is important to you, and/or if you’ve spent years honing your craft on your own, possibly years working on a novel that you want to see the light of day, then why stop there? Why wouldn’t you invest in yourself and your writing? Why wouldn’t you hire an editor? Why wouldn’t you want to make your book the best book it could be?