Six Essential Reasons to Hire an Editor for Your Book

2022-02-24 | Abhilash Singh

No writer can deny the exhaustion they face during thorough editing of their work. Every writer can agree that good writing and editing go hand in hand. It is impossible to get one task done without the other. You cannot send your book out for publishing without editing it to be error-free, properly formatted, and fact-checked.

If your work is not edited, you can’t be sure if you have effectively communicated your ideas or story. Writers can get exhausted and definitely need a fresh set of eyes to edit and improve their work, which is one of the many reasons why you need to hire an editor.

An Objective Set of Eyes

Writing a book is not something that happens overnight. It’s a long process filled with challenges and countless experiences. Some writers take weeks and even months to complete their first manuscript draft. After long days of work and writing, it is not uncommon for writers to overlook mistakes.

After all, your manuscript is an outcome of multiple revisions. At some point, your brain is bound to get tired of re-reading the same words. Therefore, when you feel exhausted, it’s time to hire an editor to go through your work.

Your work may have grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or redundancies that you may have overlooked. However, an editor has an objective set of eyes and years of experience to nudge you in the right direction.

Make Your Work Error-Free

One of the biggest fears of a writer is sending out their work with avoidable mistakes. These errors can have a long-lasting effect on your reputation and confidence. And, of course, there is no explanation for the embarrassment you may have to face.

When you send your work to be published by yourself, the chances of having errors remain high. However, when you work with an editor, they put their best effort into ensuring no errors, typos, or misspellings in your text.

You can ask your editor to highlight any major changes to ensure they do not affect the essence of your work. If you have any issues with their techniques or changes, another editing session can be started to review the copy for a second time. 

Try to stay patient through the final revisions of your masterpiece. Remember that every time your book is read for editing, it can be an opportunity to avoid many mistakes.

Save Your Time and Money

Many writers know the panic they face when their work is not edited, but the publication deadline is approaching. It can put a lot of stress on the writer and may make things worse rather than fix them.

In such circumstances, you must choose between delaying your publication dates and sending out your work with the possibility of many errors. Both options can come with financial and emotional consequences. You do not want to be in such a desperate position.

However, if you hire a professional editor in time, you can avoid spelling and grammar mistakes and logical inconsistencies throughout your writing. Hence, you will be ready to send your work out for publication way before the deadline.

This practice can help you build meaningful relationships with not just the editors but the publication houses too.

See the Room for Improvement

Editors have years of experience on their hands. If you work with a well-reviewed writer, you can feel more confident. Experienced professionals do not just point out grammatical and spelling mistakes; they look beyond what meets the eye.

They can also help you pinpoint and fix the loopholes in the plot and give constructive criticism on your writing style. This practice can also help you maintain a consistent tone for each character. As a writer, you may realize it is impossible to do these things yourself.

Professional editors can also help you set the tone of your words and remove extra thoughts and redundancies that get in the way of a reader’s imagination. This way, your work can be tightly knit together, and the chances of errors reduce every time.

 Ensure Consistent Tone

As mentioned, writers may need weeks and sometimes months to complete their manuscripts. Of course, they may have faced different circumstances throughout this time. There is no exaggeration in saying that your personal life can be reflected in your work of art.

You may not notice it because all your characters may not have a consistent tone throughout your novel. This mistake can be overlooked easily when you do not have an editor’s objective eyes helping you in editing. An uneven character tone can confuse the reader, which is the last thing you want.

A non-edited or poorly edited book can become confusing and difficult to read by your audience. It may affect your credibility as a water and your future work. Therefore, do not hold back from hiring an editor’s assistance. They can help make your storyline more coherent and tone consistent.

Receive Valuable Feedback

Most people think they cannot connect with their editor beyond their work. However, when you work with a professional editor, it does not just shape your current work. Instead, when you understand your editor’s suggestion, they can help you improve yourself as a writer.

Hiring an editor for every writer is one of the most beneficial steps, especially if you are writing your first book. Editors can help you point out unhealthy writing patterns and provide you with valuable feedback that can help you throughout your career.

Make sure that you always ask questions from your editor and take their feedback as creative criticism. Do not get defensive about your work. Instead, when you receive your editor’s suggestions, take a deep breath and access everything.

You can also ask your editor to suggest changes and advise you on possible alternatives. You can meet them over a cup of coffee or have a video call to discuss their concerns. Remember that your editor is your friend in the process, not a competitor.

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