Every author faces the same crucial decision before publishing their book – should they hire a professional editor or self-edit? There are good arguments on both sides of this debate. We’ll examine the pros and cons so you can make an informed decision for your work.
The Case for Hiring an Editor
The top reason authors choose to hire editors is to get an objective and experienced set of eyes. As the writer, you are intimately familiar with every word on the page. This makes it extraordinarily difficult to spot your own mistakes.
A fresh perspective is invaluable for identifying plot holes, inconsistent characterizations, vague dialogue tags, grammatical errors, and more. Editors provide an impartial assessment since they are approaching the story as a reader, not the creator.
Editors also bring extensive expertise that authors simply don’t have. Most have years of experience and have worked on hundreds of manuscripts across many genres. They know what issues commonly trip up writers and where to zoom in during the editing process.
Hiring a professional editor means gaining access to an industry insider who can not only polish your work but provide guidance on querrying agents or publishers. Editors are familiar with what mistakes immediately turn off publishers and can help your manuscript put its best foot forward.
So in summary, the main pros of hiring an editor are gaining an objective perspective, accessing specialized expertise, and getting insider publishing advice to maximize your chances of success.
The Case for Self-Editing
Of course, professional editing services don’t come cheap. Rates often start around $0.01 per word and can go as high as $0.05 per word depending on the editor’s level of experience. That means a 100,000 word manuscript could cost $1,000-$5,000 or more.
Many indie authors paying for editing out of their own pockets find these rates prohibitive. And investing thousands in editing isn’t a surefire route to a book deal or bestseller status if other factors like marketability aren’t there.
This is why legions of writers choose to self-edit their own work. Human beings have a remarkable ability to self-reflect and improve. With time and distance from the initial writing, authors can self-edit effectively.
Self-editing requires patience, discipline, and learning key skills like spotting filler words, avoiding passive voice, tightening dialogue, eliminating plot holes, and debugging grammar issues. But with practice, most authors can self-edit well enough to submit polished manuscripts.
Self-editing also avoids the risk of working with a bad editor. Incompetent or unethical editors do slip through the cracks. Horror stories of editors introducing major errors or drastically changing the tone of a writer’s work do happen. Self-editing mitigates this damage.
The Verdict
So when all factors are weighed, is it better to hire a professional editor or self-edit? The answer likely depends on the individual author and their specific manuscript.
Debut authors stand to benefit greatly from the experienced guidance of an editor. Their fresh eyes will be invaluable for shaping and refining a first manuscript. Investing in editing is wise for authors seeking traditional publication where polished presentation is paramount.
On the other hand, seasoned indie authors comfortable self-editing may find paying steep rates redundant. Their skills may suffice, especially for just selling books directly to readers. Self-editing allows writers to maintain full creative control.
Genres with heavy world-building or lots of characters also lend themselves better to professional editing to check continuity errors. But straightforward literary fiction may succeed just fine with attentive self-editing. Poetry and short stories with limited scales may not warrant expensive editing either.
Ultimately, each author must weigh factors like budget, genre, goals, and schedule. Self-editing works for some but for others, a professional editor’s insights are well worth the investment. There is no universally right or wrong path – only the path that aligns best with your unique needs as the writer. With prudent decision making, you can publish clean, polished work successfully either way.
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