Benefits of an Editor
I often get enquiries from enthusiastic aspiring authors asking if I’ll give their manuscript a “quick read through”, and in the world of editing, there is no such thing as a “quick read through”. You’d be surprised how many writers think editing is just checking for spelling errors, (in)correct punctuation, and doing a brief check on whether the manuscript reads OK. We all need encouragement and someone to tell us that what they’ve written is fantastic, but that’s not the job of an editor, that’s the job of a reviewer on Amazon/Goodreads or a family member who thinks you’re the best thing since sliced bread.
If I worked on someone’s manuscript and told them it was fabulous, adding that it would be a huge success, whilst knowing it needed lots of work and if published in its present state would never be a success, I’d be lying and not doing the job I’m being paid to do. Constructive criticism, helpful advice, honesty and making suggestions for a way forward to the point where your book could be a success, is how I work. If you prefer the fluffy-bunny approach and don’t like knowing where you need to improve, maybe writing a book isn’t for you.
I come across lots of authors, mainly on social media platforms, who are adamant they don’t need an editor because their book is just how they want it. But is it? It isn’t an independent editor’s job to change the author’s voice, or to demand plot changes or turn a character into something else. If the manuscript as it is genuinely doesn’t work, it is the editor’s job to say so – politely, helpfully, and to offer suggestions on how it can be improved. And if the book does work, if the characters are entertaining and the plot is brilliant, I can assure you 100% that you will still need an editor. There will be sentences in your manuscript that might need restructuring; there will be repetition that needs amending; words that don’t sound right and could be replaced by something else; inconsistencies, sometimes with a plot hole, most always with capitalisation and number formatting. Then you have the differences between UK and US written English, and as I work with a lot of authors from all over the US as well as the UK, it’s important to make sure authors are using the correct spelling for their region.
I’m seeing more and more thin-skinned writers unable to cope with criticism while thinking they have an amazing book, then go on to ignore the advice of a professional in the industry who’s been helping authors achieve their goal for years.
When I start working with an author, new or established, all I want for them is to succeed. It’s important to me personally that I always give my all to any project, and I know I speak for other independent editors, too. Your book becomes as important to me as it is to you, and one of the most enjoyable aspects of the work I do is getting inside the characters’ heads. Of course, that isn’t always the case if the manuscript has needed considerable work, but I then make it my mission to collaborate with my client and explain “how” or “what” they can do to bring the character I might be struggling with, to life. This is especially important if you’re writing a series with the same characters. Your readers want to get to know the people in your book, they want to learn how they tick – as do I – and if they can’t relate to them, they might then find the plot difficult to follow because they’re constantly trying to understand a character’s mindset. If they are able to get inside your characters’ heads, they’re more likely to read the next books in the series. If they’re not, then no matter how amazing your plot might be, your readers will most likely move on to the next book on the shelf. None of us want that – ever.
There’s always “discussions” (arguments?) going on around the social media writing community circles about things like: Do you read the prologue? Is there any point writing one? My answer: If you want a prologue in your book, write one! This is your book, your imagination running riot, your characters and your decisions on who they are and what they are. You might have spent months writing notes, prepping, speaking to other authors, researching places and events, choosing character names or place names, immersing yourself in a synopsis – that will very likely change as you go through the manuscript, even if you are a plotter and not a pantser! But whatever anyone tells you, whatever arguments or discussions you read, you must always – ALWAYS – remember that this is YOUR work, not theirs.
When you’ve finished your manuscript, that, in itself, is a huge achievement and should be congratulated. But it doesn’t mean it’s done, completed, ready to publish or submit to publishers or agents. It means you’ve created something of value, something to now be scrutinised, developed, changed or amended. You’ve probably read through it several times – I hear of and work with some authors who read through their manuscript dozens of times, and this really is a mistake, because eventually, your eyes will simply scan over the words; you already know the plot, the characters, your writing style. What you’re not seeing is a sentence that needs restructuring or an inconsistency that will be glaringly obvious to someone who hasn’t yet read the manuscript. You’re going to miss a silly spelling error or a misplaced comma, or a speech tag the wrong way round or the incorrect use of a word. You might even miss that your main character started off being called “Steven” and by the middle of the book is called “Stephen”. You need another set of eyes on it, another opinion, preferably a professional to polish it and make it publishable.
Give your book the best chance. Always. You’ve spent weeks, months, maybe years working on it, and it’s become a part of you. Nurture it, help it grow, give it wings and make it fly.
