When to Hire an Editor

Whether you’re a new author or seasoned writer, every manuscript could use a good scrub (metaphorically, of course). But how do you know what kind of editing you need? And do you need a deep clean or a simple polish?

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.

So, you wrote a book! Congrats! But now what? How can you tell if it’s “good”? Do you need an editor? Every story is different, but here are five signs your story needs an editor and what services to look for. 

1. Your story feels slow in places it shouldn’t.

One of the biggest issues I find with manuscripts across all different genres is pacing. Pacing is what makes readers want to keep reading, so it’s really important. No matter what story you’re writing, you need to be able to balance high stakes and (necessary) plot-building exposition. When the balance is off, your story will fall flat in places that should leave readers on the edge of their seat. Or it will exhaust readers because they’ll never get a chance to breathe and take a break. 

Story structure, pacing, and plot development is hard to evaluate on a book you’re so close to, that you’ve spent months or years writing. When something isn’t working right and you aren’t sure why, that’s when you hire a developmental editor. Developmental editors look at your manuscript from a bird’s eye view. Bigger picture things like plot, pacing, organization, and character development are their focus. They aren’t looking at every word for spelling errors or word choice. Instead, they help make your story more engaging on a base level.

2. You can’t stop using words like said, really, was/is, and then.

For a lot of authors, step one is just getting the story on the page. And that’s a great goal! It might even be the hardest part of the whole process. But once your story has been written and revised, it’s time to take a deeper look. Did you use the same word three times in one sentence? Is every piece of dialogue introduced with “he said”? Or is every other new paragraph started with “Then…”? 

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you may need a line editor. Line editors go through your story line by line (duh). They are looking at word choice, sentence variation, and overused phrases. They’ll also catch any obvious issues with spelling or usage. If developmental editors make the story better, then line editors make the writing better.

3. You don’t know the difference between there, their, and they’re. 

Okay, okay, I know this example is SO overused—but it’s used for a reason! As an author, it’s not your job to memorize every rule in the English language and The Chicago Manual of Style. And, thankfully, you don’t have to. If you aren’t really sure where to put a comma or when to use an em dash, then have no fear! Copyeditors are here!

Copyeditors are kind of like superheroes. They have every tool, resource, and the editorial knowledge to spot when things are wrong and how to fix them. Whether it’s a mistake in spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, word usage, capitalization, or something else I’m probably forgetting, a copyeditor will catch it. 

4. You are trying to find an agent and keep getting rejections. 

Traditional authors, this one’s for you. Maybe controversial opinion: I don’t think every traditional author needs an editor for their story. Once you get an agent, they will probably have revisions for you, and once you sell your book, the publishing house will have revisions for you too. It doesn’t make sense to invest in editing when it’s just going to be edited again. Frankly, I think it’s a waste of money. BUT!! If you have tried querying to agents and keep getting rejections, then editing might be a good next step. Agents are the industry gatekeepers, so their opinions are valuable. If you keep hearing the same feedback from different agents, it might be worth it to hire an editor. And if you are only getting form rejections, an editor can help you identify what is wrong.

For this specific circumstance, I would recommend an editorial assessment. Whether you are just getting ready to query and want to make sure the manuscript is the best it can be, or you have tried and failed and want to try again, an editorial assessment will tell you the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses. The editor can help you identify problems so that you can fix them. Editorial assessments are also usually the cheapest edit you can get, meaning it won’t break the bank to take your book to that next level. 

5. You’re planning to self-publish.

Some of you might not want to hear this, but if you are self-publishing, then you need an editor. You don’t need to pay for every kind of edit, but the harsh truth is that the quality of your book will not be able to stand against the market of traditionally published books if it is not professionally edited. There are always exceptions, of course, but generally you will need an editor if you want your book to have a chance. 

If I had to recommend just one type of edit, I would recommend a line edit from someone who also does copyediting. Speaking from experience as an editor who offers both, I find it really hard to ignore the easy copyediting errors I find while I’m doing a line edit. And even though I’m not always looking for them, they stand out to me because I’m so used to looking for them. So, I’m not going to ignore a clear mistake that I see during a line edit. And I would go out on a limb to say most other editors wouldn’t either. We are on your team! We want you to succeed too! A line edit is a great balance between improving your writing and making sure there are no glaring errors that will take your readers out of the story.

My second choice would be a developmental edit. But since there are so many great beta readers out there who could give you enough feedback to help the story developmentally, I don’t think this is a one-size fits all for every indie book. If you’re really confident in your story and have gotten great responses from alpha and beta readers, then it might not be worth it for the investment that is a developmental edit. But if you feel like your story needs some help and you are willing to invest sometimes thousands of dollars to get it, then a developmental edit is a great option.

I might have gotten a bit into the weeds there, but hopefully this post helps you determine if your story needs an editor and what kind of edit to look for. There are so many different kinds of editors, so shop around to find someone you like and could work well with. One more tip: always ask for a free sample edit to see their style and the type of edits they offer.

Do you have any questions about editing? Leave a comment below! Want to hear more of my opinions on all things writing, reading, and publishing? Follow me on Instagram @wisecracksandpaperbacks or subscribe to my YouTube channel @wpediting.