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Hello.
1. Yes, you need an editor
2. Yes, you need to pay your editor
3. Yes, you should pay them more than a penny per word.
Let's have a thread about it, shall we?
1. Yes, you need an editor
2. Yes, you need to pay your editor
3. Yes, you should pay them more than a penny per word.
Let's have a thread about it, shall we?
I'm not sure if it's shame from bad school experiences or if it's arrogance or ignorance or stupidity that leads people to think they can be both the author AND the editor of their own work.
No, I'm not talking about fixing a mid-sentence typo while you're typing. I'm talking about going back in and substantially addressing manuscript issues like weak plot, poor characterization, and undercooked worldbuilding.
If your conception of what an editor does is just fix the prose, yes, that is ONE KIND of editing and for SOME people that's totally what they need, but if you aren't sure how much editing you need, it's better to ask and find out than settle for something that won't help.
I'm not coming down from this hill. I'm not going to argue with you. You wrote the thing, you're biased to what is/isn't on the page or how it come across. Someone who isn't you, someone with some skill can tell you both what a reader sees and what works for the MS.
Maybe it's just fear. Fear of not knowing better or not knowing how to move forward or fear that moving forward means something and it's serious. But you need help, there's zero shame in needing it, zero in getting it, and zero from benefitting from it.
The other part of this is that they're doing a job for you. It may or may not be an easy job for them, but it is still a job. And because it's a job, they deserve to be paid for their labor.
Don't take advantage of people. Don't ask 5 people for freebies and then call it a day.
Don't take advantage of people. Don't ask 5 people for freebies and then call it a day.
Now, the money. You're going to spend some. Your work is worth it, isn't it? You want it to go out in the world (either up the trad ladder or the self-pub ladder) in its best shape, right? So why not work with a professional who can help you do that?
If you were going to improve your fitness, wouldn't you consider going to a trainer? Someone who can help you, teach you, correct your form, help you get where you want to be faster?
Or do you think you don't need or deserve help?
Or do you think you don't need or deserve help?
Like so many other things that can improve a career or a life or help reach goals, you're going to pay for this. And you should pay for it. It should not be cheap.
If the editor is lowballing themselves that's a different issue but ...
If the editor is lowballing themselves that's a different issue but ...
But you should respect them, their time, their skill, their work, and your own work enough to plan for a mid-3 or a low-4-digit bill for this service.
You should be paying more than 1 penny per word. People need to eat.
You should be paying more than 1 penny per word. People need to eat.
How much you pay depends on what kind of editing the MS needs and what timetable you have for getting that done.
A good editor helps you not only with this MS, but teaches you enough to make future MSses easier down the road. Isn't that worth paying for?
A good editor helps you not only with this MS, but teaches you enough to make future MSses easier down the road. Isn't that worth paying for?
Editing isn't "only" spellcheck or running some software. Both of those are baseline things YOU should be (the spellcheck definitely, I'm not big on Grammarly, YMMV) doing ahead of finding a professional.
Like having an idea what your symptoms are before seeing a doctor
Like having an idea what your symptoms are before seeing a doctor
Yes this costs money. Yes it can cost more money than you think the book is worth or is going to make as is (if you're going to serve me that BS, why wouldn't you want a book in better shape to make you more sales?).
But this job is skill + craft + art, just as much as your work
But this job is skill + craft + art, just as much as your work
The goal is to sell the book, right? Whether to a publisher or to the reader, you want the best book that gets the best reviews that leads to more sales, yes?
Then that book needs to be in its best shape before you publish it.
So why are you looking for excuses to not do that?
Then that book needs to be in its best shape before you publish it.
So why are you looking for excuses to not do that?
You don't have a lot of money?
There are editors out there who I know can work a payment plan out.
You don't think it'll make a difference?
That says way more about you and your writing than what you think of editing.
There are editors out there who I know can work a payment plan out.
You don't think it'll make a difference?
That says way more about you and your writing than what you think of editing.
Publishing is hard. Writing is hard. I don't know why you wouldn't avail yourself of every resource and tool at every turn to help you succeed.
I don't want you to give up. I don't want you to cheap out either.
I don't want you to give up. I don't want you to cheap out either.
Speaking for myself - I am in the trenches with each and every single one of my clients, past and present, from whatever word and draft all the way to finished book on the shelf. And I'm pretty confident I'm not the only editor like that.
I believe in you, even when you don't
I believe in you, even when you don't
Yes, I really do think there's a line to cross and a commitment to make when it's time to put money behind your creative efforts. And I do think it shows when people don't. I don't you to have to go through that.
You and your work are worth the effort, time, and expense.
You and your work are worth the effort, time, and expense.
Thanks for checking out this thread. I hope your Tuesday is awesome. Stay safe, make good choices, and I'll see you tomorrow for the Writers Chat. http://writernextdoor.com/
