Why hire a freelance editor?
21/06/11 20:15
A common question I see floating around the write-o-sphere is, why do I need a freelance editor? Can’t I just edit the manuscript myself?
The short answer is, yup—you sure can.
But allow me to explain why freelance editors can help you.
First off, do you have to use an editor? Nope. A freelance editor can offer no guarantees of agent representation, acquisition, great sales, lavish writing awards, etc. Then again, I don’t think anyone else can, either. :-)
So, what can an editor do for you?
--An editor can serve as a fresh set of eyes on your manuscript. We’re not married to your manuscript; we have no personal attachment and thus can pick it apart as needed. We know that when you write, it’s important for you to fall in love with your work (otherwise, why hang in there for an entire book? That’s a big investment). Cutting that umbilical cord is hard—trimming witty turns of phrase in your carefully crafted dialogue can be painful. Since it’s not our book, we can be much more unbiased when critiquing it.
--An editor can offer professional criticism on problem spots. Coming from an acquisitions and writing background, I feel confident in my abilities to point out when your pacing is dragging. I look carefully at characterization—why does your hero say this or do that? I look at setting to make sure it’s established efficiently and developed as needed. I poke holes in your plot to find the weak and confusing areas. I’ve read hundreds of manuscripts and understand the principles of storytelling and craft.
--An editor is a great brainstorming buddy. Who else knows your story as thoroughly as you do? Me! I’ve delved deeply into your story and love helping you find ways to strengthen it. I consider it part of my job.
--An editor can help you retain your voice and style, yet strengthen your craft. Critique groups are wonderful, but sometimes they try to overwrite your natural voice. Having too many people editing your work can essentially make you edit yourself right out of the story. All that’s left is a manuscript that’s technically well-written but boring. The life, the part that made it uniquely yours, is gone. My job is to point out craft areas that need work, places where your style may cause confusion/misunderstanding/awkwardness, but in the end, to back off and let you do what you feel is right for your story.
I love my job. There’s nothing more exciting than digging into a story and learning it inside and out, offering my thoughts and brainstorming ideas on how to make it as strong as it can be. At the risk of sounding cheesy, it’s a sacred work we do, taking a manuscript the author has labored over and figuring out what the appropriate editing tool to use is: a hatchet? A scalpel? A pair of tweezers? Delicate work, indeed. And I love every minute of it.
The short answer is, yup—you sure can.
But allow me to explain why freelance editors can help you.
First off, do you have to use an editor? Nope. A freelance editor can offer no guarantees of agent representation, acquisition, great sales, lavish writing awards, etc. Then again, I don’t think anyone else can, either. :-)
So, what can an editor do for you?
--An editor can serve as a fresh set of eyes on your manuscript. We’re not married to your manuscript; we have no personal attachment and thus can pick it apart as needed. We know that when you write, it’s important for you to fall in love with your work (otherwise, why hang in there for an entire book? That’s a big investment). Cutting that umbilical cord is hard—trimming witty turns of phrase in your carefully crafted dialogue can be painful. Since it’s not our book, we can be much more unbiased when critiquing it.
--An editor can offer professional criticism on problem spots. Coming from an acquisitions and writing background, I feel confident in my abilities to point out when your pacing is dragging. I look carefully at characterization—why does your hero say this or do that? I look at setting to make sure it’s established efficiently and developed as needed. I poke holes in your plot to find the weak and confusing areas. I’ve read hundreds of manuscripts and understand the principles of storytelling and craft.
--An editor is a great brainstorming buddy. Who else knows your story as thoroughly as you do? Me! I’ve delved deeply into your story and love helping you find ways to strengthen it. I consider it part of my job.
--An editor can help you retain your voice and style, yet strengthen your craft. Critique groups are wonderful, but sometimes they try to overwrite your natural voice. Having too many people editing your work can essentially make you edit yourself right out of the story. All that’s left is a manuscript that’s technically well-written but boring. The life, the part that made it uniquely yours, is gone. My job is to point out craft areas that need work, places where your style may cause confusion/misunderstanding/awkwardness, but in the end, to back off and let you do what you feel is right for your story.
I love my job. There’s nothing more exciting than digging into a story and learning it inside and out, offering my thoughts and brainstorming ideas on how to make it as strong as it can be. At the risk of sounding cheesy, it’s a sacred work we do, taking a manuscript the author has labored over and figuring out what the appropriate editing tool to use is: a hatchet? A scalpel? A pair of tweezers? Delicate work, indeed. And I love every minute of it.
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