Hiring an editor can seem like a pretty frightening prospect for many writers, not least because you’re handing over your precious manuscript to someone who might be about to tear it apart. There’s a lot of scaremongering around editors and the editorial process, and a lot of myths have grown up which simply have no basis in fact.
If you think the time has come to hire an editor but you still have concerns, here are just a few of the myths you may have heard and can safely lay to rest.
Great writers don’t need editors
No matter how brilliant a writer might be, even the greatest authors can benefit from an editor. Think about any of your favourite novels, be they classics or recent works, and they will almost certainly have passed through the hands of an editor before publication. No matter how skilled the writer, having a second set of eyes on their manuscript can help iron out the flaws and strengthen their work.
Editors change a writer’s tone of voice
Any editor who tries to dial down your tone of voice is definitely not doing their job properly. If their voice is beginning to drown yours out, then something is very wrong. Every writer has a style that is unique to them and an editor’s job is not to smother that style but to bring it out, to enhance it and let its unique qualities shine.
When you hire an editor, they will want to reshape your story
A good editor knows that this is your story to tell, not theirs. Every story is unique and you are the only person who could pen yours. As with changing your tone of voice, this is not something your editor should do and if they try, challenge them on it.
Editors don’t like writers
In fact, the very opposite is true! Most people become editors because they love writers and want to help them tell their stories. It would be a pretty soul-destroying job if you didn’t like the people you worked with and didn’t enjoy reading what they had to say. Even when they’re picking over your manuscript, the criticisms they make will always come from a good place, which is a desire to improve your writing and make sure you’re producing your very best work.
Editors make changes to justify their fees
No editor worth their salt will make changes just for the sake of it. If there’s nothing wrong with that scene or that sentence, then they won’t touch it. Any amendments or suggestions they do make will be done for the right reason, which is to improve your writing. It’s not in your interest or theirs to waste time making unnecessary alterations.
An editor’s word is final
The suggestions an editor makes are just that – suggestions. At the end of the day it’s up to you whether or not you accept them, but a writer looking to improve their manuscript would be well-advised to take the feedback on board. Your editor will have worked on countless manuscripts and have a strong sense of what works and doesn’t. Their word may not be final, but you should take it seriously.
Some writers will have doubts or concerns about hiring an editor, often because they’ve believed these myths about the editing process. Professional editors are far from the red pen-wielding monsters they’re sometimes made out to be and the work they do with you can have an incredibly positive impact on the quality of your writing, helping you stretch yourself to become better at what you do.
Ensure you hire an editor you can develop a strong personal relationship with, one you can trust to be firm but fair in their analysis of your work. If you would like a free sample edit to see if my working style suits your needs, please feel free to get in touch via the contact form.
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