This is an interesting conundrum and there are definitely some opposing schools of thought. Anyone who goes the route of traditional publishing doesn’t really face the decision. They’re pretty much guaranteed to have a professional editor.

But I’m an indie publisher by choice, so I can only speak from the research I did that led me to that choice.

How does editing get done for trad authors?

As I understand it, in exchange for a huge chunk of their book’s earnings, a traditionally published author receives some expensive and valuable services. That includes an editor. And it makes perfect sense, a reputable publishing house doesn’t want to put their name on something riddled with typos.

For those that don’t know, it’s worth noting that there are different levels of editing. From developmental to copy to line edits, there’s a range on offer and it can be pricey. Far more in-depth than a proofread, proper professional editing is a labor intensive and, therefore, expensive endeavor.

Publishing houses offer other benefits, they also lend an air of legitimacy to the finished product by putting their logo on it. The tradeoff for the author is that they may only take home 10-15% or so of their book’s earnings. And if they have an agent, they typically pay that agent 10-15% of whatever they earn in advances and royalties. They can also unknowingly sign away control of their books.

I’ll explore the topic of traditional vs self-publishing in a separate post. We’re talking about editors here and it’s a subject I feel strongly about. Let’s discuss a few of the points involved.

Does anyone REALLY need an outside editor?

Good question. When I first started planning to publish my books, my initial thought was that I don’t need an editor. Let’s be honest, a good editor is quite expensive, and who wants a bad editor?

I also fell into that vain and cushy pit of thinking that I was good enough to exclusively self-edit. Ah, it’s a beautiful and squishy place to be, so comfortable and self-satisfied.

Now, the reason that I felt this confidence is because I’ve been writing since I was around seven years old. I’ve spent years, many years, crafting stories that run from fantasy/speculative fiction to romance to mysteries. I love writing, I do it every single day. Either on my laptop or in my head, I write a LOT.

So, with decades of experience in a range of genres, I can edit my own work, right? As it turns out, no. Not the first time around, at least.

But what if I KNOW my book is great?

I will say that you do need to have some self-confidence as a writer. If you don’t, the first cranky person that leaves you a venomous bad review will derail you.

I’ve heard of writers that were completely disheartened and gave up due to the scathing words of a stranger. It’s a terrible shame and I would assume that even the angriest review was never meant to be soul-crushing or career-ending. Criticism happens. You can’t please everyone and sometimes that feedback is fair. It can even be valuable if you put it to good use.

There are a couple of the big dangers when you’re producing creative content. One is that you can take every bit of negativity to heart and give up, as mentioned above. Another is that you can be so self-assured that you don’t take anything on board and never improve.

We don’t want to fall into either extreme. I’d say I was more optimistic—wide-eyed and hopeful even—than straight-up confident. I did my research though and the advice to get an editor popped up annoyingly often. I brushed it aside at first but it kept coming up, over and over.

What finally convinced me to hire an editor?

Well, at some point in the journey of putting my book out there for strangers to read and remark upon, I started really looking at the benefits of getting a professional edit. I wanted to put my best possible book out there; it had my heart wrapped up in it. I ultimately decided that I would at least get my first book, Murder Checks Inn, professionally edited and see what happened.

It was nerve-wracking, I’ll say that straight up. You are paying a lot of money to entrust a stranger to read your book and then point out everything they think is wrong with it. It’s literally asking for criticism and paying for the privilege.

In saying that, you’re far better off entrusting that task to someone who’s in your corner. Readers are smart and they are observant, they will tell you, and everyone else who reads their review, if you’ve made any bonehead errors. You’re so much better off getting that feedback privately and from a well-trained editor.

So, I chose an editor (shoutout to Lauren Finger, she was excellent). I then sent off my book and waited. It worked out to be the day of my 14^th wedding anniversary when I got the report and the edited manuscript back. I was still optimistic when I opened it up. However, among her first words were a warning that getting critique on our work can be confronting. My optimism died at that point.

Was using an editor worth it?

Another good question. The answer is yes, it was invaluable. Something I learned is that a good editor wants you to succeed. To help you in this direction they will politely gut you like a fish. They will then tell you how to cram your guts back in so that they are more palatable to your target audience. Sound unpleasant? It is. But it’s indescribably beneficial.

When I sent my book away my quiet hope had been that I’d get a pat on the head and a thumbs up for working so hard and doing such a good job. That was naïve, but there was only one good way to learn that.

After I’d absorbed the stinging shock of having someone point out a few issues that both I and my beta readers had missed despite multiple readings, I started to understand that I wasn’t ready to publish yet. I was also incredibly grateful to know that before I went ahead and released my book like an ill-fated fledgling.

The point is that, no matter how good you think your book is, you’re not selling it to yourself, or to people that know and love you. You are presenting it to strangers that want to read a good book and expect a certain level of quality. You cannot expect them to gloss over big errors. A missed comma or a minor typo won’t likely ruin someone’s reading experience, but a house-sized sinkhole in the plot will.

While none of the feedback I received was deeply devastating, it was hard to read at first. Books are very dear to their authors, they’re pure creative expression, it’s difficult to have someone point out flaws. But that is exactly what I asked for, it’s what I paid a lot of money for. And it was incredibly worth it. I’m glad I did it and I learned a lot.

What do you do next?

Personally, I applied a lot of the feedback. My editor was excellent and pointed out that all her advice was simply that. I didn’t have to take any of it on board. When a professional gives you that kind of tailored insight, however, it would be silly to ignore it. I know that my book is better for the experience and that’s what it’s really about, the quality of the book you’re putting out into the world.

So, I’m speaking as someone who has asked the same questions, had the same qualms and learned a lot of things the hard way. My advice to other indie authors would be to get your first book edited by a professional if you can.

I went with a developmental edit, which aims to identify big-picture issues: story, character, pace, continuity and things like that. My book was the first in what will ultimately be a ten-book series, so getting it right from book one was hugely important. Even if you aren’t writing a series, a developmental edit will teach you so much about plotting, planning and executing. It can help not only your current manuscript, but all your future projects.

Some things really are worth waiting for

If you’re traveling the self-publishing road and don’t have deep pockets to support the endeavor, I would still strongly recommend getting at least one book edited. Even if you have to save up for it and it’s the only professional edit you ever get. It’s worth it to hone your skills and not waste all the effort you put into your writing because no one can get past the fact that you forgot how to spell your main character’s name for three pages. (You can find more examples of things you can learn to avoid here.)

A note of caution, however. Make sure you’re dealing with someone reputable and with a level of experience that matches what they’re charging.

Writing a good book isn’t easy, so give it the best foundation you can. Ask a pro with a good reputation, and then take those lessons on board and use them to improve your future work. A little humility and open-mindedness can result in major benefits.