If you’re reading this, you are likely considering editing your own manuscript before self-publishing or querying your manuscript to literary agents. While this can save you some money, it’s really not recommended.
You may be thinking, “You’re a book editor. Of course you’re going to tell me not to self-edit.” Fair point. But while I do enjoy being able to pay my bills, I sincerely and wholeheartedly believe that your book will not reach its full potential if it is not reviewed by a professional editor—whether by me and my team or someone else.
There are many reasons why authors cannot adequately edit their own books. Let’s take a look at a few.
Reasons Not to Self-Edit Your Book
Your brain fills in the blanks.
Have you ever read a sentence written by someone else and just gone, “Huh?” The writer knew what they meant, but you certainly didn’t. Maybe you were able to figure it out after a few read throughs, but it definitely wasn’t as clear as it could’ve been.
That doesn’t typically happen when we read our own writing.
If a word or phrase is missing or a sentence doesn’t quite make sense, the writer is unlikely to catch it because they know what it is supposed to say, so their brain fills in the blanks.
This is where the majority of errors in manuscripts come from. Lack of clarity is the biggest problem I come across as an editor, more so than grammatical mistakes.
You’re too close to your own work.
It’s incredibly difficult to critique your own work. I know this from personal experience, and I’ve seen it with authors I’ve worked with. Typically, we either think our writing is perfect and don’t want anyone to touch it, or we’re unnecessarily critical of our work and think it’s horrible when it really isn’t!
An editor provides an unbiased point of view. They can help make much needed improvements to your manuscript to get it to its best possible version.
You’re (likely) not an expert in grammar or style.
Most authors are not experts in grammar, nor are they well-versed in the rules of style guides like Chicago and AP. And that’s totally okay—writing and editing are totally separate skill sets that use different parts of your brain. Focus on writing, and let an editor handle the rest.
If you’re querying your manuscript for traditional publishing, it’s not the absolute end of the world if it has a few typos or grammatical errors, but if you’re self-publishing, it’s essential that you get those cleaned up.
Even if this point doesn’t quite apply to you (you actually are an expert in grammar and major style guides), it’s still helpful to get another set of eyes on your writing to ensure it’s error-free.
Revising vs. Editing
I do want to make a distinction between revising and editing. You should absolutely do some revising on your own. You don’t have to hire an editor the moment you finish your first draft. If you do, your manuscript will almost certainly need a developmental edit—the most expensive and in-depth type of editing. (If time is more of an issue for you than money, then by all means send your first draft to an editor. This information is more for authors who are able to spend more time, but less money).
Instead, when you finish your manuscript, let it marinate for a while. In On Writing, Stephen King recommends letting your draft sit for a minimum of six weeks. This gives you the distance needed to come back and revise with fresh eyes.
Shout out to Dr. Rodden, my writing professor who let me borrow On Writing in undergrad. My apologies for never returning it. It’s been well loved and has traveled with me to 16 states. If you happen to be reading this, I’d be happy to send you a new copy; just email me your mailing address. Sorry … 😀
When you revise, focus on making big-picture improvements. Move a paragraph somewhere else—heck, move a chapter somewhere else. Swap out bland words with vivid, descriptive ones. Rewrite sentences that sound clunky. After you do that, you can absolutely do a round of editing on your own.
There are many types of editing, which you can read more about here. Once you’ve done some editing on your own, then it’s time to hire an editor. If you follow these steps, your manuscript will likely only need a copy edit or proofread, which are much more affordable than a developmental or line edit.
Help With Self-Editing
If you are absolutely set on editing your own book, let us guide you through the process. Our guided self-editing packages start at just $250. They include professional editing up to a certain word count, a report with detailed feedback, and video calls with a professional editor who can answer your questions and support you as you self-edit. Book a free consultation or send us an email at [email protected] to learn more.
Owner of Aha! Editorial
Let’s talk about your writing project: https://calendly.com/ashlyn-ahaeditorial
