Why an Author Should Hire a Professional Editor
Hiring a professional book editor can bring numerous benefits to a writer. Not only does professional editing benefit the story, but it can also bring more positive reviews, encouraging sales. Without at least the basics of proofreading, we have seen authors get negative reviews and then lower sales on sequels.
Before going on to publish your book, you have to ask yourself what you want to get out of publishing your book. The more you want recognition, fans, sales, etc., all the more reason to hire a professional. And that is not just to say an editor. A proper book cover designer and maybe even a marketing team might be beneficial for the reach you’re looking to achieve. But hiring the correct professionals can significantly elevate the quality of your work, enhance its marketability, and increase your chances of connecting with readers. It's an investment in your writing career and can help you achieve your goals as an author.
With all of that being said, let’s discuss some advantageous to working with a professional editor:
As a person and a writer, you cannot catch every mistake in your manuscript. Our eyes gloss over things all the time, whether that be a misspelled word, a misplaced comma, or even a gaping plot hole you keep passing because you’re too close to the story. A professional editor offers an unbiased and objective perspective of your work. They can provide constructive criticism, identify weaknesses in your writing, and offer suggestions for improvement. Their feedback is valuable in helping writers refine ideas, strengthen their storytelling, and enhancing the overall quality of work.
Along with this objective perspective, a professional editor can assess the structure and pacing of your book, ensuring that it flows and will properly engage readers. Not only can help identify areas where the plot may need assistance, but also where character development can be improved and where the narrative may benefit from restructuring. A skilled editor can provide guidance on elements such as plot arcs, character arcs, and overall narrative coherence.
One great bonus to hiring an editor is to make sure your book is on the right track with your desired target audience. There are many subgenres. What if you believe your book is a gothic fantasy when it’s really an urban fantasy? An editor can help you fine-tune your book to resonate with your target audience, ensuring that the story, characters, and themes connect with readers on an emotional level. They can offer insights into genre conventions, market trends, and reader preferences to help you position your work effectively. Basically, an editor can tell you what to tweak to correct the genre, or lead you in the right direction when it comes to how you should be marketing your book. Once you know which genre you’re writing in, you can promote to your target audience, and gain more sales.
We already discussed errors within text, but let’s just touch on how a professional editor can assist in improving your writing style, enhancing clarity, and ensuring consistency throughout the manuscript. They can identify issues with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. Additionally, they can help refine your voice, ensuring it aligns with the intended tone and genre of your work.
Lastly, having your book professionally edited demonstrates a commitment to quality and increases your chances of attracting editorial reviewers, readers, and self-publishing success. A polished, error-free book is more likely to be taken seriously by industry professionals and can significantly improve your chances of success in the competitive publishing landscape.
