Very often, writers will ask whether they can edit their own work rather than pay a professional to do it. And, of course, you will expect me, an editor, to say absolutely, but the answer is more complicated than that. Of course, you can absolutely edit your own work, and I recommend that authors do at least one round of edits before they send it to an editor (because nobody’s first draft even borders on good). But, after that, is self-editing the way to go? Perhaps, a better question is: Should you edit your own writing?
There are some benefits of editing your own work, the most obvious of which is that it will save you money. Nobody’s first draft is perfect, and it’s likely you will pick up on errors, whether these are structural or grammatical, in your work, which will help you hone your skills for the future. If you do decide to send your work on to an editor or a proofreader, fixing these issues before you send the manuscript to an editor will allow the editor to focus on the more nuanced aspects of the craft, saving you money if you pay by the hour. Honing your writing skills and saving money are undeniable benefits of self-editing.
But, unfortunately, that’s where the benefits end and the disadvantages start. The first disadvantage is that you are not the best judge of your writing because you will fall into one of two camps: the overly-confident writer (less frequent, but they do exist) or the crippled-by-imposter-syndrome writer (99.9% of writers fall into this category). You can’t edit effectively from either camp: over-confidence will blind you to the faults in your manuscript and imposter syndrome will only let you see the faults. Hiring an editor that is less emotionally attached to your writing helps you see your work through the eyes of your readers. After all, you are not your audience, so you need to somewhat cater to their needs too if you want to sell any of your writing.
The other objectivity issue about self-editing is that writers often see what they think is there rather than what is actually there. You might think that you’ve explained something clearly, but that doesn’t mean that it’s clear to everyone else. Because you know what you meant to say, your brain fills in the blanks, something your readers won’t be able to do. This leaves them guessing about your meaning, and leaving them guessing too often will cause frustration. When readers become frustrated, they stop reading. You’ve spent so much time on your writing that you don’t want to push readers away unnecessarily.
Something else that drives readers away is a poor grasp of grammar or punctuation. You may be the best storyteller in the world, but, if your grammar or punctuation makes your writing unreadable, nobody will want to read your work. Editors are trained to spot these mistakes and rectify them while preserving your voice. Editors also have workflows that help them work quickly, accurately and effectively. They have the experience to tackle all types of documents, and, if they have been an editor for a while, they will have seen everything; there’s very little that can shock an experienced editor.
And, finally, the most important reason for you to hire an editor is that they will take some of the burden off your shoulders. Writing can be stressful, especially longer pieces of writing, and getting through a first draft can feel like you’ve run a marathon at a sprint. Going through it again will probably be the last thing you want to do, but it would be a shame to put your writing aside after all your hard work. An editor can identify the strengths and weaknesses of the text and provide targeted feedback that will give you advice on how to improve your writing in the future, which will ultimately save you time.
While editing your own work is entirely possible and can help you improve your writing long-term, you will really benefit from hiring a professional editor. Editors offer an objective analysis of your writing that clarifies your meaning and corrects grammar, spelling and punctuation issues. They will also take some of the burden off your shoulders. Yes, professional editing can be expensive, but it is a worthwhile investment if you want to do well with your writing.
Want To Work With Me?
I specialise in developmental editing and manuscript critiquing for historical fiction and non-fiction, crime fiction and true crime. I have a Master's in History (specialising in the history of crime) and several editing and proofreading qualifications. I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading. I love helping authors make their writing the best it can be. If you think we'd a good fit, please reach out to me.
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