5 Signs You’re Ready for Professional Feedback on Your Writing
Congratulations! You finished the first draft of your novel, or your second draft, heck, maybe even your third.
Now, you know your novel still isn’t done, yet. You know you need feedback to move forward, but you’re not sure if you’re ready to work with a professional editor. With all the conflicting advice out there, it’s hard to know for sure.
To make it easier, here are five signs that you’re ready to get professional feedback on your writing.
Sign #1: You’ve taken the manuscript as far as you can go on our your own.
Ready will look different for every writer. There’s no set standard for what your manuscript should look like before you hire an editor. Generally, developmental editing should happen before line editing or copy editing, so don’t worry if your manuscript is riddled with typos or misused words—developmental editors are trained to ignore surface level errors so that we can focus on your overarching story. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t revise your story at all before hiring a developmental editor.
If you know that you want to make specific changes to your plot, characterization, or worldbuilding, make those changes before you hire an editor. Why? Because there’s no reason to pay an editor to tell you something that you already know. You’ll also miss out on the opportunity to find out whether those changes work for your story once they’re made.
On the flip side, if you know that something is wrong but can’t quite put your finger on the issue or if you’re battling between two potential changes and can’t decide which will best serve your story, a developmental editor can help by diagnosing the areas of your manuscript that need revision and by weighing in on which revisions will best serve your vision. Just make sure you clearly communicate what you’re struggling with and which revisions you’re considering so that the editor can make sure to address all of your questions in their editorial letter and/or comments.
Sign #2: You’re genuinely open to feedback and ready to make changes that will serve your future readers
Be really honest with yourself. If you’re secretly hoping that the editor will write back and say that your book is perfect, don’t waste your money on an editor. Most books require multiple rounds of editing (developmental, line, copy, etc.) before they are truly publishable. That doesn’t mean you failed as a writer. Getting feedback and revising is natural, even the most famous writers need editorial feedback.
If you still feel too close to the project, too vulnerable to get critical feedback, take a break. Give yourself some time away from the manuscript. Dive into a side project. Do some journaling or mindset work to get yourself ready for a critique. Then, hire an editor. Not before.
Sign #3: You can afford to invest in your writing
There are no guarantees in writing. If an editor promises to make you a best seller run the other way as fast as you can. Legitimate editors promise to give you in-depth feedback and actionable advice. They don’t make promises about the money you’ll make (unless of course you’re talking to an acquisitions editor who is offering you a book contract, but their role is distinct from that of a freelance editor. You can read more about the difference here).
If you are planning to self-publish, make sure you have an estimate of the money you’ll need upfront to create a high-quality product (a.k.a. book) and a plan to save up enough money to support your publishing venture until it becomes profitable (for most authors it can take 4-5 books to become profitable).
If you are planning to traditionally publish, make sure that you are comfortable investing in your book even if the gatekeepers of traditional publishing refuse to bite.
I don’t say this to scare you off from writing and publishing, just to be honest about the upfront investment required to make it in this business. While it can be tempting to cut corners in an effort to save money, putting out a subpar product is one way to guarantee that your books fail. After all, in a world flooded with AI generated nonsense, good old-fashioned human excellence is one of the best ways to set yourself apart.
Sign #4: You know what you want to get from the editing process and how editing will contribute to your writing goals
Don’t hire an editor just because all your writing friends are. Hire an editor because it supports the next steps in your publishing journey.
First, make sure you understand the different types of editing and where each fits into the revision & publishing process. For a full breakdown of the types of editing & editors, check out this blog post.
Next, make sure you know which aspects of the manuscript you want feedback on. Every editor will hone in on the parts of the manuscript that need the most work, but a solid awareness of your own strengths and areas for growth as a writer can help streamline the editor’s process.
More importantly, make sure you have a clear vision for your book. The purpose of hiring an editor is to get personalized feedback—something you can’t get from self-paced classes or craft books that dispense generic advice. The more you can communicate your needs up front, the better your editor can meet them through the editing process.
Before you begin working with an editor, make sure you know what the important themes and plot points are. Know which genre you are writing in (or, if you’re not sure, let the editor know which categories you think the book fits into so that they can help you make a decision). The more you can communicate a specific vision to the editor, the better they can tailor their feedback to your goals for the project.
Sign #5: You are ready to put your writing out into the world
Whether you plan to self-publish or query agents, the purpose of hiring an editor is to get your writing as close to publishable as possible. Most editors will assume that your goal is to sell your writing in some fashion which means we’ll focus our feedback on changes that will best serve your future readers. If that isn’t your goal and you want feedback focused on something else, make sure your editor knows that up front.
Also, make sure you know which types of editing are recommended for those on your publishing pathway. The needs of self-publishing authors and un-agented writers who want a traditional publishing contract are very different. Just because the self-published author whose podcast you listen to hires an editor does not mean you need to hire a freelance editor before you start querying agents. For a full breakdown of editing needs by publishing track, check out this blog post.
If you write solely for yourself, with no intention of selling your work, hiring an editor might not be the best use of your resources. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with writing for fun. You can also learn far more, far quicker from an editor than you can in writing classes that only give you feedback on tiny snippets of your writing. But those writing classes are also far cheaper. You can also hire a book coach to create a program that is focused on your overall writing education rather than getting a single book ready for market. It’s your choice and thankfully there are tons of choices for classes, book coaches, and other writing related services out there. You’ll find the provider who best fits your needs.
Like many things in the writing life, there are no simple, one-size-fits-all answers to determine if it’s time to hire an editor. Regardless of your writing goals, arm yourself with information. Make sure you know what types of editors you can hire, the role each serves, and how they can help you reach your writing goals. Then and only then, are you truly ready to hire an editor.
Thanks for stopping by, and as always, happy writing!
P.S. Decided that now is the right time to hire an editor? Check out my editing services here or request your free sample edit here.
