“Weak writers use editors.”
“If you need an editor to iron your work then you probably weren’t good in the first place.”
“I can edit very well myself, thank you much! I don’t need to pay someone to do it for me!”
“I rely on beta readers. They give me plenty feedback on what I should and shouldn’t do.”
I respect all these views. But I have one of my own. I recommend professional editing so that your masterpiece looks like this:
“If you need an editor to iron your work then you probably weren’t good in the first place.”
“I can edit very well myself, thank you much! I don’t need to pay someone to do it for me!”
“I rely on beta readers. They give me plenty feedback on what I should and shouldn’t do.”
I respect all these views. But I have one of my own. I recommend professional editing so that your masterpiece looks like this:
Rather than this:
I agree the second image is far more interesting to look at, especially if you’re talking about love, life and break-ups or why motherhood is awful (btw I love my kids, they’re angels!) or if rambling is synonymous to writing par excellence among the readers you’re aiming at. But if you’re writing facts or fiction that have zero tolerance for deviation or your readers are used to reading clean, crisp writing that makes more sense in less time then it’s time to grab a cleaver and trim them bushes!
And just as I can mow my yard and trim my trees, I do consult a landscaper when I think about what the buyer may think once I decide to put my darling cottage on the market.
Enter EDITOR. And a good one too.
The basic allergen this fine breed is known to produce is high cost. Well, I love my greens too but more than that I do understand the need for a pair of fresh professional, unbiased eyes who can scan and comb through my script as they clean up after all the misplaced commas, periods and italics. Often times, the characters themselves fall out of themselves and the scenes lack necessary description to transport the image from the writer’s mind exactly on paper and into the reader’s head.
What I learnt from my editor Mary Rosenblum (www.newwritersinterface.com) were some very fine and vital writing points. For instance:
“You fool!” He smirked.
“You fool,” he said.
I learnt where to place my commas when quoting and what to put after that - the action tag or the said tag.
Plus she tells me how to promote myself and my works and provides updated info on how the publishing world is changing, what to look for and where to look for it. I’m not saying all editors do that but they still provide vital format, language, style and market updates that new writers need.
However, bless the internet, all this knowledge is usually free for the taking for those who seek. So why pay big bucks to have your work reviewed?
Lemme see…fresh pair of eyes…a reader who isn’t remotely close to your work as you are and oh yes…hot shot busy agents and publishers prefer professionally edited manuscripts and often write so on their websites and/or pages in BOLD.
Besides, if you don’t think your work is worth spending money on then who would? :)
PS: my dear friend Ann had to say something so yum about our mutual stance on editors that I had to qoute her here. Thanks love!
"Humi! You forgot to add the personal little things that we share with 'our' editor and the laughs we have, and the quick turnaround, and the knowing the suggestions are spot on. Knowing you have a professional is worth every cent and more so when you gel...editor and student."
And just as I can mow my yard and trim my trees, I do consult a landscaper when I think about what the buyer may think once I decide to put my darling cottage on the market.
Enter EDITOR. And a good one too.
The basic allergen this fine breed is known to produce is high cost. Well, I love my greens too but more than that I do understand the need for a pair of fresh professional, unbiased eyes who can scan and comb through my script as they clean up after all the misplaced commas, periods and italics. Often times, the characters themselves fall out of themselves and the scenes lack necessary description to transport the image from the writer’s mind exactly on paper and into the reader’s head.
What I learnt from my editor Mary Rosenblum (www.newwritersinterface.com) were some very fine and vital writing points. For instance:
“You fool!” He smirked.
“You fool,” he said.
I learnt where to place my commas when quoting and what to put after that - the action tag or the said tag.
Plus she tells me how to promote myself and my works and provides updated info on how the publishing world is changing, what to look for and where to look for it. I’m not saying all editors do that but they still provide vital format, language, style and market updates that new writers need.
However, bless the internet, all this knowledge is usually free for the taking for those who seek. So why pay big bucks to have your work reviewed?
Lemme see…fresh pair of eyes…a reader who isn’t remotely close to your work as you are and oh yes…hot shot busy agents and publishers prefer professionally edited manuscripts and often write so on their websites and/or pages in BOLD.
Besides, if you don’t think your work is worth spending money on then who would? :)
PS: my dear friend Ann had to say something so yum about our mutual stance on editors that I had to qoute her here. Thanks love!
"Humi! You forgot to add the personal little things that we share with 'our' editor and the laughs we have, and the quick turnaround, and the knowing the suggestions are spot on. Knowing you have a professional is worth every cent and more so when you gel...editor and student."
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