SMALL RANT: Do You Need To Hire An Editor Before Querying? (NO!)

Should you hire a freelance editor before you query? NO!!! I get this question a lot and it drives me crazy. I don't recommend it at all if you're aiming for traditional publication--I think it's a waste of money.

I'm ranting a bit about this and explaining why you don't need to pay an editor before you query (or after).

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I do need to clarify something that got a bit muddled as I was talking. I have two trains of thought going in the video that speak to two very different kinds of editors & why I don't think you should hire either type before querying. But I must acknowledge the value of developmental editors, generally BUT:

1) Developmental editors, who read your work & give you an overview of what's working vs. what's not. The reason I don't recommend this is because critique partners do THE EXACT SAME THING FOR FREE.

2) Line/copy editors, who go through your manuscript on a line-by-line/sentence level and fix problems with your spelling, grammar, usage, and sentence level prose. I don't recommend this because of what I speak to in the video, re: you need to learn how to do this yourself, because your agent and publisher will expect you to achieve a minimum standard of well-expressed English/prose writing. Hiring someone to cover up your deficiencies in this area will only hurt you in the long run (and won't fix story-level issues).

Of the two types, I can most see someone maybe hiring a developmental editor (and they cost less, typically, than line/copy editors), but ONLY if you simply cannot find any critique partners. And yet I still don't recommend it haha.

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[LindsayPuckett]

I literally thought hiring an editor before querying was what you were supposed to do before I found your channel. I opened a savings account for editorial funds and have been dumping money in there since December....guess you just gave me the green light to go to Ikea instead!!! :D HOLLA HOLLA!

[rcmogo]

I learned SO MUCH from my developmental editor. She did not make any direct changes, only suggestions throughout the whole manuscript (which was 112K words, which is why no one ever wanted to be my critique partner). I am a penny pincher to the max, but the value of having a professional in the industry look directly at your writing and tell you specifically what is not working is worth GOLD when you are new at this. Now I can see what was exposing me as an amateur, and I will no longer make the same mistakes in future novels.

[Athen]

I did Beta Readers and self editing. Cost me time, but not money. My publisher paid for the editor.

[sandyviewcottagelakeeriedu]

I am trying traditional publishing. After a couple of rejections I hired an editor. We struck a deal for her to edit and critique the first 1500 words of my MS. She also answered specific questions for months. She identified some huge problems which I have fixed in the whole MS. Well worth the money but I have a good full time job and could afford it. Possibly could have gotten the same help from a CP, but I didn't know that. Live and learn and learn and learn. . . .

[richardwilson]

Many YouTubers (who shall remain nameless) encourage their subscribers to hire an editor even when they are aiming for traditional publishing.

[jessicafroberg]

You tell them girl! My CPs are the best editors ever and are all I've ever needed! Also, I'd love a series of videos on just sentence structure, writing craft stuff. I'd love to see what your thoughts are on this (especially as I dive into line-edits).

[booklattes]

I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE THIS VIDEO BLESS YOU 😭💗💗

[TrinJeto]

Wow. This video turned my view around on this whole process. I was convinced that I would need to hire an editor before querying, but ultimately, I do need to know how to edit my work and since I'm going into the traditional publishing route, I just need to trust the process.

[MarzieMalfoy]

OMG you have just saved my bank account!!! My plan was to pay an editor once just so I can get established with an agent ... I did not think about later and that they would expect that level of quality! Thank you so much for this video! 💜💜💜

[joeldchenoweth]

Thanks....That clears things up. It's the revisions that get people so bogged down in their manuscript that it's easy to lose scope--and that's when the madness comes...Perhaps we confuse editors for therapists...

[HeatherDeweyPettet]

Hello. I am a recent subscriber. Not only am I a writer, I am a freelance editor. I understand where you are coming from. Yes, I do agree that if you are getting traditionally published, it's not a good idea, for exactly the reasons you stated. But for those who decide to go the self-published route (And there are so many these days, wow!), I also think it's a good idea. I have seen so many books that are self-published that were riddled with errors. There have been so many times I have put a physical book back and not bought it, due to this issue, even if otherwise I thought I liked it (and could afford it). Luckily, freelance editors not only have authors as clients, they have publishing houses, business owners, and other types of clients to work with. I hope I never become the type of freelance editor who would railroad an author into buying my services if they don't need them. It's just not my style.

[EmilyBourne]

Love this rant 😂 great tips! Thanks for recommending querying first and laying it all out there 👍👍

[JulianGreystoke]

I'm the process of having an editor do a line edit of my book before I query. I did a ton of editing myself, but I know I and my helpers miss so much random spelling stuff and I really want to impress with my first book out. Maybe this will bite me in the butt, but I am hoping fewer distracting little errors will make the reading process easier for interested agents.

[FlashGalatine]

Thanks for the advice! I'm glad for this video since it has saved me from spending more money than I should. I'm nearly done with the first draft of my manuscript, which I intend to publish through traditional means. It's sitting at around 90k words and I was shopping around for an editor. It turns out that I might not need to hire one. Instead, what I _really_ need is a critique partner-- I have yet to find one of those. Thanks again for your videos!

[imit]

This makes a lot of sense, you should not hire an editor if you are going to trad publish. Have a blessed day!

[dylanarmstrong]

I feel like it may be a good idea to have a professional editor for your first or second book because looking at an editor to tear apart my first novel helped me learn a lot

[covetcatdoesstuff]

Other people who always recommend getting an editor first are — drum roll, please! — editors! I see this constantly in Facebook groups, and too many people believe it.

[arceydear]

Dear Alexa, I really enjoy your vlogs, but I have to disagree with this one. I was under the impression that critique partners look at content and not the grammar aspects. I mean I know there are some that do, do that too, but most don't. I find that the edit programs often fall short of what an editor does. I am not an editor and I am totally a grammar Neanderthal. I personally feel that editing as a pre cursor to submission is an evil, butt necessary expense.  Thank you for all you doing for the writing community I really appreciate ALL your helpful advise. Keep on vlogging.

[ja]

I can't speak for anyone but myself but I will share my experience as I've done both. I was fortunate (lucky) enough to get my first novel published by a small publishing house. They paid for the entire editing process and I remember not enjoying the process feeling the novel was dumbed down a lot but I suppose you have to trust that your publisher wants to sell books and knows what's best.
I am currently 75% through the developmental editing process with an editor I hired for my latest novel. I must say I have become a much better writer, I feel, by what I have learned with this editor. The process has been very enjoyable and as I have little in the way of education and I have never taken a creative writing course, I see this as an investment in myself.
And I will tell you why.
When you get rejected by an agent or publisher you are rarely told why. You might have a great story but you are not telling it right or you might not be good enough yet and a publisher who sees hundreds of submissions a year is not paid to give you advice on how to do better. I found I didn't know how to improve or recognise problems with my story unless a stranger with experience who's not going to sugar-coat things tells me where I am going wrong. I have zero confidence in my writing, I write because I love to, but I have learned that I tell a good story with good characters but my technical skills needed work.

I will probably try and self publish this one as I'm doing all the publisher's work anyway and they do take such a massive cut. I fancy the challenge of self-publishing as I have the rest of my life to sell my book and have complete control over it.
Also it feels like it's completely mine.

Just my take on things, I would not encourage or discourage anyone from hiring an editor but just make sure you get a good and above all honest one!

[PhoebeWritesFiction]

Thank you for this! As a perfectionist, I sometimes feel like I should explore every possible avenue to improve my work. But you're right, I have great critique partners, and I trust in my ability to improve my own work.