If you’re an indie author, you probably know how challenging it can be to navigate all the stages of producing a book on your own. From brainstorming to drafting, revising to designing, printing to promoting, it’s a lot to juggle. But if there’s one step that can make all the difference to how your story is received by readers – and thereby help others to find and love it – it’s professional editing.
I get it: hiring an editor can feel like a significant investment – probably because it is a significant investment – and there’s a temptation to handle the editing yourself or maybe ask a trusted friend to look it over. But editing isn’t just about catching typos; it’s about ensuring clarity, consistency and bringing the best out of the story you’ve poured your heart into.
Here’s why I think investing in professional editing is so important to your career as an indie author.
1. Editing sharpens your storytelling
Think of editing as a process that doesn’t just clean up your story but actually strengthens it. When you’ve been working for however long it may be on your own manuscript, there are details you might miss simply because you’re too close to it.
An editor’s job – and in this case, it would be a developmental editor – is to help your story shine by working on things like:
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- Structural issues: Is the plot engaging? Does it follow a satisfying arc?
- Character development: Are your characters consistent and three-dimensional?
- Pacing and flow: Are there parts of the story that feel too slow or too rushed?
A polished, compelling story is what will keep your readers turning pages, recommending it to friends and giving glowing online reviews.
2. Professional editing ensures consistency and clarity
Have you ever noticed when a book feels ‘off’ because a character’s eye colour changes halfway through or the timeline doesn’t add up? Small inconsistencies can be distracting for readers, pulling them out of the story. A good editor – and here this would mainly be a copyeditor – will help every element of your story feel cohesive and logically sound.
Beyond consistency, a professional editor will ensure clarity. Sometimes you’ll know exactly what you mean in your head, but it doesn’t always come across on the page. Maybe a particular scene feels tense to you because you know what’s coming, but it might not feel the same to a reader. An editor or proofreader will make suggestions to ensure that what you’re trying to say or make the reader feel is communicated effectively.
As with my first point in this list, these issues will crop up not because you’re a poor writer, but because you’ve become so immersed in your story and the revisions you’ve made along the way that you can no longer see them.
3. Editing builds your credibility as an author
One of the biggest challenges for indie authors is building credibility. There are many wonderful indie books out there, but there are also plenty that haven’t been professionally edited. Readers can usually tell the difference. If your book is polished in terms of its storytelling, consistency and clarity, readers are more likely to view you as a professional and take your work seriously.
The more polished your story, the more likely it is, in turn that those same readers will recommend it to others. On the flip side, a professionally edited book can help you avoid bad reviews that focus on spelling mistakes or plot holes – reviews that, unfortunately, can overshadow a great story.
4. There are different types of editing for every stage of your manuscript
As I’ve hinted above, editing isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing. There are different types of editing designed for various stages of the writing process; knowing this can make the investment feel less intimidating. Understanding who to involve and when can also help you to focus your budget where you need it.
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- Developmental Editing: This is the big-picture stage. A developmental editor looks at structure, plot, pacing and character development. They help shape the story and offer guidance on significant elements like plot holes, character arcs and theme development.
- Line Editing: Line editing focuses on style, tone and language use. A line editor will make sure each sentence flows and contributes to the story. They’ll help your voice come through while enhancing clarity, rhythm and impact.
- Copyediting: Copyediting is more technical, focusing on grammar, punctuation, spelling, and consistency. Consistency, as mentioned above, will apply not only to those language elements and presentation of the text, but also to the narrative. A copyeditor ensures your manuscript is clean, professional and ready to go to the next step, providing (or adding to) a style sheet to record your preferences.
- Proofreading: The final step before publishing, proofreading catches any remaining typos, formatting issues or inconsistencies. It is particularly important for checking any changes made following the previous stages of editing.
5. Editing is an investment in your career
Working with a professional editor allows you to see where you might have weaknesses or recurring habits – like overusing certain words or phrases. You’ll come out of the editing process not just with a stronger book, but also with skills and insight you can apply to the next one.
6. Editing is collaborative
Writing – for most authors, at least – is a solitary affair. When you get a professional editor involved, you’ll have someone else who is invested in your story and its success.
Sending your precious manuscript to a professional editor isn’t the same as handing in your exam paper to be marked. When you receive the edited manuscript, you’ll likely find almost as many comments as corrections, and these are aimed at explaining an edit, making a suggestion or raising a query. And sometimes they’re just there to share joy at a particular description or plot twist you’ve written.
And the crucial thing for you as a writer is to know that those edits and comments are simply suggestions. When the manuscript comes back to you – as it will do – it’ll be entirely up to you whether to accept the edits and act on the comments.
Think of an editor as a knowledgeable sounding board: someone with whom you can discuss what you’re trying to achieve, or any particular problems you know exist, and who can then suggest a solution.
Final thoughts
If you’re serious about the book you’ve written and building a career as an indie author, professional editing should be a no-brainer. Yes, it requires an investment, but it’s one that will pay off in reader satisfaction, stronger reviews and career development.
So consider setting aside a decent budget for editing: it’s a worthwhile investment in your story, your reputation as an author and your development as a writer. And if you’d like to find out how I could help with your book and whether I’d be the right fit for you, please get in touch.