Thread: Hiring a Editor

I'm seriously considering hiring an editor to critique my novel-in-progress for a couple of reasons.

A. It's too long to read at writers workshops.

B. Nobody wants to read it on writing forums

C. I keep getting contradicting opinions on this piece, and I want to get an honest opinion in if its worth trying to finish or not.

Although I'm not anxious to spend my money, I've been sitting on this particular project for a very long time and I'm very torn.

What are your experiences and/or opinions about hiring an editor

You should take a look at some of the comments in this thread:

http://www.writingforums.com/writers...-services.html

Generally you'll find that editing services are more interested in taking the money for editing your manuscript than in giving a sound appraisal of your work. I think you'll find that few, if any, will commit to giving an appraisal in terms of whether it is publishable or not. Really, there's no better way of getting the appraisal you're seeking than to start submitting to agents and publishers. The only cost involved there is that of a few stamps and the inevitable rejections from many of them. Of course, there's always the chance you'll strike lucky and that the book will get picked up by the first that you submit to.

Originally Posted by FinnMacCool

C. I keep getting contradicting opinions on this piece, and I want to get an honest opinion in if its worth trying to finish or not.

That's the nature of art though. I didn't like Midnight's Children but it won the Booker of Booker's.
If you want an editor to edit it, fine. But a critique? What if you get one that doesn't like it when many others would? I'm critical of most books I read and a lot of books I enjoy. I'd say be very wary about paying an editor for a critique, but not just because of the money. As Baron says, send it off.

A lot of published books have had many rejections. This means those same books would probably have received negative critiques, if paid for.

P.S. A apropriately spelled thread title

In my opinion, discussion forums dedicated to writing are NOT a good place to post your works-in-progress except in brief excerpts for really specific purposes, i.e., "Should I take this paragraph out?" or "Something's wrong with this verse, I don't know what."

You're right that "no one" wants to, or has the time to, read your longy-longy-long-long work in progress, especially if it's really rough. If you post something that's over, say, 2000 words, that's going to take even a fast reader some time to read, and most of us are checking out this site when we are supposed to be working at our day jobs or in school--therefore, it's like you are asking me to take a half hour or more out of my day, if I really want to do the right thing by your work in progress! I have to take the time to read and then re-read it, and then post a reply that includes some helpful suggestions or praise. (For free.)

Also keep in mind that this is the internet, and just because there are forum rules everyone is supposed to follow about being nice to other members of the board does not mean that everyone you encounter is going to be nice, or have your best interests at heart.

This leads me to the subject of editing services. I guess that some publishers will not take copy that has not been professionally edited, and sometimes that costs a lot of $$$, so if you're really serious about publishing you're gonna have to shell out for them at some point.

But from the tone and general demeanor of your post, it's clear that you are not ready for that, and you KNOW it. Why waste $1000 USD or more on an editor, when the publisher won't take your MS anyway?

An editor who solicits your business is not a safe bet. I can go into all kinds of reasons why that is the case, but I'll just give one really brief example:

I learned on an internet discussion forum that a couple of the members had started their own "publishing company" and that they were soliciting manuscripts. I thought that was cool. I offered to be a slush reader for them for free, thinking that I would get in on the bottom rung, so to speak. As far as submitting pieces to their magazine they were starting, I didn't want to submit any of my stuff because I don't do the type of writing that they were soliciting for.

So they were glad to have me read from their slush pile for free and started sending me MSs. They sent me some MSs that REALLY STANK, too. I read the first one all the way through, though it nearly killed me. The second one I sent back and said, "This is unprintable, it needs too much work, just tell them no."

They replied that I was supposed to read each MS and EDIT it where I thought that it needed editing. I was like, "WTF...?"

Then I figured out (duh!) that these "publishers" were actually EDITORS, and they were getting paid to fix these truly atrocious MSs for aspiring writers.

So I quit. I didn't b1tch them out or anything, but I sort of wanted to.

So: Caveat emptor, right?

At this point in your writing career, what you need is someone who will read and critique your stuff for free, right? Until you get to the point that you can seriously consider submitting your work,

Someone like.... a friend, maybe...?

Sure, you don't want to have your friends and family look at your writing; hardly anyone does. You need some friends that share your love for writing, maybe some who are at the same stage in their writing careers that you are.

And THAT'S what the internet discussion forum is good for--so that you can connect with other people who share your interests, perhaps get on friendly terms with them, post a few short things on the forum so that people can marvel at your work without having to commit hours to helping you for free--and find someone who will agree to read, critique, and perhaps edit your work in progress.

On the discussion forum you can find links to information that will help your writing, and resources. You can learn about magazines that will accept unsolicited MSs, and maybe make a couple of professional contacts with writers who are already published.

Any writer who posts pieces of extreme length and density on an internet discussion forum, expecting serious feedback on those pieces, almost certainly dooms him/herself to frustration and anger.

That's the best advice I can give ya, right there. Also I agree with the others who have posted that really the best thing to do is to start submitting finished pieces to publishers--that's the best kind of feedback you can get, really.

In fact there are a few people on this site who will give very detailed critiques. People tend to give what they get and if people aren't prepared to take time to review the work of others then they're less likely to get a decent critique themselves.

The mainstream publishers will not recommend outside editing services and in my opinion they are a complete waste of money. They have their own proof readers and editors and will work with authors who they think have something publishable.

I can sympathise with your own experience and if you check out the "Preditors and Editors" site you'll say that they have a pretty comprehensive listing of those who are just out to scam writers. That doesn't mean that you should tar all with the same brush. There are two magazines that I know of which are produced by members and staff on this site which are certainly not out to do anything other than they claim. I know of other writing forums which also produce quality magazines which are quite reputable. It's easy to see it all as bad when you've been scolded. Don't make the mistake of throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

The mainstream publishers will not recommend outside editing services and in my opinion they are a complete waste of money.

I agree, but I was advised at some point in the recent past that literary agents and publishing houses in the UK WOULD NOT ACCEPT an MS that has not been professionally edited--not necessarily for content, but for spelling, punctuation, etc. Therefore for certain writers the professional editor seems to be a mandate.

Since I don't live in the UK, I don't know that for sure, but I recall hearing that from one or two different people.

Is that not the case...? If that is an error, I apologize.

Originally Posted by Scarlett_156

I agree, but I was advised at some point in the recent past that literary agents and publishing houses in the UK WOULD NOT ACCEPT an MS that has not been professionally edited--not necessarily for content, but for spelling, punctuation, etc. Therefore for certain writers the professional editor seems to be a mandate.

Since I don't live in the UK, I don't know that for sure, but I recall hearing that from one or two different people.

Is that not the case...? If that is an error, I apologize.

You've been advised wrong but that doesn't mean that one shouldn't aim at as high a standard as possible. That's where forums such as this can be useful. No publishing house that I've had dealings with would advise paying for an editor, for the reasons given in my earlier post.

If someone want to pay for a professional editor then that's their choice. It certainly isn't necessary and it won't do anything to make an unpublishable work publishable.