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The Importance of Accepting an Editor's Wisdom

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For anyone writing their first book, there are many things to learn, but one of the most important is accepting and putting to good use suggestions received from editors. If you've already searched for affordable book editing services and decided on someone to use, do yourself a favor and don't rebel against their advice. Editors bring their experience to your book project, view your manuscript with fresh eyes, and understand what makes a good book. The internet is filled with harsh reviews, and you don't want to read one about your book that could have been avoided by taking editing advice.

Your book is your baby, and it's natural to feel protective of it, but the point of what you're writing is for it to be read and enjoyed by others. Therefore, as much as your opinion matters, changes and improvements cannot diminish what you wrote initially. If your goal is to become a full-time writer, a successful first book published independently can lead to a future publishing deal. It's why there is little room for error, and allowing an editor to help you make improvements and avoid pitfalls is a wise move, even if your first reaction after reading comments might be to disregard them.

If you are a first-time author and need to ease yourself into the idea of working with an editor, you might consider beginning with an editing assessment. It's a low-cost initial service for an editor to review a small section of your book and report back to you with recommendations. You'll be able to think through the suggested service and their cost before you sign up as a client. Most authors find it refreshing to see a professional's thoughts and comments about their work, but no two people are alike, and you should try it for yourself. You also might decide to try a second editor before making a choice.

For authors planning to publish independently, professional editing is strongly recommended by virtually everyone who knows the book industry. But if you decide to go it on your own, the risk of potential bad reviews included, at last pay a pro to do a proofread. Readers have high expectations, and you can count on critical comments if you publish a book with typos, misspellings, or punctuation errors. There is a minimum expectation level for every book, and it includes correcting basic mistakes. You want your book to be well received and your writing to be well regarded – both make proofreading essential.

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