Do you need an editor if you’re publishing traditionally?
If you’re pursuing traditional publishing, you don’t necessarily need to hire an editor. However, an editor can help you refine your manuscript to make it appealing to agents.
While in traditional publishing, a manuscript goes through several rounds of editing with the publisher, you still need to edit your manuscript before you send query agents. That doesn’t mean you need to hire an editor—you can self-edit and use beta readers—but there are some scenarios where you might consider a professional editor.
When do you want to hire a freelance editor?
You might hire an editor if you’ve been querying, it’s been a while, and…
You’re not getting responses from agents
You’re not getting requests for the full submission
You’re not getting revise and resubmit requests
If you’ve been querying and not getting positive responses, you’ll need to consider a couple things:
Do you feel like your manuscript is the best version you can make it?
Has it been through any beta reader feedback?
Have you done a grammar edit?
Do you feel like you’ve done your research, submitted to agents who take on books similar to yours?
If you answered yes to all these questions, you could use an editor.
An editor can help you make the first ten thousand words of your manuscript sing so the agent requests the full submission. They can also work through story and character arcs with you to ensure your book’s pacing and themes are landing well, making them appealing to an agent.
If you answered no to any of these questions, you’ll need to regroup.
It’s important to submit the best version of your manuscript you can. Make sure you’ve worked through a couple drafts and incorporated some beta reader feedback. It’s also crucial to do your research so you’re querying agents who work with your genre and are looking to pick up books that are similar to yours!
What’s the takeaway?
An editor can help you refine your manuscript to make it appealing to agents! They don’t expect your manuscript to be perfect, but they do want a coherent story that’s free of distracting grammar issues.
Once you’ve gotten an agent, you won’t need a freelance editor! Your agent and publisher will walk you through the next steps of the publishing journey.
If you’re in querying trenches, know that it can take some time, so don’t give up. Just make sure you’re submitting a manuscript that’s been through a few drafts to agents who pick up books in your genre!
And if you need a guide for refining your manuscript, be sure to check out my posts about self editing (here and here) before reaching out to an editor!