Reasons You Should #GetEdited by Professionals
Updated: Apr 7
By Stephanie Ciecierski | November 10th, 2022
“I’ve already edited my manuscript for months!”
“My workshop group already tore it to pieces!”
“My mom thinks it’s a great book!”
All these things may be true, (Thanks, Mom!), but having a professional editor crack down on that manuscript before it gets self-published is crucial. Read on to see five reasons why.
Reason 1: Online editing tools don’t cut it
Grammarly, Spell Check, and other online editing tools are great for line-editing. Syntax and grammar are challenging, and tools like these can help cut down time spent on local revisions.
However, it is very easy to mix up homophones and most spell-checkers don’t catch it. A copy-editor with a keen eye will catch that mistake in a heartbeat. If you have a small team of editors, like Singularity Press, they’re even more likely to catch it.
Not to mention, after the fifth pass of a manuscript, a writer isn’t going to be reading as closely as they were in the beginning. Having a person who is adept at grammar, syntax, and spelling will allow writers to focus on the bigger picture issues like plot or character development.
Reason 2: A stranger to the story will bring fresh perspective
Maybe you’ve shown this manuscript to all of your friends, your family, and your workshopping group. That’s great! The only problem is, we tend to surround ourselves with people similar to ourselves. A writer and their circle of friends will likely understand what is trying to be said, but what about a stranger?
A professional editor will bring a brand new set of eyes to the story. They’ll note how they engaged with the text as a reader – how did they feel emotionally while reading? Do they connect to the characters? Does the text diverge from the plot in ways that the writer doesn’t see? – and they’ll be able to help come up with solutions.
When editors with a background different from the writer’s read a manuscript, they’ll be able to see how something might be confusing or misleading. Maybe there’s lingo in the text that the writer is familiar with that others might not be.
Reason 3: Editors from minority groups can read for sensitivity
Ableist language and microaggressions can often go unnoticed by those who aren’t affected by them, so having a sensitivity reader can help eliminate those issues. The last thing a writer wants to do is alienate their audience. A sensitivity reader or an editor from a unique background will be able to point out areas where the author may have unknowingly said something off-color.
A sensitivity reader is normally from a minority background and sees through a lens of historically oppressed groups. They’re often LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and/or people of color. They’ll improve a manuscript by eliminating stereotypes, finding alternative ways of discussing certain topics, or improving terminology.
Better yet, with a team of editors, you’re likely to have people that identify with many of these minority groups and won’t have to hire a separate sensitivity reader. Either way, it’s a worthy investment and one that will make you a more credible and conscientious writer.
Reason 4: It’s hard to “kill your darlings”
Let’s be real, we all have a difficult time cutting out parts of a manuscript that we love. While it may be a fun or clever addition to the manuscript, it might be a distraction from the greater goals of the book.
It could even be an entire character that needs to be eliminated. Whole characters that writers have gotten attached to are some of the most challenging to get rid of. Sometimes, they’re just not developed enough or developing them further just takes away from the growth of the main character.
Maybe this is a nonfiction piece that provides just a little too much background. It’s easy to get lost in talking about an aspect of personal life that feels necessary, but ends up walking around the topic at hand. An editor will be there to help the author make these tough decisions to make the writing more direct.
Reason 5: Editors will ask the big questions
“What do you mean here?”
“How does this contribute to the plot?”
“What is the connection between these stories?”
“What was your intention for organizing the poems?”
Editors are especially talented at asking the bigger picture questions that writers often miss. They’ll look for intentionality, organization, and potential misunderstandings. There is a reason for every move that a writer makes, but sometimes writers do things without considering why. Professional editors will always ask the difficult questions about ways a piece is written and why!
Why you should #GetEdited by Singularity Press
Singularity Press’s team of editor interns have a thorough Complete Editing Package featuring Developmental Editing, Copyediting, and Proofreading. The Developmental Editing stage begins with each intern reading the manuscript as a whole and taking notes. Then, in a meeting, they’ll discuss your manuscript with Megan Atwood, the founder of Singularity.
After this meeting, Megan will write an editorial letter covering the big issues that need revising. Meanwhile the interns make comments (in Google Docs preferably) in the form of questions on the manuscript itself.
From there, writers have 30 days to make these big picture revisions. A second round of Developmental Editing will take place followed by a second revised submission.
During the copyediting phase, the editor interns will then go through the manuscript with a fine-tooth comb and line edit as needed. Finally, the manuscript gets proofread and you'll be ready for self-publishing.
There are also other plans available for marketing, cover creation, and steps for self-publishing! For pricing and plans visit this link and then contact us here with inquiries. We hope to help you self-publish your manuscript today.