Yes, You Need an Editor

Your manuscript is finished. Your story is concluded. You’re eager to get it into the hands of readers. Then the thought pops into your head: Do I really need an editor?

The urge to get it over with as quickly as possible, while saving money, is hard to resist. The objections to getting manuscripts professionally edited are many: “I’m confident in my grammar skills,” “I’ll run my book through ChatGPT, Grammarly, etc.,” “My book is already great,” “I don’t want someone messing with my work,” and the list goes on.

Of course, we believe it will greatly benefit your book to take a step back and let professional editors refine it. But if you’re not yet convinced, let’s take a closer look at those objections.

“I’m confident in my grammar skills.”

That’s great! The cleaner the manuscript is, the better feedback an editor will be able to give you. But editing is about so much more than grammar skills. It’s about fresh eyes.

The fact is you are not a good fit to edit your own work because you are too close to it. It’s not your fault; there is psychology behind this.

The familiarity that you have with the text interferes with processing what is actually written. The brain automatically fills in gaps based on context using top-down processing—essentially, reading based on expectation. The brain takes in information from the environment but then combines it with stored knowledge to make inferences about what is to come. You as the author already have an expectation of what is coming next from writing the piece; therefore, the brain automatically expects whatever that is. If this prediction is incorrect, it leads to an error in how you perceive the work.

The opposite form of processing stimuli, bottom-up processing, is used by editors. This processing relies on the actual stimuli that are present—information is gathered and processed based simply on the words and sentence structure, not on prior expectation. It is more likely to be perceived correctly because of the absence of stored knowledge about the piece of writing. There are little to no expectations about the work itself; therefore, there is less that the brain can make predictions about that would cause an editor to misread text.

Remember: You’re not a bad writer or editor. An author’s familiarity with their own text promotes processing of the work that is less thorough than an editor with fresh eyes. Even we editors at Wandering Words Media are never the sole editors of our own books. Another editor on our team even helped me refine these words you’re reading.

The brain is tricky and can cause subconscious errors in perception. Therefore, writers need editors, editors need editors—everyone needs an editor.

“I’ll run my book through ChatGPT, Grammarly, etc.”

Editing software, while helpful, won’t catch many things, like words that are spelled correctly but are wrong in context.

There are also these issues specific to the platforms:

ChatGPT/AI

•       Can provide inaccurate and unreliable information. It’s really important not to trust the software, especially for nonfiction books that rely on facts.
•       AI’s lack of critical thinking and contextual understanding will interfere with editing. You could end up with some weird phrases, actions that don’t make sense, inconsistency, and generally things that will make the reader question your writing.
•       Lack of originality and creativity will cause the platform to neglect your voice, the lifeblood of your story. Your unique voice is what makes your work stand out and keeps the reader engaged. It’s more obvious than you would think when a book is edited or written with AI.
•       Phrasing may become repetitive and dry. AI is notorious for indirect repetition. We see it constantly: the same point repeated over and over but phrased in a slightly different way, using the same few descriptive words over and over, describing something like someone who has no idea about the subject matter—as I like to call it, saying a lot but also saying nothing at all. This is a sure way to bore readers to the point they put your book down.
•       Some readers will put down a book if they think it’s been written or edited using AI. Avoiding the potential controversy altogether may be a good choice.
•       Even if you do use AI to edit, you will still need to rephrase a lot to avoid the problems discussed above. It’s simply easier in the long run to hire an actual editor.
•       Running it through AI and then sending it to an editor isn’t the best way to go. This causes a lot more work for the editor, as they will need to suggest a lot of rewriting, typically making the work the AI did pointless or even a setback.

Grammarly, etc.

• While helpful, these programs can still be inaccurate. They may point out “errors” that aren’t actually errors, or even suggest grammatically incorrect “corrections.” You might be left wondering whether or not to take the suggestions, wasting your valuable time.
• Known for being inconsistent. This is especially the case with commas; the program may add them in some cases but not others, causing consistency issues.
• There is limited contextual understanding. I’m sure you’ve noticed even the spellcheck on your writing software gets things wrong all the time. The software is not to be trusted, as it doesn’t actually know the context.
• Doesn’t allow for style choice. The program lacks the ability to write like a human; it only knows rules. This may cause inconsistent voice and other stylistic issues.

A living, breathing editor is always going to be the best choice for your manuscript. There are so many nuances, stylistic choices, voice and originality issues, flow concerns, and grammar errors that won’t be addressed by AI or software.

“My book is already great.”

It’s amazing to love your book and think that it is truly spectacular, but consider if readers will think the same way. After all, the book is for them, not you. And, as already discussed, you as the author are too close to your work to be objective, both with the content and grammar.

It can be hard to think about your book needing changes, but the editing process will ultimately make it stronger and more likely to reach more readers out in the wild. A thorough developmental/content and copyedit will ensure your story aligns with readers and provides them the best possible experience.

You’ll have the best possible publishing experience as well because you’ll be confident that your story is solid.

“I don’t want someone messing with my work.”

I know how hard it is to send your book baby off to an editor. You’ve put blood, sweat, and tears into this draft, and the thought of the red marks slashing apart your book baby can be nerve-racking—especially if you’re worried the edits will ruin your voice and compromise your vision.

First of all, take a breath and remember that the editor is on your team. You and your editor both want your book to succeed, and the editor’s feedback will help you improve. Editors are always rooting for your story just as much as you are.

Also remember that editors are trained to pick up on your voice and keep it consistent when they make suggested corrections. Refining tone and making it consistent throughout the book is an important part of the editing process. As for your overall vision, it will likely be critiqued—but become all the better for it. A good editor will improve your vision so it will have maximum impact on the reader. Think of the editing process as refining, not destroying.

Another point to consider is that AI is likely to ruin your voice—inserting repetitive, almost robotic language without any sense of you or your message. A real editor will pick up on what makes you you and help infuse that into your work, enhancing your voice rather than compromising it.

Finally, keep in mind that all edits are suggestions. You as the author have the final say when it comes to accepting edits. In the end, taking that step and trusting an editor is the best thing you can do for your book. You’ll likely be pleasantly surprised at how the feedback transforms your work into something incredible.

So, yes, you need an editor. The editing phase will be much smoother with professional editors to guide you through it. Addressing story- and grammar-level issues will ensure a cohesive reading experience. Give your book baby the treatment it deserves and hire an editor today.