Friday, April 29, 2016

Is an external editor necessary before we submit?

One of my critique partners always hired an external editor before he queried agents. Though he had a couple of critique partners and beta readers, he felt that an external editor would give him an edge when he sent out queries and sample pages to agents.

His first few manuscripts were rejected by many agents and just when he was on the verge of giving self-publishing a serious thought, he signed up with an agent who got him a two book deal.

There is a question running around in my mind. Is it important for writers to work with an external editor before we go on submission? So far, all my books that have been published, have been edited by the in-house editors of the publishing houses themselves. This is the normal procedure in India. The editors of the publishing houses work with writers to polish the book, before the book is published.

When I started querying a few years back, my manuscript/s went through my critique partners. I made the changes they suggested. After a few rounds of revisions, I started querying again targeting different agent. I am wondering that if I had an external editor, perhaps my chances of getting an agent would have increased. But, if the story or the character didn’t appeal to agents, then no amount of editing would have swung the scales in my favour.

I am toying with the idea of working with an external editor after I my finish my current work in progress. Yes, I finally started my adult novel on 1st April. I have written 31,739 words so far. I am enjoying writing something different from my usual middle-grade fiction and the two main characters: Kunal and Ria, are becoming more and more familiar as the story progresses.

What’s your view about external editors? Do you think they are necessary if one wants to go the traditional publishing route or seek or an agent? Do you think external editors can get our manuscripts into the best possible shape and increase our chances of getting an agent or bagging a publishing contract? Have you gone the external editor route?



13 comments:

  1. That's such an interesting question. For my first full-length MG novel, the fantasy, The Fourth Wish, I did use an outside editor. Despite that, the book was turned down by the traditional market and I ended up self-publishing it. For my MG mystery, I didn't go through an outside editor -- and it got picked up by a publisher. I'm wondering whether to have my adult cozy mystery professionally edited when I finish this draft -- but I don't know if I will. Congratulations on writing in a new genre. I think that really stretches a writer, and you always develop new skills that apply to any genre. Best of luck with it, Rachna.

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  2. You've written a lot this month!
    I've just had critique partners, although I might have had a better shot with a larger publisher if I'd hired an editor.

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  3. An editor could help, but it is no guarantee you will get an agent. All of that is so based on subjective factors. Congrats on starting a project in a new genre. And you've written so much already!

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  4. I think it depends on how confident you are in your critique partners and beta readers. If they are good, then I doubt an outside editor would make your story any better.

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  5. Well done on the words!

    I haven't done it, but I would consider hiring an outside editor if/when the time comes.

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  6. Great going Rachna! Look forward to reading your book!

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  7. I would definitely used an external editor if I were going to self-publish, but I've relied only on my critique group and a couple of beta readers before submitting to agents or small publishers...so far.

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  8. I think an editor is a good idea, depending on how you publish, what experience your critique partners have, etc. For my non fiction books, I relied on several writer friends who had extensive experience. Two other friends, who are not writers but have an excellent eye for detail and whatnot, also looked them over before submission. If I were submitting fiction, I would give serious consideration to hiring an editor. Good topic! Wishing you well with your writing!

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  9. I haven't used an external editor, but one of my beta readers is a freelancer, so that's a plus. I would only hire one if my manuscripts felt way off, even after being critiqued and beta read.

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  10. Yes. And I found that since I had the final say-so and accept or reject the edits, I ended up going back and re-editing again because my decision making wasn't the best. But I've grown over the years and feel that I', making much better decisions and accepting my editor's edits much more these days.

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  11. I don't know. I would consider hiring one as fresh eyes catch things that those familiar with the MS might miss. I think a few of our fellow bloggers are doing editing now, so I'd likely consider them first.

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    infowars.com
    -YOUTHwitheTRUTH
    -------------------------------
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    God blessa youse
    (trust-N-Jesus)
    -Fr. Sarducci, ol SNL

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wanna find-out the fax, Jak, in a wurld fulla MissKonceptions? Wanna wiseabove to help a 'Plethora Of Wurdz' which are look'n for a new home in your novelty?? Follow us...

    Q: But [gulp] can anyone tell me the difference between K2 and IQ? A: Nthn. In Heaven, we gitt'm both for eternity HeeHee Need a few more thots, ideers, wild wurdz (whoa, Nelly! easy, girl) or ironclad iconoclasms?

    VERBUM SAT SAPIENTI: As an ex-writer of the sassy, savvy, schizophenia we all go thro in this lifelong demise, I wanna help U.S. git past the whorizontal more!ass! we're in (Latin: words to [the] wise)...

    "This finite existence is only a test, son," God Almighty told me in my coma. "Far beyond thy earthly tempest is where you'll find tangible, corpulent eloquence". Lemme tella youse without d'New Joisey accent...

    I actually saw Seventh-Heaven when we died: you couldn't GET! any moe curly, party-hardy-endorphins, extravagantly-surplus-lush Upstairs (in [the] end without end -Saint Augustine) when my o-so-beautifull, brilliant, bombastic girly passed-away due to those wry, sardonic satires.

    "Those who are wise will shine as brightly as the expanse of the Heavens, and those who have instructed many in uprightousness as bright as stars for all eternity" -Daniel 12:3, NJB

    Here's also what the prolific, exquisite GODy sed: 'the more you shall honor Me, the more I shall bless you' -the Infant Jesus of Prague.

    Go gitt'm, girl. You're incredible. See you Upstairs. I won't be joining'm in the nasty Abyss where Isis prowls
    thesuperseedoftime.blogspot.com
    infowars.com
    -YOUTHwitheTRUTH
    -------------------------------
    PS Need summore unique, uncivilized, useless names? Lemme gonna gitcha started, brudda:

    Oak Woods, Franky Sparks, Athena Noble, Autumn Rose, Faith Bishop, Dolly Martin, Willow Rhodes, Cocoa Major, Roman Stone, Bullwark Burnhart, Magnus Wilde, Kardiak Arrest, Will Wright, Goldy Silvers, Penelope Summers, Sophie Sharp, Violet Snow, Lizzy Roach, BoxxaRoxx, Aunty Dotey, Romero Stark, Zacharia Neptoo, Mercurio Morrissey, Fritz & Felix Franz, Victor Payne, Isabella Silverstein, Mercedes Kennedy, Redding Rust, Phoenix Martini, Ivy Squire, Sauer Wolfe, Yankee Cooky, -blessed b9 ...shake well B4 use!

    God blessa youse
    (trust-N-Jesus)
    -Fr. Sarducci, ol SNL

    ReplyDelete