Have you taken the professional editor route?

When my crit partner told me that he got his manuscript professionally edited before querying, it made me wonder why I didn’t think of that option. I am sure if I had gotten my manuscript professionally edited it would have made a huge difference to both my story and writing.

Crit partners bring such a lot of insight and give an amazing feedback on our stories, they make us work on our weaknesess, just imagine the good a professional editor can do to our story.

Getting our manuscripts professionally edited does increase our chances of being published, whether we submit to an agent or approach a publishing house directly. I have tucked away this idea into my mind for my trilogy. In the near future, I will be travelling that path.

Now, on another note, I want to share with you all about a literary agent whose work I have admired from a long time and who has also been on my list of agents to query. Mary Kole, one of the well- known literary agents, who is now with Movable Type Literary Management, and had earlier worked at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, has started a manuscript editorial and consulting services from this year.

I have been following Mary’s blog Kidlit for many years. Mary offers wonderful advice on all aspects of writing: from plotting, creating tension, pace, antagonists, character arcs, story lines to query letters. I can honestly say that the examples Mary gives on her blog are like attending creative writing lessons. Her advice is spot on and coming as it is from an agent’s perspective it helps writers in a big way. I have personally benefited a lot from her blog.

Mary’s book Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers has garnered rave reviews from writers and readers. Most of my writing friends online have recommended it to me.

Whether a writer is seeking a sharp eye on their query letter or a comprehensive editorial review of their entire manuscript, Mary’s editorial and consulting services can get the writer closer to their publishing goal.  Mary’s editorial work is meant to be educational, encouraging, actionable, and geared to helping a writer achieve their dreams. Check out Mary’s website for details.

Have any of you taken the professional edit route? What did you feel about it? Do you think it got you closer to your publishing goal? Please share your views as it will help us make our decisions.