A few days ago I had my six month check up and cleaning at the dentist except because I had to change my original appointment it was over eight months since my last visit. I used that as my excuse as the hygienist gave me a lecture about flossing more often and doing a better job of it.
As I drove home, enjoying the freshness of newly polished teeth, I realized flossing is a lot like editing. You have to make time to do it, and you have to do a thorough job of it. There are tools to help you, different proven methods and you're better for it when it's done.
Flossing isn't fun and sometimes neither is editing. Reading over the same manuscript time after time can frustrate a writer. It's tempting to get lazy and hurry through the process but you need to hit between every tooth each time you do it. When editing you have to read every word, contemplate every comma, and weigh the importance of every sentence and scene.
Even though I brush every day and floss most days, I still need professional help from the dentist. Editing is like that too. No matter how good you are at it, you need a professional to fine tune it and make it the best it can be. With more and more writers going the self-publishing route, I think there will be a greater demand for free lance book editors to help writers polish their work.
Have you ever used a free lance editor for one of your books? Do you do editing for authors? Would you pay an editor to prepare a book for self publishing? What do you see as a reasonable fee for such?
9 comments:
It's been years, honestly years, since my last dental check up. I really don't like the dentist. Fortunately, I'm much better about editing.
The stage my work is at now, I've been able to get away with doing it on my own but I think I'm about to enter the zone where I'm going to need to find a professional to comb through it.
Susan, I really liked this post. You got the point across... I have paid dearly for letting things go. "Don't skimp on the floss" is my motto. :)
I need a Water Pic set on full blast for some of mine! A great analogy!
Never used a pro but I have a lot of faith in my crit partners. Love the analogy!
This is a great analogy. I'm with Colene (who just so happens IS one of my CP's) that I trust my critique partners to help me get through the editing.
An editor is vital to a writer's success. Vital meaning necessary for life. My editor charges two dollars a page and he's awesome! In today's economy I don't think I would pay much more as there are a lot of starving editors out there lookig for work.
Great analogy, Sue! I'm with Colene and Melissa. I put faith in my crit partners. As well as my writer's group. You know they're great to throw a question out to, whether it's grammar or industry or craft - someone has some good information to share.
As a writer, I think it is necessary to do your own editing. Sure it is tedious, but it could be fun as well. After the tenth, twentieth, or so edit, I have taken my chararacters to new places.
That's a great analogy. To add to that, flossing and editing is like soap during a bath. You could go on without it but it's a great help that you don't want to forget to do, no matter how much you're rushing things. Well, good for you for thinking about it after your visit to the dentist!
-Ed Hochhalter
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