Writing your story might feel like the biggest quest, but the real struggle begins once you finish it. You’re probably reading this article because you’ve realized that. Now, you want to hire an editor, but you’re not quite sure if your manuscript is ready for this next big step.

Becoming the victim of a rushed edit can seriously set back the progress you’ve made. But don’t worry, the good news is that the perfect solution has already been devised. You can now determine if your manuscript is editor-ready within seconds.

Read on to find out when to hire an editor and which type of editor works best for you.

Why Does The Readiness Of The Manuscript Matter For Your Editor?

Book editing for self-published authors can feel like jumping into a lake without knowing the depth. Simply put, hiring an editor while your manuscript is not ready might lead to outcomes you are not expecting. You might end up thinking, “I could have done that myself.” The millions of doubts writers battle after hiring an editor rarely result from the editing services; mostly, they are just the result of providing the editor with a half-formed manuscript. 

More than it matters to the editors, the readiness of your manuscript affects the publishing timeline of your story. A messy manuscript means a delay in the expected timeline. So, before hiring an editor, make sure you are absolutely confident that your manuscript is ready. 

Is Your Manuscript Ready? Ask Yourself These Six Questions

Before you opt for manuscript editing services, ask yourself the following questions. It will help you decide if your story is ready or if it needs a little more love. 

1. How Many Drafts Have You Gone Through?

If your answer is one, you don’t need an editor right now. The first draft is only for putting your story on paper. It requires several edits and revisions before it’s editor-ready. Consider working on writing style refinement and plot holes before finding an editor. 

Pro Tip: Your goal should be to go through at least three revisions before even searching for an editor. 

2. Have You Done At Least One Round Of Self-Edits?

Self-edits are not optional; they are mandatory if you want to make your manuscript editor-ready. This is the part where newbie writers struggle a lot. Plot? Characters? Grammar? Writing style? You might be confused about where to start. Fret not, all you need to do is tick off items from a self-editing checklist. It’s that simple. Generate a step-by-step editing timeline, closely follow it, and you will be one step closer to making your manuscript ready for the editor. 

3. Have You Read Your Manuscript?

Not skimming. Not glancing. This is about mindful reading. Reading aloud from a printed form. If you haven’t done that, chances are your manuscript is filled with clunky sentences, awkward phrasing, and inconsistencies. Solving all that before forwarding your manuscript for editing means creating space for the editor to focus on deeper improvements rather than surface-level issues. 

4. Have You Gotten Feedback From Someone Else?

Before committing to editor services, get feedback on your manuscript. It can be from beta readers, one of your friends, or even from a writing group. Ask for character development feedback, worldbuilding critique, and story structure analysis. Even a single piece of thoughtful feedback can do wonders for your manuscript. 

5. Do You Know What You Need Help With?

If you don’t know what you need help with, you probably have to reconsider hiring an editor. A prerequisite for quality editing is understanding the nature of the assistance you need. Is it the plot or pacing of your story? Do you need a grammar polish? Recognizing your requirements will enable you to choose the right manuscript editing services. 

6. Are You Emotionally Ready for Feedback?

Watching someone criticize the story you have been working on for such a long time can be nerve-wracking. However, critique is part of the process; it is what makes you a good writer. Doing self-edits, trimming, and rewriting a great part of your manuscript during revisions will give you the heart to deal with constructive criticism. However, if you can’t take feedback without getting defensive, you might need some more time before opting for manuscript critique services. 

If Your Manuscript Is In Fact Ready, Which Editor Do You Need?

If asking the above questions made you realize your manuscript is, in fact, ready for editing, you must have a million other queries in your mind: Which editor do I need? Do I need a developmental editor or a copy editor? What do developmental editors actually do?

Here’s a quick breakdown of which professional book editor would work best for you. 

• If your plot feels shaky, the characters seem flat, and you are unsure if the pacing and structure make sense, you need a developmental editor. 
• If the plot, structure, and pacing make sense, but the writing feels repetitive and clunky, you need a line editor. 
• If your manuscript is perfect in every sense, but the grammar mistakes and punctuation issues are driving you up the wall, you are in dire need of a copy editor. 
• If your manuscript is all set and just needs a final check to smooth out formatting issues and typos, you need a proofreader. 

Still Not Sure If Your Manuscript Is Good Enough For An Editor?

It can feel scary to hand over something so personal, especially when you think it’s imperfect. But the truth is, your manuscript does not have to be flawless; it just has to be ready for growth. A good editor never expects perfection, which is precisely my approach at Once Upon A Manuscript. 

Being your editor adds the following responsibilities to my list: offering support, tailoring editing services to your needs, and getting you out of the never-ending loop of revisions leading you nowhere. 

Let’s work together to put all those doubts aside so your manuscript can turn into the book it’s meant to be.