I would like to expound a little on the subject of my previous post; editing.
Let me jump right in. One of the things that a writer might not consider is the ever true ‘clichéd’ rule: “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.”
This is not to say that you must do everything yourself every step of the way. That would be folly, even though, the concept that you can’t completely depend on anyone but yourself is one of the two possible interpretations of that saying. The other interpretation is that no one will view “right” exactly the same way as you and, therefore, cannot completely achieve your “right.” This is one reason you should always do a final read through for yourself.
For a moment, let’s go back to the “can’t depend on anyone but yourself” interpretation. In some ways this is true, while in others this is only partially true. It is true in so much that there will always be those who just do a sloppy job in order to do the bare minimum required to get paid. I have come across many people like this in many different situations. They are only in it for how it benefits them and, once they have obtained their goal, they are done. Hopefully, when you look for an editor you are able to check and double-check to be certain they have a good reputation and one that has been earned.
This thorough vetting process is not always possible. You might not be given much of a choice of editor whether that is because someone else is in charge of choosing the editor or because you have limited funds and, therefore, limited choices. I will assume that you are self-publishing rather than being traditionally published. In this case, odds are you will not have a large fund at your disposal. One must work with what they can get.
No matter which editor you choose, consider this: an editor is in it for the pay. They might care about their reputation as a superior editor, but that also goes back to the money they will make for being superior. They are invested in the final result but not in the same way as you are. It is their livelihood, but it is your heart and mind.
When it comes to family and friends; they might care about the story because they care about you. They might like the story and so want it to succeed on its own account. However, they did not conceive it or labor for it. They did not nurture it, nor care for it, nor guide it through adolescence. They did not weep over it when it went astray. When it turned out well despite its various detours they might have rejoiced with you but not in the same way as you, the story’s guardian. They might want to see your story succeed because they care about you and want to see you succeed, but the difference in investment will automatically mean a difference in editing. This is only natural and should not be viewed as something bad, per se. We as human beings cannot invest our all into every endeavor, as much as we would like such ability. We would simply burn out and quickly at that. Your family and friends have only so much time and energy to give to editing your story. Don’t overuse those resources of time and energy, or they won’t be available if you need them again. (See my blog post: Pickax to Cut Cloth, or Using Your Friends Wisely.)
With this in mind, accept the editing of others as a means to an end but not the end itself. They helped catch errors and shortcomings so that you didn’t have to catch each and every one yourself. However, they cannot catch everything either. Therefore, it is essential that you, the author, proofread several times along the way.
Always, without exception, remember and make time for a final proofread. This is extremely important. Remember that there is the great possibility of errors which were introduced due to edits. If you changed a paragraph, due to your own inclination or at another’s suggestion, there is the possibility that some of the original paragraph was left by accident creating redundancy or confusion, such as a character doing the same action twice, or extra words which make no sense in the final piece. The former example, while it happens, might not be so common, but the latter is one I have come across many times in my life as an avid reader, though mostly in recent years.
Ultimately, this is your reputation as an author and the reputation of your story on the line. When it gets published with errors, whether you obtained an editor or not, it reflects poorly on you. (If you self-publish and there are errors, the entire realm of self-publishing also takes a hit.) In the end, you owe it to your story and yourself to make certain that you have done all you can to ensure its success. Do several checks for errors throughout the process, starting after the first rough draft. Most importantly, always be certain to do a final check. This way, you can improve the odds of reader satisfaction and end up with better reviews than if confusing errors are found. This way you can relax a little and enjoy the wonder.
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