Do writers really need to have their
work edited?
By Tracy Habenicht
I recently visited an online discussion board geared toward writers.
In addition to posts from users touting their own work and some
questioning how to break into the business, one thread, in particular,
caught my attention. The person who had posted it said that an
editor should not edit a writer’s work unless he or she thinks
it has a chance to be published.
That statement does a disservice to writers and editors everywhere.
Most editors who run their own businesses are not associated with
publishing houses. They do not have the power to accept or reject
a work for publication. Their expertise lies simply in the editing.
In “Predators & Editors” in AnotherRealm.com, it says, “Most
editing services do not claim, and rightly so, that their efforts
will result in a publishing contract. Reputable companies will
tell you that up front.”
So should a writer submit his or her work to an editor before
sending it to a publisher?
Absolutely!
Works can benefit a great deal from being edited. A good edit
of a well-written piece will spot those few words that were inadvertently
used incorrectly. A thorough edit of a more poorly written piece —
no matter how original the plot or well-developed the characters —
will spot those misspelled words, errors in punctuation, changes
in tense or narration — the list goes on.
Editing also provides the writer with an objective reader before
the story is sent to a publisher. An editor can tell a writer
which part of the story does not make sense, which scene does
not advance the plot, which character should be developed further.
Editors are taught to question everything. They will look at
a work from a variety of angles. They will ask themselves not
only, Is the story entertaining? but, Does it make sense? Are
the characters’ actions logical based on how they have been described?
Is the dialogue believable? Are the words something an actual
person would say?
If the editor has suggested a lot of improvements for the story,
the writer will realize that perhaps this draft should not be
the final one. Perhaps more work needs to go into the story before
a publisher sees it.
So the use of editors is a logical step between having rough
drafts and having a final product to submit to a publisher.
Any publisher is going to welcome writing in which the story
stands out, not the mistakes. And that is going to get a writer
that much closer to having his or her work published. •
© 2005 Tracy Habenicht
About the Author
After editing others’ work for five years, Tracy Habenicht has
recently rediscovered the joy of creative writing. To learn more
about her and her business, In the Details Proofreading Service,
visit www.ProofCopy.com.
10/01/04
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