If you are unsure whether you need an editorial assessment for your work or not, remember that you are not alone. Many authors wonder if they can skip this step, only to regret it later.
If you are unsure about working with a professional for editorial assessment, here are some compelling reasons to consider.
Eliminate Errors
Every aspiring author is excited to share their new work with their audience. Even if you are publishing your 10th book, this excitement does not die down with experience. However, this great feeling can be short-lived if your work is ridden with errors.
As soon as readers and critics have access to your manuscript, they will not hold back from pointing out any errors. Unfortunately, you cannot do anything about these errors once your book has been published.
Instead of regretting later, it is always a good idea to ask a professional for a manuscript assessment before it is published. They can work by your side to look into important elements such as plot, characterization, structure, consistency, and style and make the necessary improvements.
Secure Valuable Feedback
When writing a manuscript, you may seek feedback from various people, such as your mom and friends who are fans of the genre. While it is a good idea to consider everyone’s opinion, an expert’s insight remains unmatched.
A professional editor can provide you with experience-based insights to improve the quality of your writing. Their feedback will not only help you improve the quality of your current project but also help you strengthen your skills as a writer. This ensures that you will never repeat the same mistakes in the future.
Save Your Time
As an aspiring author, you must have a lot on your plate. From marketing your book to creating an author’s website and exploring book cover design options, doing so much all at once can be overwhelming, even for the most experienced authors.
In such circumstances, having a professional who wants to ensure the success of your manuscript as much as you do. Professional editors can help improve your manuscript and save you time and energy as well.
After all, there are only a few times an author can reread their manuscript. Letting a professional editor undertake this job can help you free up your time. Meanwhile, you can focus on other important aspects, such as marketing your book and reaching out to agents.
Ensure Accuracy All the Way
Many people think that hiring an editor for manuscript assessment will only help them for the said project. However, professional editors have a lot more to offer than refining your plot and strengthening your characters.
Most professional editors provide their services on an hourly basis. This means you can ask them for additional favors, such as editing your query letters, reviewing the content of your author’s website, and so much more.
These additional services can ensure that your manuscript is not the only thing that shines bright in the eyes of your readers and agents.
Check References
If you are writing non-fiction, you can understand the importance of citations and references. Citation is essential for non-fiction work because it shows that you obtained information from another reliable source, adding to the authenticity of your own work.
If you do not add citations and references to your work, your information may not be considered authentic or reliable. While citations are important to boost the authenticity of your work, simply writing them is not enough. You need to hire a professional copy editor to help you easily manage diverse citations.
Editors can help you ensure that all the references and citations are listed accurately. This assurance can help you send your work out with confidence.
Maintain a Consistent Tone
Maintaining a consistent tone can be a bigger challenge than you think. Even the most experienced writers struggle with this aspect and ask for expert assistance. The tone of your work is yet another important factor that is assessed in editorial assessment.
An editor dedicated to editorial assessment can help you maintain a suitable tone in your manuscript. With an objective and fresh perspective, their opinion can be very helpful in ensuring the success of your work and winning over your readers.
When an editor identifies an issue, they keep your target audience in mind. Their efforts to maintain the flow of your manuscript boost its readability for your target audience, making it more crisp, clear, and easy to read.
Identify Your Strengths
If you are considering writing another book after getting done with this project, an editorial assessment may be all you need. An editor does not only help you by improving your existing manuscript and pointing out your mistakes. They also make you aware of your strengths.
Identifying your strengths is a great way of paving a path to success. When you play your strengths right, you will come up with the best ideas without making any self-doubts.
If you have any great ideas in your mind, you can always discuss them with your editors and expand on them. Based on your strengths as a writer, your editor can help you follow the writing path meant for you and broaden your horizons.
Eliminate Common Mistakes
The process of writing involves authors reading and rereading their manuscripts multiple times before seeking editorial assistance. They often find themselves surprised at the common mistakes that they overlook. However, this does not necessarily indicate a lack of attentiveness.
It is simply a quirk of the brain. Our brains are complex organs capable of extraordinary feats. When reviewing your own work, your brain might automatically overlook errors or fill in gaps. That is why it is generally not recommended for authors to serve as the sole editors of their own manuscripts.
For these mistakes that you may have missed, hiring an editor cannot be overlooked. Make the necessary changes to your work and ensure that your work is ready to win over the hearts of your target audience.