7 Ways a Professional Editor Can Make Your Life Easier
Every writer needs a good editor. Even the best writers. Your work will be stronger and more effective with the help of a professional editor.
You might be tempted to ask a friend or colleague to read your work. Perhaps they are good with language and are willing to read it and share their opinions. But they won’t dive deep into your writing, tear it apart objectively, and then help you put it back together in a clear and compelling way. They won’t invest hours and hours of time refining your writing to elevate it to a higher standard than you thought possible. They won’t invest in your work. A good editor will. They will become your partner, teacher, and collaborator.
A fresh pair of eyes is always helpful, but an editor has a trained pair of eyes. They do more than find errors in the text. Their job is to help you produce writing that reaches your reader and keeps them engaged.
Some people are apprehensive about hiring an editor. More often than not, they are concerned about cost. Sure, hiring an editor comes at a price. But ultimately, working with an editor is an investment. It is an investment in your project, and it is an investment in yourself.
While hiring an editor may seem like an unnecessary expense, think about how much money you devote to a given project. You spend thousands—even millions—of dollars on your research. An editor’s fees are just a small percentage of those costs.
If you’re still unsure about making the jump, here are seven good reasons why hiring an editor is worth your investment.
Everyone makes mistakes
We are human. We make mistakes. Even if you are an expert in your field or you pay attention to every detail. You simply can't see all of your own errors. We are blind to our own typos and weaknesses in our writing.
A good editor catches these mistakes. They find more than typos and spelling errors. They identify structural problems, such as poor transitions, unclear messages, and weak conclusions. They help you build a more clear and compelling message.
You are too close to the project
You can spend months or even years working on your project. Over time, you become so familiar with your topic that you omit information without realizing it. You unknowingly suffer from the curse of knowledge—assuming your reader knows what you’re thinking and can fill in the gaps.
You are also emotionally invested in your project. You may feel confident about something that you wrote. Or maybe you want to include an interesting fact or a reference to your previous research, even though it doesn't fit the flow or context of your message.
An editor will not have the emotional attachment. They can read your work without bias. They can objectively tell you if your writing has gaps in logic, or if information is repeated and can be removed. It is much, much harder to make these painful cuts if the burden of judging what to keep and what to cut rests entirely on you.
Help you master the craft of writing
Editors have the advantage of experience. You might be thinking, “But I got my PhD at an Ivy League university!” Or “I am a physician at one of the top medical centers in the country!”
You are an expert in your field of study. But you need more than a deep knowledge of your field to be successful. You need to communicate your knowledge in an effective way.
An editor is an expert in the field of writing. You will likely be amazed at how much you can learn from an editor who reviews your work. They will teach you how to communicate better. They will help you enhance your strengths and overcome your weaknesses.
Make you look good
Have you read a poorly written paper? Did you enjoy it? What did you think of the author?
We have all read papers that were poorly written—and feelings of frustration and contempt often ensue.
Your writing represents your work and you as a professional. You will not be disliked for being too clear. You will not be scorned for writing in a tone that reflects your excitement for your work. If your reader enjoys your writing, they will think highly of you.
An editor can help you create the right tone and use the right words to make your writing compelling and effective. They accentuate your professionalism and credibility—and make you look good!
Save you time
Producing a clear and effective project takes time. Writing the first draft is the easy part. The process of reviewing and refining your work consumes the most time. You need to find the right words to communicate your message in a clear and compelling way.
An editor can help you get it right early on, saving you hours, or even days, that you can devote to other tasks. Rather than re-reading your work for the umpteenth time, you can move on to another project while an editor toils away at your work.
Strengthen your voice
Many scientific and medical projects are pieced together with sections written by different collaborating authors. Each of these authors has their own style of writing. When these pieces are put together, the project can lose its flow, tone, and voice.
An editor will smooth out the language in a piecemeal project. They will create a consistent tone and flow that conveys your message as if it were written by one person.
A good editor can also help you develop your voice. Rather than simply injecting their own voice in place of yours, they will cater to your writing style. They will help you refine your writing so that it reflects you and your vision.
Re-Vision Your Work
The bottom line is that an editor can make your life easier. But you need to prepare yourself for the feedback they will share with you. Ideally, your editor’s recommendations won’t hurt your feelings. Their goal is to help you see your writing with new eyes (“re-vision” it) by highlighting its strengths and addressing its weaknesses.
When you receive feedback from your editor, consider their changes carefully. You may hope for that perfect score, but your editor may not give you a glowing review. They may have cut one of your favorite parts or reworded a section that you revised many times. They may suggest that you organize your story in a different way.
Remember that you are emotionally invested in your project and in your writing. Rather than dismissing their suggestions, talk to your editor about these changes to understand why they recommend them. Remember that they want to be your collaborator and to help you make your writing successful. Your success is their success—a solid platform for a strong partnership.
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