The Importance of Editing
With the rise of multiple publishing platforms, it is getting easier to publish, especially if you market your books well. Good marketing might be able to sell your books but coupled with good content, your book can guarantee itself a longer shelf space.
The growing popularity of self-publishing is due to the fact that authors want to see their name in print sooner or want to evade the longer traditional route or have complete control over the publishing process without having any third party having a say in it whatsoever or all of them combined. But most authors upload their manuscripts without even giving a second look at it or having an outsider review their writing.
A manuscript is an author's baby and no parent would like to criticize their child. Hence, the objectivity is lost upon them. They will not be able to see clearly the errors they might have made while drafting their manuscript. And since self-publishing is a process of few steps which results in their book going instantly live, they think that is their best option. However, we all know: First impression is the best impression. Good content always wins. The performance may be slower than the poor quality books that reach the mass commercial audience and become bestsellers, but these books are the ones that stick around for a longer time. Of course, marketing has to be done, but you get my meaning.
This is where editing is really important. An author needs to have an editor look objectively at his/her manuscript, to prune out the errors he/she might have made, to have his/her book polished before putting it out in the market for consumption. This is for every self-published author or those seeking to self-publish. Since there is no gatekeeper in this platform, an author takes on the role of both the writer and the publisher, and like all publishers, an author must also play the part of an acquisitions manager. He/she has to see whether his/her manuscript is ready to be published or not. And for this, he/she needs to consult an editor.
An editor will tell you where the author went wrong. An editor will even correct your mistakes. An editor will fine tune your manuscript and polish it so that when it is published, it is a near perfect book.
This does not just apply for self-published authors. Those trying to get published via the traditional publishing houses need editing too. Recently, the publishers have been trying on various genres and what they need is a book with good content and language, one that will sell and make them money. After all, they are investing in your book. These huge houses get thousands of manuscripts a day, if not hundreds, and their in-house editors sort through a pile, half of which are not ready to publish. Half, did I say? Probably a figure more than that. To make the line, one needs a manuscript without many errors. An editor will prove useful here too.
Editing is of paramount importance along with marketing if you want your book to sell. Of course, nobody can guarantee sales, but if your book has good content and is promoted well, there is no stopping an author from climbing the charts soon.
So, the point I'm trying to make here: get your books edited before you publish or send it to your agent/publisher. And if you do not have adequate funds to get it edited, at least have your manuscript beta read through those who provide this service and can give critical feedback.
Happy Writing! Happy Publishing!
