: Re: Should I have my work edited by a freelance editor before seeking publication? I have a friend who is a freelance editor and I was planning on employing her to look over my novel before shopping

@Reiling826

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If you do hire the editor, I wouldn't mention it to your prospective publishers. There are probably some who don't care, but to some it's seen as a bit of an amateur move - the general theory is that an author should be able to get their work to a high enough level to attract a publisher on their own, and then work with the publisher's editor.

There's also a financial issue - a good editor will cost thousands of dollars for a standard-length novel, and that could be a significant expenditure with no guarantee of return. If you can afford it, great, but if you can't afford it, don't go into debt with the expectation of a fast return on your money.

My impression is that most published writers hire editors for their self-published work, but not for their work that they place with publishers. That's definitely the model that I follow.

That said, I've learned a lot about writing by working with my publishers' editors, so quite possible you could learn a lot about writing by working with an editor you paid yourself.

So, no, it's not a requirement, or even a cross-the-board recommendation, but if you can afford it and you think you need some help, it might not be a terrible idea. But I wouldn't mention it when you query. Let them think you did it all on your own!

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