editor

The short answer is no, it’s not required that you pay for every type of editing. However, you owe it to yourself and your readers to self-publish the best version of your book you can, be that through professional editing, self-editing, or various other methods we’ll discuss shortly.

I obviously have some stake in this answer considering I am, in fact, an editor. But I also understand just how expensive publishing a book can be, both monetarily and emotionally, so I would never suggest that someone without the means to have their manuscript professionally edited is less worthy of publication than anyone else. It’s an unfortunate fact that the world of publishing can be brutal, but the people and resources available to you are nearly endless, and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice everything to achieve your goals.

Firstly, I’ll state the obvious and suggest having your manuscript edited by a professional if at all possible. Nothing beats feedback from someone who has been specifically trained to spot inconsistencies, comma splices, dangling modifiers, and all sorts of other details that, if corrected, can significantly improve the reader experience. Not to mention the story-level feedback that might help an author close a plot hole they didn’t even realize was there or explain a villain’s motives in a way that better fits his backstory.

Each type of editing (developmental, line, copy, and proofreading) leads into the next, and as you might imagine, the costs add up quickly. If you can only afford one of them, I would suggest putting your funds toward developmental editing. Typos and poor sentence structure can certainly hurt a book’s success, but from my experience, many readers are willing to forgive a handful of mechanical errors if the plot and characters are solid. Others will suggest you get plot and character help from writing groups or friends and that a copy edit will be more beneficial. Truly, it’s up to you what you feel you need most.

If you just can’t swing a professional edit, though, not all hope is lost. You can still publish your book, but consider trying one or two of the following first:

1. Edit your book yourself, then edit it again. Once you feel you’ve done all you can on your own, reach out to groups on social media for beta readers who will read over what you’ve shared and give their big-picture impressions. You can find people who will do this for free, but the old adage of “You get what you pay for” has merit, and those who charge will likely (although not always, of course) give you more actionable feedback.
2. If you can’t afford a full developmental edit, consider getting a manuscript evaluation. These are not as in-depth as a full edit, but the feedback you receive could still make a huge difference when it comes to big-picture details.
3. Many editors offer discounts when you bundle services and most allow for payment plans (including me!). If you can’t afford the full cost of editing right now, see if your chosen editor will split up the fee across multiple payments so they’re more affordable. Just keep in mind that you may not get your edited manuscript back until you’ve made the final payment, depending on your contract with the editor.
4. Save up. I know you might be pushing back with, “I would if I could,” but I’ll encourage this option regardless. So often, the deadline an indie author has for publication is self-imposed, simply because they’re eager to finally have their book out in the world. It’s an exciting time so the eagerness is understandable, but if you can, it’s best to hit the brakes for just a little longer until you can afford professional editing. Buff out the imperfections and polish what remains. Then release a book you’re truly proud of.

To reiterate, a full suite of professional editing is always highly encouraged, but there are ways to save money if you play your cards right. It comes down to what you most want to priorize over the course of your publishing journey, and if you’re self-publishing, you can do exactly that. If you do decide to pursue professional editing, please feel free to reach out to me for line editing, copyediting, or proofreading. I’m happy to help in whatever ways I can!