Short & Sweet Reasons Why You Need an Editor
So without further ado . . .
Everyone needs an editor. I am not kidding, nor even exaggerating here. Your grocery list may not need editing (unless you can't read your writing, or have forgotten to add something vital like ice cream), but anything you're throwing out there for public consumption needs an editor. This is especially true if you expect people to pay for what you're offering.
If you're a blogger, have a grammar-wise friend read your posts before you make them live. If you write business letters, have your smarty-pants coworker read them before you send them.
My other job is at a church, and our communications department and pastors run their correspondence, bulletins, promo material, blog posts—everything, right down to letterhead changes—through a handful of people for editing and final proofs.
Every detail speaks volumes to people about who and what you are, and you don't want to give anyone an excuse to think "what" you are is "inept."
My blog posts aren't proofed by anyone, but I make sure there are no typos. I'll even delete a comment and do it again if there's a typo.
ReplyDeleteI'm the same way with comments!
DeleteMy blog goes live mistakes and all, but I'm planning on getting an editor to read my ms before querying.
ReplyDeleteThat's an excellent next step for your MS. Essential, really. As far as blog posts, I do have an author friend look through mine when I write my larger ones, but I don't think I'd actually hire an editor to go through any of it unless I wanted them to look at all my web content and was trying to market something. One of the authors I've worked with is meticulous about editing for his books, but he refuses to fix typos in his blog posts because his theory is that people get what they pay for. He sometimes puts extras in just to see if I'll comment on them, haha. It's become pretty much of a joke between us.
DeleteI self-edit my blog posts, too, but there are a few reasons for that. One is expediency, but the main one is, who the hell would read one of my lengthy posts for me, haha? I do go over them very meticulously, before and after posting, and will even correct posts that are several years old if I spot a typo I'd somehow missed before.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha I would read your posts! For what it's worth, I've never noticed errors in yours . . . but I'm just like you in that I'll fix typos in posts that are old. I've been reposting my older Editor's Notes from 2014 on the off weeks from my new posts—just tossing the links on IG and other social media—and I've read through each one before releasing them, because I've either looked back and realized I was too wordy, or that I'd miss-spaced ellipses, or whatever. It never hurts to tidy things up.
DeleteHi Lynda - I usually don't think I've made mistakes ... but know that I will have done - for now I rely on me ... but if I was publishing something (other than my posts) - I'd get it checked out first - so true what you're saying - thanks Hilary
ReplyDeleteI've never noticed anything amiss in your posts, Hilary. I think it's different when someone is trying to sell a product or promote services . . . for example, editing. My posts have to be as error-free as possible, because I'm (hopefully) convincing people I have an eagle's eye for detail. I don't think they'd trust my skills if I had errors through my posts.
DeleteI only ask others to read my blog posts pre-publication if they are mentioned in the post. I do not want to ambush them if they are uncomfortable being mentioned.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if my work was going anywhere other than my blog, I would certainly ask for assistance.
Emily In Ecuador
That's nice of you to give them a heads-up. I tend to be pretty lenient when I read others' blog posts, unless it's an editor. My biggest concern is sounding completely self-righteous about it and having someone point out a typo, lol.
DeleteThanks for driving the point home, Lynda!
ReplyDeleteI go over my blog posts with a fine-tooth comb but I'm sure that some errors slip through sometimes...
I've never noticed anything but quality in your posts. Yes, my A to Z is redundant but nobody can say they don't know where I stand, haha.
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