by Elaina Lyons
Writers aren’t necessarily editors and editors aren’t necessarily writers. And yet, indie authors often find themselves self-editing, whether because of a tight budget or a teeny, tiny bit of a control problem.
Before you get all defensive and say this doesn’t apply to you, hear me out.
When we write something, whether it’s a novel, a short story, or a poem, it’s like we’re sending a piece of ourselves out into the world. It’s personal. It’s sacred. It’s special.
Hiring an editor is kind of like exposing all of your biggest insecurities and yelling, “Judge me!” It’s nerve-wracking. It’s scary. It triggers every ounce of Imposter Syndrome you have.
But the thing is. self-editing is only effective to a point. I’m an editor by trade, and I still hired an editor to comb through my second novel and check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency issues.
Just think about how many times you read and re-read your own writing. After a while, it’s only natural to miss errors and mistakes that others might catch on a first or second look.
No matter how great a writer and/or editor you are, you can (and probably do) miss a few things.
Editing is expensive; that’s a fact. But when it comes to your baby – your pride and joy, the thing you’ve spent weeks, months or even years on – it’s absolutely worth saving up.
So do yourself a favor and work an editor into your budget. There are plenty of great ones that offer payment plans and/or packages for indie authors. It’s worth it; I promise.
Grab your copy of “The Love You Know” here.
If you’re an indie author and you’d like to guest post on this blog, email me!
elainalyons.com 
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