I can't tell you how many blog posts and articles I've read that needed editing. For me, it's rather distracting. I've come up with a few reasons editing is so necessary.
1. When we write, we are spelling out our passion. Whether it's a lifestyle blog or instructions on how to cook crickets, writers write with passion and passion often disregards grammar. Perhaps one could argue that the more mistakes you make while writing, the more passionate you are about your topic.
2. We often write how we think or talk. One universal thing I teach my writing students is not to write how they talk unless they are writing a novel with that required dialog. A common mistake I see on this one is, "I could of gone to town," which should read, "I could have gone to town." I call these hiccups because they cause the reader to pause, even if just for a second. Often, a reader will know it doesn't read right but won't take the time to articulate why. You do not want your readers to work to read what you write. Another common mistake is, "She was suppose to go," which should read, "She was supposed to go." A hiccup. A moment of pause for the reader. Let an editor fix these.
If you hire an editor who does not fix these types of things, hire a different editor.
3. When we write, we are not usually thinking about writing. This goes along with writing our passion, but think about it. When you are writing, you are either thinking about your content, the message you want to get across, your characters and/or your target audience. Writers rarely think about their writing as they write. This is where an editor comes in. An editor is objective about your topic and focused on the presentation....the grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling, etc. An editor is indirectly involved in your content; they simply want to present your content without you looking like an idiot. A copy editor is your best friend if you want to write anything at all.
So there you have it. The reasons you need an editor are not because you are incapable but quite the opposite. You are passionate, determined and willing to put your message out there.
A new client I recently gained on Fiverr had been shopping around for an editor and had sent the same document to five different editors before it got to me. I didn't know it had already been edited by five others, but I fixed all the mistakes and sent it back. He quickly wrote back and told me that five other editors had already edited the document, yet I still found mistakes. He hired me on the spot. What the other editors missed were simple things, yet correcting them had a huge impact on the document.
Smart people hire editors.
Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia
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