Editors and proofreaders – worth paying for?

[jeffjohns]

I saw an advert for some pricy editorial services today and that got me thinking. When my novel is finished is it worth paying for an editor or a proofreader?

Is there any value in something like that? I get my writers’ group to go over the MS in beta reading. That’s the same thing (more or less).

Just wondering what other people thought.

[Matthew Brown]

Bta readers are good and useful. Especially in the early stages of novel revision. In fact, I offer a paid beta reading service myself because I believe they can make a huge difference. However beta readers are not always the best proofreaders and editors are, again, a separate and special breed of helpful persons.

I covered the differences a while back. Rather than go over the same ground again, I’ll just drop a link.

Proofreading, Copy Editing, and Beta Reading

My personal opinion is that you would be mad not to get professional editing support. At the very least, if you self-publish, you should get a proofreader.

 

[Bob Bobson]

Good ones: YES!

Bad ones: Not at all.

[Christian Writer]

Editors can be very valuable but only when you have done as much as you possibly can without them. The last thing you want is to pay someone to point out flaws you could have found yourself.

Something to think about.

[Author]

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