So, let’s look a bit at story length.

The short answer to the question about the length of a story is to say every story should be as long as it needs to be. It should satisfy the story setup and problem without overwhelming the reader with more words than are necessary.

Right. But what does that mean?

That means that you don’t drag out your resolution. You give each story an ending that balances the length and depth of the narrative that has come before. You don’t drag it out.

But you also don’t drag out chapters. Or scenes. Or dialogue. Or even sentences. Get the point across in the fewest words possible. Tell the reader what he needs to know and then move on.

Don’t belabor any point. Cut off scenes while they’re still strong rather than leaching out all their power with too much detail and unnecessary explanation. Make readers want more, in a good way, rather than have them wishing you’d shut up already.

If you’ve made your point, get on to the next one.

Cut out repetition. Cut out fluff. Cut out the zillions of unimportant actions between one scene and the next.

Cut clichés.

Cut out any word, phrase, character, or scene that doesn’t contribute to the current story you’re writing. That is, write one story without trying to force a half-dozen into the same manuscript.

On the other hand, put in words that flavor your passages. Give readers enough detail that your characters seem real. Their plights believable. Their goals meaningful.

Write scenes, not only summaries. Write dialogue that serves to increase conflict and move the story forward.

Write fresh phrases. Write events. Create an interesting story.

Give readers no more and no less than is necessary to complete the story.

And write with story standards in mind.

________________________________

There are common word counts for not only different genres, but for different categories of fiction. If you’re looking to go the traditional publication route, writing to industry standards is a wise choice. No, not every piece of fiction fits neatly into a typical word count, but most do. And if you’re a new author, you’ll want to use every advantage to get your fiction accepted.

You wouldn’t want a story to be rejected solely based on word count, would you?

I can lay out guidelines for story length, but keep in mind that these are guidelines, not absolutes. Check publishers for their needs and limitations before you submit to them.

Guidelines for story length

Adult

Short Story         up to 7,500 words

Novelette           7,500 to 20,000 words

Novella              20,000 to 50,000 [some say 40,000] words

Novel                 over 50,000 [some say 40,000]

——————–

Children

Picture books     up to 500 words [absolute maximum of 1,000]

Easy readers       anything from 200 to 2,500

Chapter books    6,000 to 10,000 words [even up to 25,000]

Middle grade      30,000 to 45,000 words

Young adult        45,000 to 70,000 words

Keep in mind that there are exceptions and allowances at both ends of these ranges. There are also sub-categories that could further refine these counts.

While these are general word counts, some genres allow for longer stories. Sci-fi, fantasy, paranormals, and epics allow for higher word counts in both adult and children’s fiction.

Also keep in mind audience and publisher needs. Novels that are too short might not appeal or might not fit a publisher’s needs, and novels that are too long may be rejected simply for length.

Publishers typically won’t consider a writer’s first novel if it’s too long. The maximum standard word count for an adult novel is about 110,000 words (some would say 130,000 words). Anything from 80,000 to 110,000 is common, with many novels falling in the 90,000 to 100,000 count range.

The romance genre has word count standards of its own.

Category romance      55,000 words

Single title                 90,000 to 110,000 words

There’s also a lot of variety in the mystery/thriller genre. Cozy mysteries are typically shorter, maybe as few as 65,000 words, though even that word count could be higher.

If your first novel is 145,000, 190,000, or 250,000 words, start cutting. If you intend to be published by a traditional publisher.

Or take your 280,000 word epic and make it three books instead of one.

The reality is that new writers have to prove themselves before publishers can take a chance on a long novel from them. So prove you can write a killer novel—or two or three—that comes in at 95,000 words. Then when you make millions for the publisher, offer them that 180,000 word masterpiece.

And yes, before you say it, there are exceptions. But one exception out of thousands and thousands of manuscripts isn’t great odds. Don’t handicap your chances at being published for the sake of word count.

Pick up any novel, especially those written in a different era, and you may well find a wildly different word count. Yet you are writing today, so your options depend on today’s gatekeepers and marketplace.

Note: There are different rules for self-publishing. If someone else isn’t laying out the money and their reputation for your work, you can write longer stories. Keep in mind, however, that you still have to please readers. No matter what the length, make it a great story.

________________________________

Both stories that are too short and too long are hard to sell. Try to keep yours within the standard ranges. Give yourself an edge by fitting in. Yes, you do want your writing to stand out, but there are some areas where standards rule. Let your characters and plot be wild and adventurous. Let your writing be bold. But let industry rules give boundaries to your creativity. Think of industry standards as the frame for your writing.

Write creatively. But do so in a way that will give others the opportunity to read your work.

Know when following rules and standards is to your benefit.

Write—and publish—your good fiction.

We can’t wait to read it.

***

I thought I’d use this time of reflection to point out some of the articles at The Editor’s Blog. Articles you might have missed. Articles you might want to share with others. Articles that meant something special for me.

Most Popular
The most popular articles at The Editor’s Blog are—

Duties of an Editor

Punctuation in Dialogue

Format Your Novel for Submission

More visitors to the blog come specifically for these articles than any others.  Other articles may be more popular for a day or two, especially if they’re linked at Facebook or Twitter or on another blog (and thanks for all the links!), but these three articles are read day in and day out without fail.

Two other articles that get a lot of reads are—

Creating Emotion in the Reader

Sex in Fiction—Do They or Don’t They

Chances are that if you’re a regular visitor to the blog, you’ve already read these five. If not, you might want to visit them.

Articles I consider must-reads
While I write all my articles as a means of helping or encouraging either writers or editors, I do have a few I consider must-reads for either or both writers and editors. These include—

Checklist for Editors

Clear and Simple Writing Advice

Conflict—Beyond Arguments and Fist Fights

Edit in an Instant? Ain’t Gonna Happen

Beyond the Basics—Push the Story and Push Yourself

Engage Readers Through Character Reaction

How to Write a Novel

I could go on and on, but you can find the articles you need by searching the blog. These, however, are some you might want to visit or revisit.

My Favorites
Yes, I have favorite articles. The list is not always the same from day to day, but here are a few I think you’d enjoy—

Setting—The Time and Place of Story

The Princess Bride—Storytelling Done Right

Write with Fire

Don’t Let Your Writing be Ordinary

Take Me Somewhere New—Tell Me a Story

Novelist as Director

______________________________________

I hope you enjoy each visit to The Editor’s Blog. I sometimes offer craft suggestions, sometimes offer encouragement. I hope both types of articles help you with your writing and/or editing career.

To search a list of all the articles, visit the Archives where articles are listed in alphabetical order.

*******

I sincerely hope you made strides toward your writing goals last year and are encouraged to meet more of them in 2012.

I wish you good writing and great editing.

Write well. Write often. And edit wisely.

***

You might be.

If you only want to write the one story, if you think that’s all you have in you, if you think it’s so good that you don’t have to write another, then write that one story.

But realize that there’s more to being a writer than penning one novel.

A completed manuscript is wonderful, a milestone to be celebrated, as I’ve said before. Yet if you stop with only one, keep in mind that

You probably haven’t written your best novel.

You’re probably less willing to make changes than writers who’ve written a number of manuscripts.

You’re probably not pushing to improve your craft.

I know, I don’t live in your head, your heart, or your home. If you only intended to write the one manuscript, for whatever reason, or outside factors prevent you from writing others, I’m not saying that you haven’t accomplished something outstanding.

I am saying that people who call themselves writers need to produce more than one sample of their work.

If you haven’t released that one manuscript after years of tinkering with it and haven’t moved on to another, you’re probably still too attached to that first one. Unhealthily attached.

It’s likely that you think about it, talk about it, tweak it repeatedly, and feel that it’s without blemish.

It’s likely that you treat your manuscript as a delicate possession, one unable to stand up to harsh or even gentle criticism.

We all know parents who worry much more about the first child than their fifth, who protect the first child from imagined dangers and allow the last one freedoms that the first never experienced.

It’s natural. Once parents learn what children can handle, they allow them to handle those situations. And when parents see what a first child can manage, they’re less likely to impose the same limitations on subsequent children.

Writers need to do the same. Expose your manuscripts to others for critique and review. Allow your agent or editor* to make suggestions without assuming she doesn’t understand your story or your purpose or your theme. Write a second and a third novel and let them all loose. Give them freedom. They can handle it.

And you can as well.

Don’t be hesitant about standing up for your novel, of course. But don’t be hesitant about trying something suggested by someone else either.

If you’re a writer who continues to write, who doesn’t assume that you can’t possibly write anything better than your first novel, and you’re more concerned with getting the story right than you are about holding firm to your notions of what is sacrosanct about your story, then I commend you. You are a writer.

Writers want the best for their stories. They don’t hold on to words and characters and dialogue and plot lines that don’t work for a story. They don’t hold on to writing that stinks.

I did say stinks, didn’t I?

Face it, sometimes our work does stink. And it does need changing. Or excising. Or it needs trashing so we can write it off to a bad mood or life-changing events in our personal lives and get on with writing something decent.

While I encourage anyone to pick up a pen and write a novel, I also want to encourage those who aspire to be writers—who are writers—to do what writers do. And that’s not to proclaim how world-changing a manuscript is. Or how perfect it is. Or how good it is simply because it has a beginning and an end and it’s finished.

If you’re unwilling to honestly examine your manuscript for flaws, you’re not ready to be a writer.

If you’re not willing to assume or accept that a manuscript needs corrections and improvement, you’re not ready to be a writer.

If you only want to be known as a writer but don’t want to do what writers do, you’re not ready.

Writers create a draft. And then they rewrite and rewrite again. They make changes. They cut. They add.

They change words.

They change names and plot events and character motivation.

They stand up for their writing while at the same time welcoming advice.

They know there’s more than one way to say something, present something, advance the plot, reveal a character.

Be a one-manuscript diva if you want to. Recognize, however, what you give up when you refuse to change your story for the better simply because you think your story is perfect and above improvement.

You give up the achievements of the writer who grows in skills and insight simply by wrestling a single line or plot thread to perfection.

You give up the knowledge gained in rewrites.

You lose sight of the fact that there are options and that a different path might just give you a far better story.

___________________________

Writers who’ve completed only one manuscript share a common trait—they are often defensive when someone makes suggestions for improving the story, even if they’ve asked for suggestions. It’s as if beginning writers want to be validated, be assured that their writing is good and worthy. That it’s without flaw.

Your writing is of value, and completing a novel manuscript is a great accomplishment; don’t let anyone take away the thrill and power of that accomplishment. But a complete manuscript and a good manuscript are not synonymous. Please don’t confuse achievement with quality. Both are necessary for a successful novel. But one is not accomplished simply by accomplishing the other.

Writers with more than one manuscript behind them, especially writers who’ve been published, are almost always more willing to make the changes necessary to improve their work. Their egos have been dropped somewhere, perhaps flung aside, after that first story is completed, and instead of being defensive, these writers are eager to find out what works for their stories. They truly want to make a story better, and they don’t care where the knowledge to do that comes from.

If they need someone else to point out problems in their manuscripts, they’re willing to listen.

It’s not my intention to jump on the attitudes of writers here, but there’s no reason for this blog to deal only with issues for new writers and writing basics.

Attitude can carry you far.

But a bad or defensive or all-knowing attitude can stop your career. Or at least slow it tremendously.

If you approach agents and publishers and even other writers with an attitude that says your work doesn’t need changing, you’re going to have problems getting that work read and published.

I certainly don’t want the diva attitude to keep you far from writing success.

You could, of course, hold tight to your attitude and self-publish. But there’s still money and reputation involved in traditional publishing. Why allow your attitude keep you out of even one avenue to publishing?

___________________________

So, what can you do to keep from being a one-manuscript diva?

Write another story.

Understand that every writer rewrites and that your own value and worth are not being attacked when someone suggests changes to your manuscript.

Find a balance between confidence and humility that fits you and take that attitude into your negotiations with agents and publishers and critique partners.

Remember that you are so close to your writing projects that you might not see a problem or might not see how to correct it.

Realize that asking for and accepting help is not cheating; it’s okay to seek advice.

Understand that a publisher will quite likely know the market better than you do and that to fit into that market, you might have to make adjustments to your novel.

Set aside defensiveness. When you ask for suggestions or a critique, at least consider those suggestions.

Consider that there might be a better way to present a line, a character, an emotion, the plot.

Critique someone else’s work, putting yourself in their place. Offer a critique that will improve the manuscript without attacking the writer.

Keep learning.

*******

Writers have to be confident, so don’t think I’m asking you to back down from your convictions regarding your work; stick to your choices when it’s important.

But don’t adopt a diva attitude, one that will push agents and editors away. They want to work with writers they can actually work with. Show yourself a pro by your willingness to improve your manuscripts. Let others know that you know there’s more than one way to present a story.

Think of yourself as a working stiff rather than a diva. Writing, after all, is work. It can be great pleasure, yes. But the plots and characters don’t write themselves.

Writers are tough. They don’t need coddling and humoring. Why give the impression that you can’t handle the writer’s life when you can? Acknowledging the weaknesses in a manuscript and addressing those weaknesses doesn’t make you weak or wrong or a poor writer; it does make the writing stronger.

Write strong today.

Seek and accept criticism.

Look for ways to improve your stories.

***

*The references to editors in this article are to those at publishing houses and not to freelance editors.

***

Yes, last week was the one-year anniversary of this blog.

Thank you all for joining me in an exploration of writing and editing and the world of fiction. I’ve enjoyed every article and comment so far and plan to enjoy many more in the coming years.

I wanted to know if I’d met the goals I’d stated for the blog (I think I’d stated a few goals), so I took a look back into the early posts, from May of 2010. In my first article, on the blog’s purpose, I’d said—

My plan is to post weekly, more often if the mood strikes or I come across a topic that encourages exploration. I’m guessing you’ll find a lot of writing tips here. Maybe examples of what to do and what not to do. Probably lots of suggestions for writing better, for creating emotions in the reader, for keeping writers encouraged.

I’m fairly satisfied with the blog’s progress when viewed against those goals:  There are nearly 100 articles on craft; we’ve looked at tips for writing better; and I’ve written articles on creating emotions in the reader, on encouragement, on grammar and punctuation, and on the elements of fiction.

There are other topics to explore, of course; several readers have made requests for topics they want to see covered. So we should have plenty to look at in the weeks and months ahead. I hope you’ll stick around, share your opinions and questions.

A quick recap of the first year at The Editor’s Blog . . .

The two most read articles—

Punctuation in Dialogue

How to Format Your Novel Manuscript

The next five most read articles—

Duties of an Editor

Sex in Fiction

Creating Emotion in the Reader

Use and Misuse of Dialogue Tags

Male Writers and Female Writers—There’s a Difference

Search term used most often to reach The Editor’s Blog—

What does an editor do?

A few articles that struck a chord with readers—

Male and Female Writers—There’s a Difference

The Outline Dilemma—Plotting vs. Pantsing

Dealing with Discouragement

Early articles worth checking out—

The First Book is Seldom the Best

How to Hook Your Readers

Detail Enhances Your Fiction

I was going to include my list of articles on topics I find important for writers, but I couldn’t limit such a list to just a few. Check out the alphabetical archives for a full list of articles; I’m hoping you’ll find articles both useful and entertaining.

___________________________

Thank you for reading The Editor’s Blog, for commenting and asking questions. Thank you for tweeting and linking and mentioning the blog on your Facebook pages. I appreciate every moment you spend here.

As for the coming year, I plan to continue writing articles on craft and encouraging writers and editors.

I may also introduce a new element to the blog—First Pages on First Fridays. I’m thinking of offering an edit of the first page of at least one manuscript, perhaps a few, the first Friday of every month. This would be a public edit, so I’m not sure who will be up for that. Solely an idea under consideration at the moment. I’ll let you know for sure when I make a decision.

Also, I’m also considering something special to celebrate the 100th blog article—giving away a free edit of the first 30 pages of one fiction manuscript. If there’s enough interest in this kind of giveaway, I’ll probably do it. Watch for more details.

Again, thank you for your interest in The Editor’s Blog. I’m celebrating the past year, looking forward to the next, and lifting a glass to you, you writers and editors determined to write satisfying and entertaining fiction.

Here’s to even more good writing!

***

She admitted it was a big step, asking me to look at her work. To critique her work. To point out the problem areas.

Her words got me thinking. Was it really that hard to submit a manuscript to an editor? I know I’m not an ogre. I’m guessing most other editors aren’t either.

So what I want to stress here is that editors are on your side. Just as you do, they want your work to be the best possible. When a manuscript leaves the editor’s hands, he expects to have done his best to make it worthy of a read by an agent or publishing house.

He wants to please his client and polish the manuscript, difficult tasks to accomplish at the same time when most of what the editor points out are areas needing improvement. With the wrong approach, corrections and suggestions could come across to the writer as the editor believing there’s nothing good in the story.

Yet that shouldn’t be the effect or result of edits.

Instead, edits should strengthen the work and definitely not cause the writer to second-guess his career.

I see editing as a highly encouraging endeavor. You’ve done this here, see how it sings? Why not do something similar in tone with this section or scene? Keep those threads tied tightly throughout the story—keep it cohesive.

Or

Look again at your main character’s word choices. What words or patterns of speech reveal him? What words can be changed to reveal character or motivation, rather than using word choices that would fit any story about any character in any setting?

An editor doesn’t have the same investment in a work as the writer does, of course, but he does have an investment. His goal is to offer suggestions that will strengthen the narrative, that will deepen character, that will improve pacing. His purpose isn’t to make the writer feel bad but to feel encouraged about what he’s created.

Here’s a manuscript, a story, worthy to be worked on. Here’s a project worth a second and a third glance. Here’s a story with promise.

Can I put you at ease about submitting to a freelance editor? He or she is on your side. She wants to serve the project to the best of her skills.

Find an editor you can work with, someone who’ll challenge you. Someone who’ll offer suggestions that work with your vision and your goals. But don’t settle for an editor who agrees with you on every point. There’s no reason to engage an editor only to have him remain silent when he should speak out.

Listen to your editor’s suggestions. Give those suggestions a chance. And then follow them, adjust them, or pass on them. Stand your ground on an issue when you need to. But take advice when that advice will serve the story.

Take a chance every once in a while and try something your editor suggests, even when it seems odd. You never know when one small suggestion may lead to a story breakthrough.

Know your vision; but know also that vision can be expanded.

Find an editor you can trust. Then trust that he’ll offer good advice.

Your editor wants you to succeed. He wants your story to be successful. He is on your side.

***

Who do you ask to read it first?

Mom will either praise it unconditionally or ask why you didn’t take the job in Dallas that guaranteed $45,000 the second year with raises each year thereafter. She either loves everything you’ve ever written or encourages you in every phone call to get a real job.

Your brother promised to read and give you constructive feedback, but his job and girlfriend and ex-wife get in the way of his free time. Besides, you remember that he never got grades higher than a C in English, not even when he studied Shakespeare and acted out all the fight scenes for extra credit.

Your best friend? She may tell you how wonderful the story is, but can you be sure she’s not just being polite? After all, the Wall Street Journal is her first choice in reading matter. She doesn’t care a bit for science fiction, and you’re pretty sure she wouldn’t know what steampunk was if she herself was plunked down into 1870′s London, computer and iPhone by her side.

So…Who do you ask to read your work? Who do you trust to give you helpful pointers and honest critique? And when you’re bruised from that honest feedback—genuinely surprised that your reader found so many errors in what you thought was a perfect manuscript—who do you turn to for encouragement?

If you’re lucky, as many writers have been (me included), you have a critique partner or a critique group or maybe a loose confederation of writing cohorts who act as reality checkers and sounding board for your story and your emotions.

Writin’ Wombats
I hang out with the Writin’ Wombats, a group of writers who met at a Web hangout called Gather. The site began as a place for writers to share their work, fiction and non-fiction. It’s now more a social site. But there are still many writers contributing great content there.

The Wombats are quick to critique for one another, giving time from their own full schedules to help their friends, some of whom still haven’t met another Wombat in person. Wombats also offer encouragement and support when the rejections pile up or when a reviewer (or two or three) slams something a fellow Wombat has written.

And if one of the group enters a contest? The support is absolute.

Writing is most often a solitary venture. Not for all writers and not in all ways, but for the most part, it’s you and the keyboard—your fingers, your brain, and the gadget that helps make sense of your thoughts.

But writers need support. They need honest critique, not friends who are hesitant about saying they don’t like what they’ve read. Or maybe they’d like to be honest, but don’t know how to translate what doesn’t work for them as a reader into critique that can help the writer.

Writers need both friends and critics. And they’re twice blessed to find a critic and friend in the same person—a writer buddy unafraid to say something stinks when it does and one who knows enough about the frustrations of the writing life to be able to comfort when comfort, more than critique, is called for.

I can heartily recommend that you find a critique partner or group that will be your support. Know going in that you’ll need to be the same in return, someone bold enough to tell your partner or friends when something isn’t working. No writer wants to send his or her manuscript to an agent or acquiring editor only to discover later it was appallingly bad.

So be a true friend—tell your writer friends when their stories need work. If you can provide specifics, that’s even better. And when the writing world seems to be against your friend, be there with the support she needs (chocolate, bourbon, a willing ear). Be a credible critic and a dear friend. And don’t be shy about finding the same for yourself.

Writers need support. Here’s hoping you find some Writin’ Wombats of your own.

The left sidebar here at The Editor’s Blog is filled with links for some of my favorite reference materials. I recommend each of these for both writers and editors. (The right sidebar may contain additional writing resources that I feature when I find a book I think others will enjoy.)

There are different kinds of writing resources, including reference books for grammar & punctuation, style aids, and books filled with tips on how to start writing or encouragement to keep writing. All are valid resources, depending on your need.

While you may not check out a particular book until you need a specific answer to a writing problem, I suggest that you read one or two writing books—on craft or encouragement or grammar rules—each year. Going to a source for a specific need gets the job done. But these books are filled with so much more, it seems a shame when their wealth of knowledge sits on a shelf, ignored.

Read a grammar/punctuation book every year. You’ll learn something new. I guarantee it.

If you need practice with a particular skill or writing area, pull out one of Julia Cameron’s books and go through the writing exercises in it.

Invest in a good dictionary or two or three. No, we can’t all afford the full Oxford English Dictionary. But the Shorter OED is well worth the money if correct word usage is integral for your career.

If you’ve lost the fire for storytelling, grab a book from one of your favorite authors and immerse yourself in a fictional world to relight the flame.

♦ ♦ ♦

From my recommendations—

Grammatically Correct by Anne Stilman. My absolute favorite grammar & punctuation resource. I try to read this cover to cover every two years. It’s easy to follow, the examples are clear, and it covers nearly every question I’ve ever had on punctuation and grammar.

New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors. This one sits on my desk next to my Chicago Manual of Style. I use it for spelling (one word, two words, or hyphenated word) more than for definitions.

How to Grow a Novel by Sol Stein. This one has writing tips, but when I read it, I’m reminded of what I love about writing. I use How to Grow a Novel to charge my writing batteries.

Chicago Manual of Style.  If you’re writing for anyone who uses this as their style foundation, you need it too. Actually, you just need it because it’s got information every writer needs and examples that are clear. The 16th edition is the current edition. 

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne & Dave King. Every writer should be editing his own work. Although publishers still have copy editors and others who help clean up your manuscript, writers owe those who’ll read their work the best manuscript they can produce. Self-Writing for Fiction Writers (as well as How to Be Your Own Best Editor by Barry Tarshis) can give you an edge, show you the areas you need to edit or rewrite before submitting.

How Not to Write a Novel by Howard Mittelmark & Sandra Newman. Funny, sometimes biting, advice on what not to do if you want to be published. This is one you’ll even quote to friends who aren’t writers. The advice is solid and the read enjoyable.

Beginnings, Middles & Ends by Nancy Kress. One of my favorites from the Writer’s Digest series, The Elements of Fiction Writing. If you’re a beginner, this one’s an excellent starting point. If you’ve been writing for years, use this as a refresher.

Revision & Self-Editing: Techniques for transforming your first draft into a finished novel by James Scott Bell. Even though this is geared toward revision, the information here and the way it’s presented will be helpful no matter what stage of the writing process you’re in.

One of my bookshelves… 

Reference Books for Writers

Does every writer need one? Who benefits from submitting his or her manuscript, novel, or work-in-progress to a freelance editor?

The benefits of a professional edit by an experienced editor are many, from the basics of correcting spelling, punctuation, and grammar to the more complex issues of adjusting plot and characterization and pacing and tone.

An editor is that second set of eyes that every writer needs for his work. No writer of long fiction will find every error in his own writing. (And unfortunately for those of us wanting perfection, most novels are printed with errors.) The experienced editor is trained to see errors and, even better, knows how to correct them, can often show you several options for correcting problem words or phrases or scenes. An editor is also impartial—he or she will not feel the same attachment for pet phrases that the writer has. Such an attachment on the writer’s part may well prevent him from deleting wording that hinders rather than benefits his story.

Yet, paying a professional editor is not the only option for writers. A critique partner—one who is free to tell you what’s wrong with your story—is a great alternative. Trade critiques with a friend or find a partner through Internet writing groups. Join a local writers group and share your work there. Keep in mind, however, that other writers may not give your work the same detailed analysis an editor would. They may have neither the skill nor the interest. What they can provide may be enough for your needs. Just keep the limitations in mind.

So, should you pay an editor to go through your manuscript?

If you’ve never studied writing either formally or informally, yes, consider a professional edit. Treat the experience as continuing education.

If your query letter and synopsis get you repeated requests to submit a partial or full manuscript but your submission is rejected again and again, consider a professional edit.

If you’re a quick learner or one who learns by example, consider an edit. After one in-depth edit, you may be able to take what you’ve learned and apply it to subsequent manuscripts.

If you’re self-publishing, by all means consider a professional edit. As I mentioned earlier, everyone needs a second set of eyes to examine his work.

If you’re writing for your own enjoyment, don’t have plans to publish, or just don’t have the money to invest in a freelance edit, consider other options first. A good edit is worth the price, but you may have other considerations or circumstances that trump the benefits of an edit.

An edit for your novel manuscript is an investment. An investment in not only one project, but in your career as a writer. I recommend that, when feasible, you make the investment at least once in that career.