Why Every Author Needs an Editor (Even Strong Writers)
By Michael Smith, Open Book Editing
One of the most common things authors say is, “I’m a strong writer—I just need someone to catch typos.” But editing is more than a spellcheck. A good editor helps your manuscript become the version you always meant to write.
You’re too close to your own story
After months or years inside the same manuscript, your brain fills in gaps automatically. You know what a character feels, why a scene matters, or what a piece of research proves—even when it isn’t fully clear on the page.
An editor comes to your work as a smart, curious outsider: someone who can say, “This part is powerful, but I don’t understand what she’s risking,” or “The pacing slows down here—can we tighten this section?”
An editor protects your voice, not replaces it
Good editing isn’t about making your writing sound like someone else. It’s about helping your natural voice come through more clearly.
That might mean:
- Cutting repetition that dulls emotional moments
- Smoothing awkward transitions between chapters
- Clarifying sentences that are almost there but not quite
The goal is for readers to turn pages easily—and to feel like they are hearing directly from you.
Small errors break big moments
Even the most moving scene can be undercut by distracting errors. Typos, missing words, and formatting issues pull readers out of the story.
When you’ve read the same sentence ten times, your brain tends to see what it expects—not what’s really there. Editors bring fresh eyes and a clean mental slate.
Different stages of editing do different jobs
Many authors think “editing” is one thing. In reality, it often happens in stages:
- Big-picture editing (developmental) – story, structure, pacing, argument
- Line editing – sentence-level flow and clarity
- Copyediting – grammar, usage, consistency
- Proofreading – final check before publishing
You may not need every stage—but understanding them helps you know what to ask for.
You don’t have to fix everything alone
Writing a book is already a huge project. Trying to be your own editor on top of that is exhausting—and often less effective than asking for help.
Working with an editor means you can focus on the heart of your story or message, while someone else helps shape and polish the pages.