The Truth About 7 Book Editor Myths
If you’re an author looking to query literary agents and publishers, use this blog to determine if investing in professional editing is right for you.
The 6 Biggest Misconceptions And Myths About Book Editing
May 26, 2025
6 Myths About Book Editing
Last month I broke down some misunderstandings about book editors, but we’re not finished myth-busting quite yet! Today we’ll dive into 6 common myths about book editing itself.
(Because let’s be honest: The internet is an incredible place, but the vast amount of information available does allow a ton of misconceptions to get thrown around!)
I’m Kaitlin, an editor for indie romance authors, and I’m excited to talk about these myths today because I want you to have all the info you need to make informed choices about your next steps to becoming a published author.
Myth #1: Self-publishing authors don't need to hire editors.
When you follow a traditional publishing route, the publisher provides editors and proofreaders for you. However, when you self-publish a book as an indie author, you are responsible for hiring an independent editor to provide that service (*gulp*). This is why some authors wonder, “Do I actually need a professional editor?”
I totally get it—it’s tempting to try to save money if you’re not certain of the benefits of a professional edit! But here’s why you absolutely should not skip this part of your publishing journey:
No manuscript or story is perfect right out of the gate—yours included (sorry). You’ve been pouring your heart and soul into your work, and after staring at the same pages for months (or maybe years), it becomes harder to catch typos, plot holes, continuity issues, etc. This doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer; it means you’re human!
Here’s the thing: If you pay for professional editing, you get a professional book. On the other hand, if your book doesn’t meet industry standards when you publish it, there’s a decent chance that people who read it may not be interested in reading more books when you publish them (they may even leave a less-than-shiny review on Goodreads—yikes!). Your story deserves to have fresh, expert eyes on it to make sure it’s polished when it goes to print.
Speaking of expert eyes . . .
Sometimes I hear newer writers ask, “Do I still need to hire an editor if I have beta readers?”
Here’s an uncomfy but important truth: Beta readers are not a substitute for editors. Good beta readers are invaluable assets for your writing process, BUT they won’t bring professional standards to their feedback and can potentially introduce errors. It’s really important to combine the feedback of beta readers with the expertise of a trained editor.
(For tips on making the most of your beta readers, check out this post, and this one for more info on the critical differences between beta reading and professional editing.)
Myth #2: Book editing can be done quickly.
The reality is that good editing takes time. You may be able to read a book in a day, but that doesn’t mean your editor can edit one in the same amount of time. Don’t be surprised if editing takes weeks! When I copyedit I usually block out 4 to 6 weeks for an 80,000-100,000 word book. Editing is a tremendously cerebral job that requires me to be meticulous and focused the entire time so nothing slips through the cracks. Most editors can only actively edit for three or four hours a day. Keep this in mind when you’re reaching out to editors so you have a realistic timeline for when your book can go to print. The wait is worth it, I promise! 🙂
Myth #3: Editing will guarantee you sales.
Wouldn’t this be amazing! However, having your book professionally edited doesn’t 100% guarantee it will sell well. Here’s what it DOES do: It creates a smooth reading experience for your readers. My job as a copyeditor is to keep readers immersed in your story world. Grammar mistakes, timeline errors, continuity errors, etc. can pull readers out of a story and cause them to put down your book (spoiler alert: we don’t want that). Professional editing presents your story in its very best light, but ultimately it’s your story and characters’ jobs to keep your readership invested in your work.
Myth #4: You have to do what your editor says.
This is YOUR story. Everything I say when editing is a suggestion, and you are free to accept it or not. (In fact, my favorite word to use when editing is “consider”!) My goal is to make sure you are making an informed choice.
For example, if your story styles time notations in a way the Chicago Manual of Style doesn’t recommend, I’m going to tell you AND I’m going to tell you why the CMOS recommends something else. I give feedback based on my knowledge, training, and experience, but if you choose to style something in a different way that’s okay!
However, keep in mind that you hire a professional editor for their expertise. If you find yourself rejecting a lot of your editor’s suggestions, that could mean 1) your editor is not competent, or 2) you are probably rejecting things you shouldn’t be. Editing is a partnership—a balance of trusting your editor (a sample edit will help with this), and trusting yourself as the creator of your story. Your editor might be an expert, but it’s still your book and you get the final say.
Myth #5: Editing is just looking for grammar mistakes.
Definitely a myth! There are actually 4 different types of editing, and checking for grammar and punctuation (aka proofreading) is just one of them. Yes, grammar is super important, but there are so many other things I handle as a copy editor.
A good editor will catch things you often can’t see when you are too close to your writing (which happens to literally everyone). Think filler words, language problems, or anything that doesn’t make sense within the story. Are there major plot holes? Poorly developed characters? Issues with pacing? A good editor will help revise all these things, ensuring your story is as strong as possible.
Your copy editor should also provide you with a style sheet, so if you hire a proofreader next, they have a reference to work from and won’t end up changing things that shouldn’t be changed!
Myth #6: Lots of edits mean you're a bad writer.
Every single manuscript that ever existed has needed editing, full stop. Getting your manuscript back with tons of corrections or revisions doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer. It means . . . absolutely nothing! It’s not a moral judgment of your writing. There is no “standard number” of edits that a manuscript “should” have. In fact, I make thousands (yes, thousands) of revisions in pretty much every project I work on. It’s all part of the process of making your book the best it can be.
If all those red pen marks (aka Microsoft Word markups) are really getting you down, here’s my best advice:
1) Take a break. Give yourself time for any anxious feelings to lift a bit and come back to it in a day or two.
2) Don’t try to tackle every edit in one sitting. Pace yourself!
3) Remember that it’s YOUR story. If you don’t agree with an edit, don’t implement it. Simple as that. 🙂
Do you still believe any myths about book editing?
Some of these editing myths are understandable, but they’re just not true. Hopefully you’ve found some new information to work with during the (sometimes overwhelming) process of editing your self-published book.
As a freelance editor for indie authors, I offer a free 1000-word sample edit to see if our writing and editing styles work well together. I’d love to hear from you!
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