I am in need of some advice. Recently, I completed my first fiction novel. It was a shot in the dark as I am completely green. I queried two agents that represent authors I follow. Shockingly, one wrote me back and is interested but listed some issues slowing the pace of my story. Once I polish things up he wants to read it again. Would it be acceptable to hire a professional editor or might that turn the agent off?
Need Advice
- Thread starter Rachelish
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You should learn to do this yourself as if you gain representation and subsequently the manuscript sells you are going to be doing a lot of reworking. Part of asking for an R&R is for the agent to find out if you can rewrite under guidance.
Congrats on the pseudo-request 
A professional editor is probably not going to fix what you need to be fixed. And you should learn to edit yourself. This is not going to be the first time you edit this novel, even if the agent offers representation. The agent won't know that you hired a professional editor unless you tell him, so that's not an issue. But editors are expensive, and might not give you what you want in this case.
Is he basing this recommendation on the pages you pasted in to the body of your e-mail? It seems surprising that he'd give you such specific advice on a sample and ask for an R&R. I mean I've had query revision requests, but they're generally stuff you can figure out from the query (Can you increase the word count? Can you make it YA instead of MG?)
(And I'll be the first to say that all novels = fiction, so it's best to avoid the phrase "fiction novel")
A professional editor is probably not going to fix what you need to be fixed. And you should learn to edit yourself. This is not going to be the first time you edit this novel, even if the agent offers representation. The agent won't know that you hired a professional editor unless you tell him, so that's not an issue. But editors are expensive, and might not give you what you want in this case.
Is he basing this recommendation on the pages you pasted in to the body of your e-mail? It seems surprising that he'd give you such specific advice on a sample and ask for an R&R. I mean I've had query revision requests, but they're generally stuff you can figure out from the query (Can you increase the word count? Can you make it YA instead of MG?)
(And I'll be the first to say that all novels = fiction, so it's best to avoid the phrase "fiction novel")
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Sage raises a good point. Did the agent read the full manuscript or just a query sample? And are you positive he's asking to see a revision? That's one thing to be certain of before you embark on hiring an editor.
Hiring an editor comes with no guarantees, so it could be money wasted if the agent doesn't care for the revision, and if you're not satisfied with the results either. Revisions are really something you need to learn to do yourself. It's often necessary to do multiple rounds of revisions once you have an agent, as well. So you'll need to get comfortable with the process.
Hiring an editor comes with no guarantees, so it could be money wasted if the agent doesn't care for the revision, and if you're not satisfied with the results either. Revisions are really something you need to learn to do yourself. It's often necessary to do multiple rounds of revisions once you have an agent, as well. So you'll need to get comfortable with the process.
Reasonable point.
Also, it's your first novel you need to come through the whole process by yourself and learn from this experience. By the way, great result as for the first fiction writing piece. Good luck!
Thanks for the feedback. I submitted a story outline and multiple chapters, probably my first mistake. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression. It was not a revision request. He just stated he liked the story and would be interested in reading it again after (paraphrasing) my writing gets better. I assumed (before this miniscule nibble) my only option would be self publishing, so I planned on hiring an editor for much needed professional reinforcement. However, I was curious if paid outside intervention was frowned upon by agents.
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Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)
What that says to me it you have talent, but need to learn to hone it. I'd spend some time learning to self-edit, get betas readers (there's a section of the forum here for that) and/or critique partners and/or a writing mentor. Hiring an editor probably wouldn't help you with this one.
Once you get 50 posts, you can post a short 2K or less section in the relevant area of SYW. Password is vista.
Blessings,
Siri Kirpal
What that says to me it you have talent, but need to learn to hone it. I'd spend some time learning to self-edit, get betas readers (there's a section of the forum here for that) and/or critique partners and/or a writing mentor. Hiring an editor probably wouldn't help you with this one.
Once you get 50 posts, you can post a short 2K or less section in the relevant area of SYW. Password is vista.
Blessings,
Siri Kirpal
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To answer this question, no. Agents are perfectly fine with outside editorial help and will even, in rare cases, recommend it for their clients for a particular manuscript or issue. But it's not the norm, and the writer needs to already have a high level of competence with revising their own material and envisioning and executing changes. The way you get that proficiency is through revising on your own, which is why everyone is suggesting you sharpen that skill. Usually you need outside opinions to help you know what to fix. That's what good beta readers can provide.
If you self-publish and you want a lot of readers, you are still going to have to deliver the strongest story and writing possible. Every writer can only get there through revisions.
I would do what Siri Kirpal suggests. She's a wise one.
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It sounds like you've already gotten a lot of the benefit you would have gotten from a paid editor - you've been given concrete suggestions for how to make your work better. For free!
I've never worked with a self-paid editor, but I assume they do roughly the same thing that publisher-paid editors do, which would be to catch LITTLE things and suggest replacements, and catch BIG things and just sort of... point out that they need work. Editors don't rewrite your story for you. That's your job, and you've been given suggestions for what needs to be done, so... get to it! Learn and enjoy!
I've never worked with a self-paid editor, but I assume they do roughly the same thing that publisher-paid editors do, which would be to catch LITTLE things and suggest replacements, and catch BIG things and just sort of... point out that they need work. Editors don't rewrite your story for you. That's your job, and you've been given suggestions for what needs to be done, so... get to it! Learn and enjoy!