Five reasons you need an editor.

So, you just finished writing that document you had on your to-do list. It’s an important one—it could help you secure funding, convince your boss to implement one of your ideas, get a good grade, or gain a new client. You read it several times, making changes here and there, but something seems off. You have a nagging feeling that the document is not in its best form—that it could be better, more concise, or clearer. You know that something needs to be fixed, but you don’t know what to do or how to do it. You need an editor.

Professional editors identify and correct mistakes—but that’s not all they do. They can also help you clarify your ideas, express yourself more succinctly, polish your writing, and communicate with confidence. Here are five reasons you should hire an editor.

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1. Unedited documents look unprofessional.

Have you ever read an email, report, memo, or letter filled with grammatical and spelling errors? How did you feel when you were finished? Did you have to read sections over and over? Did you question the writer’s knowledge of the subject area? Did you ask yourself why they would send you such a poorly written document?

The truth is that bad writing affects our perceptions of the writer’s authority, expertise, and professionalism. It also causes us to ask whether they took the time to review their work and, if not, what that says about their level of respect for us as the reader.

On the other hand, presenting someone with a well-written document shows that you made it a priority to ensure your writing was clear and easy to read. A polished document makes you look professional, competent, and credible.

2. An editor can help you save time.

Editing and proofreading are time-consuming exercises. Although they can help make your writing pristine, they still require time—a commodity that you may not always be able to spare.

An editor saves you the hours, days, or even weeks it would take to read your document over and over again. Hiring a professional editor will allow you to move on to other tasks, secure in the knowledge that your document is in good hands and will be returned to you polished and error-free.

3. Self-editing your work means that you will miss errors.

Whether you’re writing a quick memo or finishing a proposal that you spent weeks writing, it’s easy to miss errors in your document. An editor can catch mistakes that you overlooked or simply didn’t see by providing a fresh, objective perspective. Misplaced a semicolon? A professional editor can remove or replace it. Used passive voice too frequently? Your editor can offer suggestions on how to re-word the information.

4. A good editor can help you make money.

You’ve probably heard that a good editor can save you money, but did you know that hiring an editor can help you make money as well? Submitting a well-written proposal can be the difference between winning and losing a contract. Having a reputation for being a good writer can be what sets you apart from other candidates and helps you receive a job offer or promotion. Being able to communicate your value proposition clearly and confidently to a potential client can result in them picking you over your competition. A good editor can take your document from good to great—and increase your income in the process.

5. A good editor can make sure your message is clear.

One of the most difficult parts of writing is mastering the ability to effectively transfer what you have in your head to the page. Do you often know what you want to say and believe that you have expressed it clearly, only to re-read your document and realize that you haven’t? A professional editor can help you bridge that gap. They will identify dangling modifiers, missing subjects, and other common errors that can confuse your reader.

Editors also point out and fix complex, ambiguous sentences, highlight inconsistencies related to tone or language use, improve word choice, reorganize sentences and paragraphs, and correct punctuation and spelling errors.

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No matter what type of document you’ve written, having an editor look over it will ensure that your writing is polished, professional, clear, and error-free. Whether you want to save time, make money, or present yourself in the best possible light, hiring an editor is always a good choice and a great investment.