“How much does editing cost?”
It’s one of the first questions authors ask me. Which I totally understand. None of us has a money tree in the backyard. Especially not here in 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic.
The thing is, though, I don’t see editing as a cost. I see it as an investment.
I’m no economist, accountant, or financial planner, but here’s my simple take on it.
With a cost, you get back roughly what you put in. Goods and services have prices commensurate to their value. (More or less.)
But with an investment, you get back more than you put in. Or at least that’s the goal. It’s not always guaranteed. Some investments are smarter and more successful than others.
Well, I’m here to tell you that immersion editing is the smartest investment you can make in your manuscript and in yourself as an author.
The more you invest in immersion editing, the more you’ll get back in return.
It begins with your expenditure—what you put in. Not just your money. More importantly, your time and dedication to the process.
Once you make that investment, the dividends will instantly start rolling in.
Your manuscript will transform, improve, strengthen, and blossom. Every letter and punctuation mark. Every sentence. Every paragraph. Every chapter. The book as a whole. It’ll reach its fullest potential in a way you may not have realized was possible.
Your writing craft will transform as well. As we work on this manuscript, you’ll gain larger insight and strategies about your skills, talents, and foibles. It’s not just an edit but a learning experience. In fact, many of my authors have compared it to a master class.
Sounds like a great return on your investment, right?
But wait—there’s more. So much more.
The greatest return of immersion editing is confidence.
Yes, confidence.
Writing is a deeply personal and emotional experience. Publishing even more so. Every author wrestles with fear, doubt, insecurity, vulnerability, and anxiety.
Is my book good enough? Am I good enough? Whom am I kidding? I have no business publishing a book. What if people hate it? Worse yet—what if they love it? I don’t know if I could handle that either. I should just put this manuscript right back in that box under my bed, where it sat collecting dust for years.
This near-crippling anxiety is universal for all authors across the spectrum of skill and experience. Whether you’re a big-time author with dozens of best sellers or a small-time author with your first indie release, you’ll likely find yourself in the same emotional waters.
Why do you think I use the visual metaphor of a scuba diver?
You need an editor who can do more than put your commas in the right place and fix your dangling participles. You need an editor who can even do more than tighten your story arc and smooth your transitions between scenes.
You need an editor who can help you build confidence through the power of trust, rapport, compassion, understanding, and unwavering support.
Sadly, not all editors realize this. Surface editors certainly don’t.
But I do. This is what immersion editing is about. This is what “going deeper” means.
From commas to story arcs, from encouragement to empowerment, I’m here to help you gain the confidence you need to put your book out into the world—and to therefore put yourself out into the world.
And that’s priceless.
So, you wanna know what immersion editing costs? Sure thing. Let’s talk specs and scope, and I’ll start crunching some numbers.
What I can tell you right here and right now, though, is that it’s an investment. And you’ll get so much more back than you’ll ever put in.