By Joyce Shafer » Whenever a potential client asks one particular question, I know the person is a new writer who doesn't (yet) understand the practical side of being a fiction or non-fiction writer. What's the question?

"What is your best guess about how long it will take to edit my manuscript?"

It's a logical question, right? So what's the matter with it?

Let's say you've completed your first draft and used Spell Check. The very next step that should be taken is to print out a copy and put it away for a few days or one week. Plan a time to sit comfortably with the printed copy, pencil and eraser on hand, and read it, preferably aloud. You find errors and what I call hiccups far easier when you do this than if you work solely from the computer screen.

You don't do this simply to find typos, but also to see and listen to whether the story, as written, works. Does it flow from start to finish? What about plot and character development? Does character dialogue sound natural? It's very easy to be so pleased you completed a draft you forget you also need to be an editor.

Do you think one attempt at this guarantees that your manuscript is now ready for the next step? I hope your answer is no. Make your changes, print out another copy, put it down for a few days, and repeat this process as many times as reasonably needed.

What writers usually do when they feel their manuscript is ready is ask one or more people to read it and give feedback. Often, what a new writer looks for is approval, a pat on the back (completing a manuscript is an accomplishment). What they need is honest feedback that helps them write a good read. Some people ask family or friends to do this for them. Sometimes this is beneficial; but it depends on whether the individual(s) can contribute quality comments.

New writers eventually reach out to an editor, which is important; but they don't always understand what working with an editor involves. They may not realize if it took them months to write and edit their manuscript, it will take more than a few or several hours for an editor to work on it. How long it takes an editor has all to do with the technical and creative quality of the writing.

I always ask potential clients to send their first chapter to me so I get a sense of what will be involved on my part, and to determine if their manuscript is actually ready for editing. When I see a manuscript and writer would benefit more from a thorough critique, I tell the person so. Writers who need and get a critique learn how to improve the technical and creative aspects. They get information and rewrite examples that assist them to become better writers. A critique also benefits a new writer who has reworked a manuscript so many times she or he can no longer tell if it's good or what it needs.

There's another reason to get a critique: Cost. New writers know an editor needs to assist them, but some writers may be cost-conscious because of a penurious nature or necessity. A critique helps them write a better story, tidy the text, and write tighter. This can reduce the expense of working with an editor, especially if heavy editing was required and done before the editor gets it.

When a manuscript is in the edit stage, it takes hours and a good deal of them because the manuscript makes several trips between the writer and editor as the writer makes or approves suggested adjustments. (Most writers prefer an editor use Track Changes so they can decide to accept changes or not.)

This part of the process can go on for a few months because changes or additions the writer makes has to be reviewed and considered as part of the whole story. Another reason for the extended time is that neither the writer nor editor works full-time on the manuscript, but as their schedules allow. With each revision, the time either person has to spend on it is reduced. 

Once I read a revised manuscript that flows from start to finish, with no hiccups, it's ready for whatever the author intends to do with it, whether that's self-publishing or submission to an agent.

If you are a new writer and committed to your creativity, learn what's required of you and the process. It's worth it when you hold a copy of your book in your hands and when readers give rave reviews.

• Joyce Shafer, LEC and Author, has been a published writer and assisting fellow writers for nearly two decades. Her books/e-books, including, "Write, Get Published, and Promote: An Easy e-Guide for New and Aspiring Writers," are available at lulu.com. Visit her website to learn more and get the e-guide at a discount or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .