I would never compare myself to a physician. Doctors care for people’s health, while I work with books. Still, there’s an analogy that I think illustrates an important point.

Imagine a woman visiting her doctor because she has severe abdominal pain. After reading medical websites, she has convinced herself that she has a stomach virus. She tells the doctor, “I’m certain it’s a stomach bug. I have nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. I need treatment for that.”

The doctor thanks her for sharing her symptoms and replies, “Before we decide on a diagnosis, we need to run some tests.”

The patient insists she already knows the answer. “I’m pretty sure it’s just a stomach virus.”

The doctor responds, “We still need to examine you carefully before drawing any conclusions.”

The patient reluctantly agrees. Secretly, she hopes it really is a simple stomach bug because it would be inexpensive and easy to treat. She worries the tests might uncover something far more serious.

After a thorough examination, the doctor delivers the results.

“You don’t have a stomach virus. You have acute pancreatitis—an inflammation of the pancreas, the organ that helps with digestion and blood sugar regulation. Treatment may involve medication, supportive medical care, or even surgery. Now that we know what the problem actually is, we can create the right treatment plan.”

In this example, the patient arrived with both a diagnosis and a preferred solution. Fortunately, the doctor relied on objective evaluation rather than the patient’s assumptions and identified the real issue.

Book editing works much the same way.

When Authors Misidentify the Problem

It’s common for an author to contact me with a manuscript and explain exactly which editorial services they believe they need—and which they don’t.

A typical conversation goes something like this:

“I’ve written a 50,000-word self-help book. It’s already been edited once.” (That immediately raises a question: if it has already been edited, why does it need another editor?) “I don’t need developmental editing because the organization is fine. I only need line editing. Just smooth out the sentences, fix the grammar and spelling, and let me know what it will cost.”

My answer is always the same: “Before I can quote a price or recommend a service, I need to read the manuscript. Give me twenty-four hours, and I’ll get back to you.”

I also explain that any editor willing to quote a fee without first reviewing the work is either incompetent or dishonest. There are no exceptions. It would be like a doctor diagnosing a patient and prescribing treatment without ever performing an examination.

Once I carefully review the manuscript, I often discover problems the author never recognized. The ideas may not follow a logical progression. Paragraphs may be weakly organized. Examples may fail to persuade. The formatting might be chaotic—I’ve seen manuscripts where every page was written entirely in italics. In fiction, the scenes may stretch credibility beyond the breaking point. A novel does not have to be factual, but it does have to be believable. I like to call that the Law of Stephen King.

After evaluating the manuscript, I tell the author what I believe is necessary to bring the book up to a professional standard. In most cases, the author is receptive. They understand that improving the manuscript may require more than they originally expected, and they are willing to invest in making the book the best it can be. By the end of the process, everyone is pleased with the outcome.

Evaluating your own writing objectively is extremely difficult, especially if this is your first book or you have limited writing experience. That is precisely why hiring an editor is such a valuable investment.

When you send your manuscript to an editor, resist the temptation to diagnose its problems in advance. Instead, simply say, “Here’s my book. Here’s what it’s about. Please read it and tell me what it needs to become a competitive, professional-quality manuscript.”

The answer may be very different from the one you expected—and that’s exactly why you hired an expert.