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I did not say "don't edit your book". I said, "Learn to edit yourself." Editing yourself is *not* the same as "not editing".
Also, "editing" is not "story fixing".
Editing isn't magic, and won't turn a pile of crap text into a great story. If a writer doesn't learn to recognize when he's writing crap, no amount of editing (his own or someone else's) will make any difference. Once a writer *does* learn to recognize when he's writing crap, he can take steps to solve the problem. Then all he needs an editor for is fixing his typos and moving his commas around. Which he can probably learn to do on his own.
The whole idea that writers cannot possibly see what's wrong with their work is ludicrous on the face of it. No other collection of artists or craftsmen would put up with the level of interference in their work that writers are assumed to need and expected to willingly subject themselves to. Except maybe Hollywood filmmakers.
Every artist has to learn how to do this, regardless of their medium. They have to be able to step back and view what they're doing or have just done, and judge it. Maybe add something. Maybe take something away. Maybe move B before A. Repeat until finished. Then move on to the next work and do it all again, hopefully better this time.
-David
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