On the virtues of proofreading with a seasoned editor

[Ken.Hagdal]

I'm just done having my current WIP proofread by an editor who used to work with a major publisher. Prior to that, I had run my draft by two beta readers. It turned out to be a great combo for someone on my range of budget. My beta readers helped me knock off the rough edges and the final pass with the professional editor filed off the last kinks. On a structural level at any rate.

If you weren't considering it, I'd warmly encourage you to hire a pro before publication. If you too get feedback from readers, as in the detailed kind, with notes inside the draft, to lay the groundwork there's no reason you shouldn't be able to afford it.

For those interested... I found my editor on a freelance site, and his rate is around $30/hour. You can also set a budget for starters, which is what I did.