Get an Editor, or Learn to Edit?

I got to thinking recently (never a good sign). Why are writers the only artists/craftspeople that need editors? Painters, carpenters, etc. create without passing the result through the filter of someone else. Why is it not only acceptable for writers to use an editor, but assumed that they should? Heck, even film directors get to ignore the editor when they release the "director's cut" of their movie.

I think a big part of this is that most writers are horrible editors of their own work. Far too many writers assume that everything they write is gold. Mark Twain wrote some brilliant stuff and some truly horrible stuff, and supposedly really couldn't tell the difference. And as most writers get more successful, they become less edited. Why do you think Tom Clancy and J.K. Rowling publish longer and longer books as they get deeper into their careers? I love listening to Tom Clancy audiobooks, because they're abridged (edited) and the long-winded stuff has been cut out.

But is this a natural feature of writers? Is the inability to self-edit unavoidable? Other artists learn to do it. And that's the key. Editing is learned skill most writers never learn to do.

Editing isn't that hard. You just have to be able to separate yourself from your writing so you can look at it objectively. Be willing to ask yourself with each sentence, each paragraph, each chapter: is this the best I can make it? In today's world of spelling and grammar checkers, there's no excuse for typos. But after you get your manuscript technically perfect, start questioning it. Have you omitted all needless words? Is each sentence as clear as you can make it? Have you cut every adverb you can bear to part with? Do you have any unclear pronouns (I hate referring to two different "they"s in one sentence, but I do it on occasion.).

Question the big stuff, too. Are there any plot holes? Forgotten characters? Motivations that don't make sense? Look at the big picture. Is this really the story you wanted to tell?

I don't buy that writers can't edit their own stuff. You can, if you learn how and are honest with yourself about your work. Give it shot, and see if you get any better.