Editors have their insecurities just as much as writers do. One common insecurity among editors is how to handle the situation where people won't hire us (or trust our knowledge) simply because we aren't published ourselves.
Editing can be very expensive, so writers want to ensure that their money is not being wasted. They want assurances that the editor being hired is able to do the job and do it well.
However, just because a person has published a book doesn't mean that they would be a good editor. And just because they haven't published doesn't mean that they would be a lousy editor. All it means is that they've published… or haven't published.
Yet, I have seen this rotten advice given to newer writers time and time again on social media feeds.
Let me say it right now: Anyone who swears by this rotten advice is missing out on the services of some extremely talented editors who have years (and, in some cases, decades) of experience behind them.
In today's post, I want to take a deep dive into why this rotten advice is rotten, and explain why you can't focus entirely on an editor's personal publication history when seeking their services.