…But I Have No Money For an Academic Editor!
1. Time
At some point in the doctoral journey, a sort of mental fogginess—often even depression—commonly sets in. In fact, as many as a full half of PhD candidates will suffer depression during their studies. Perhaps you’re already there. If so, please don’t give up. You don’t have to go it alone.
However, this shared experience makes it difficult to keep plugging away at your dissertation. On top of that, the review cycle can be crushing. Not infrequently, doctoral or graduate students feel the need to “take a break.” Which is perfectly fine, except that the temporary pause often ends up being permanent. It’s crushing to think that all the time you’ve already invested to get this far could end up being for nothing, at least as far as job opportunities or advancement are concerned.
If you find yourself stuck, burnt out or depleted, you might benefit from tag-teaming some paid support and giving yourself a chance to breathe. Although hiring an academic editor may initially seem like an extra, unnecessary step rather than a short-cut, an editor can save you time in the long run by helping you whip your writing into shape more efficiently than you could do on your own.
You simply send your document off to get a going over by a fresh pair of eyes, and then take a much-needed break. All the while, your project is moving forward, as if by magic. And once you get your edited document back, it might even give you the boost you need to get moving again!
2. Quality
Question: Know what would be cool?
Answer: If your research would be deemed interesting to others in the field!
A big part of whether or not this happens is how readable your writing is. If you’re already a good writer, that’s great! Perhaps an extra pair of eyes could polish and make it even better. But if you’re already struggling with the writing aspect of research, you would really benefit from getting an academic writing expert on board.
Simply put, an academic editor can take all the hard work you’ve done and give it the polished presentation it deserves…and you deserve.
3. Support
As much as your family and friends love and support you personally, most will not also be able to help you carry the academic load. They will be far too busy picking up extra housework and taxiing the kids to baseball practice.
A hired editor, on the other hand, can give you and your research her full, undivided attention. An academic editor has not already tired of hearing about your study over leftovers. She offers you a fresh pair of eyes, a brand new perspective, an unbiased opinion, and expertise in helping you present the best possible product.
Where Do I Start?
