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Ever since I started freelance editing, the issue I see the most with novice writers is not knowing whether their story is really ready to send to an editor. Most of the time, either they really aren't ready yet but their impatience with the process has them going forward anyway, or they are ready, but delay too long out of trepidation. So the question is, how do you know? When is your story really done, ready to move on, ready to send to an editor, ready to send to an agent, ready to send to a publisher? This isn't easy to answer generally. But I'm going to give it a try anyway.
If you plan to hire an editor to do developmental or substantive editing, the answer is easy: you don't really have to be ready for that: the editor is there to get you ready. Right?
Well, yes and no. Yes, the editor is there to get you ready. But substantive editing with an editor is long and hard work, and more of that work is done by you, the author, than by the editor. Are you prepared for that? I can tell an author isn't ready when they come to me and expect me to fix all the problems in the text, not just point them out with some suggestions. They are hiring an editor in order to just be done with it already, and so they are not prepared for all the revising that may still be needed. Sometimes, they have already moved on to advertising or the second and third book, and are willing to give me more money just to fix any problems I see, sight unseen. This kind of impatience at the substantive editing stage is the clearest indicator that the author was unprepared for this rigorous process.
That being said, if you would rather get an editor that wants to help with a bit of ghost writing as well, there are plenty of those out there. But although I am fairly prescriptive in my suggestions, nothing is more important to me and my process than maintaining author voice, and that just cannot be done if the author doesn't make the suggested changes themselves. Most editors have a similar philosophy, so be sure you know what the process is like for your editor so you have the right expectations.
On the other end of the spectrum, some authors are so discouraged by my substantive suggestions, they start saying things like, maybe I should just start over. Maybe I should divide this book into five books. Maybe I need to switch genres. Maybe I shouldn't be a writer.
I empathize with these authors and respond with encouragement, but it is another clear indication that this author and their story isn't ready. They seemed to hope the editor would look at their story and say, "Looks great! We don't even need any big edits, lets focus on grammar," even though they paid handsomely for me to give the very edits I am giving.
Now, maybe some of these authors are right about starting over, or about switching genres, or dividing into five books. And maybe that will come out during developmental editing, but ninety-nine percent of the time, these debilitating suggestions come from the author, not the editor. And actually, this backing away from their book happens even more often when the authors only hired me for line and copyediting, not substantive editing at all. If you find yourself consistently and gigantically unsure whether you should be an author any time you get even the most positive critical feedback, you may not be ready yet to hire an editor. Critical feedback is what an editor does, and you will need to be prepared for that.
So, lets say this is you, and you are convinced you are not ready, but don't know how to get there? First, run your story by a few alpha-readers. Ask them to focus on larger issues, not grammar. You don't have to take all of their advice; in fact, I'd keep it to under two-thirds. Read the story to yourself out loud a couple times. Get used to hearing feedback, but be honest with yourself as to how much feedback you can handle. If you cringe anytime someone tells you a comma might be out of place, take a step back. There is no need to force yourself to get feedback from strangers if it hurts. As long as you are aware and aren't in a hurry, just take your time and start with the people who love you, gradually moving up to strangers as you progress.
But if you've done that, and if you like your story, like your book, like what it is saying, you are probably ready to send it to an editor as long as 1) you are prepared to do even more work on it, and 2) you aren't discouraged by critical feedback.
There is a third category, of course. Some people (I will be honest, this is me as an author!) are never willing to let go of our work, not because it is unfinished, but out of fear. For those who are always, always revising and never sending your story on, I say let it go! No, that isn't a platitude, or the beginning of a song, it is part of being a creator. Don't let fear of failure keep you from telling the story only you can tell.
That cat poster enough for you?