Somebody emailed me with a question this week and, while I answered her personally, I thought it’d make a great newsletter topic.

Here’s what she asked: 

How common is it to receive minimal edits on a first draft for an established content brand with a dedicated editor?

She mentioned that she frequently sees people bragging on social media about the “no edits needed” emails they receive from clients—and it’s left her dealing with a hefty amount of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. 

I get it. Edits always feel a little personal (even when they’re not). And assuming you’re the only writer on the planet receiving them only pours salt in the wound. 

I’ll start by saying that I actually have zero clue about how common it is to not receive any edits. I don’t have any statistics or studies to share. But what I can do is speak from personal experience.

For me, “no edits needed” is the exception and not the rule. The vast majority of my clients expect me to actively participate in the revision process in some way, shape, or form.

Most commonly, that means they send me an email when they’ve finished their edits. That’s my cue to head back into the document, accept their suggested revisions, and address any comments or minor changes they left.

On a typical draft, I’d say I spend maybe 20 minutes or a half hour on this revision process (not including the time I spent self-editing the draft before ever submitting it to the client, of course). It’s usually pretty straightforward.

With that said, I have received some “no edits needed” emails before (just like I’ve received some dreaded “this is a great start…” emails—but that’s a topic for another time).

However, those “no edits needed” messages usually only come from clients I’ve worked with a long time. I’m super familiar with their content, voice, and typical approach, which obviously increases my chances of nailing the draft the first time.

There’s another thing I want to point out about these beloved “no edits needed” messages: In my experience, that doesn’t directly translate to, “Your draft was flawless and we didn’t need to adjust a single punctuation mark!”

Rather, it usually means that the revisions were minor enough for the client to address on their end. There weren’t any substantial changes that required me to rework or revisit the draft.  And ultimately, it speeds the process up if they can make those super light edits themselves without waiting for me to get back in there.

I know firsthand that revisions—whether they’re big or small—can sting. However, try to remind yourself that editing is a normal and beneficial part of the creative process.

So, if you’re not on the receiving end of the always-dreamy “no edits needed” emails that some people brag about, don’t take it as a symptom of your own inadequacy. 

Rather, take it as a sign that your clients are committed to quality content and are invested in working closely with writers to achieve that standard. 

At the end of the day, that’s a positive thing—even if nobody posts screenshots of their “Edits are ready for you in the Google Doc!” emails to LinkedIn. 😉