What does ‘This needs an edit’ even mean?

Has someone told you, ‘This needs an edit,’ and you’re clueless about what you’re supposed to do with that?

If you’re a new writer, you might have come across advice telling you to get a manuscript assessment through your state’s writers’ centre, find a freelance editor to edit it, or get someone to proofread it. If all of that sounds really confusing to you, you’re not the only one!