[ghaff]

It really depends. A very good competent friend can help you. For technical, at least adjacent, articles there are online pubs who will work with you so long as the content is at least ok. But no one is going to edit a book for you for free and a publisher has at least a middling high bar to take you on.

[hluska]

If you’re going with a friend, make sure they’re extremely good editors. I’ve become a good enough editor but still can’t do my friends’ writing justice. When I know people reasonably well, I understand how they communicate and find myself overlooking some grammatical quirks because I’m used to them. When I work with a near stranger, I can’t overlook anything - the piece either stands on its own or falls flat.

I’m only good enough so your mileage will vary if you’re friends with extremely competent editors. But if you work with a friend and your writing doesn’t improve, you may be working with too good of a friend.

[ghaff]

Oh I agree with that. I've seen people in tears after editors have finished with going through their work. You don't need to be nasty of course but you do need to be merciless.