This is kind of a cyclical thought pattern most authors engage in at one time or another. It’s sort of like, “well I don’t need a finished draft because once I have an agent and a book deal the publishing house will edit my book.” But the inverse cycle is also true, most agents and publishers won’t even consider taking on an author with no publishing record. The experience of most authors is to start small, publish short stories in journals and reviews, and then completely finish a novel and hire an editor to create a finished draft. This makes for an easy sell to a publishing house thinking of taking a risk on a new author, because the manuscript seems completely ready and therefore the entire venture seems less risky for the publisher. They are already taking a chance on a new author with no track record, so it is a huge step forward in this negotiation if the book seems like it has already been perfectly edited. It helps prospective publishers and agents who might take on new authors truly visualize the finished book. A professional reader for a publishing company working on acquisitions has an incredible workload, usually reviewing many novels every week. They are especially sensitive to cliche and imitation since they read so much. Every author has a gateway book that makes them want to start writing, but no acquisitions reader wants to read yet another Harry Potter rip-off. One of the best things a new author can do is join a writing group to workshop their story, get family and friends as early readers, and hire a professional editor for creative development as well as line edits to prepare for the professional submission process. A novel isn’t the best first project for a new writer, because it can set unreasonable expectations. Instead consider writing flash fiction (under 1000 words) and short stories (2500 words) and seeking publication in journals and magazines. There are magazines for every genre of writing no matter how niche and having your work published can be so validating as well as create the initial connections you need for a career as a writer.