Once upon a time, I paid $800 to have my masterpiece
Dimes, Profiles and Wives published through Xlibris. I was so excited to finish
the book and finally have a “publisher” who wanted my work to sell to the
masses. In my haste to see my piece de resistance in print, I allowed the book to
be sold on the open market without any editing. That was the single worse
mistake I have made thus far in my writing career.
Now granted, I wrote a compelling story worthy of four stars
from reputable editorial reviewers. However, not having the work edited made a “mockery”
of an otherwise good book. If I was to do it all over again the number one
thing I would do is hire an editor. I didn’t know then that I could go to
Fiverr and hire an editor or do what I did for my next novel, ask for recommendations
in the many Facebook groups I belong to.
My editor from Critique Editing Services took my work,
polished and cleaned it up so that it would be ready for readers to feast on. I
know a lot of new authors believe they do not need an editor, but trust me, yes
you do. If Stephen King needs an editor, so do you. If Maya Angelou needs an editor,
so do you. If Zondervan Publishing needs editors to produce the most famous
book on earth, you need an editor.
Why? Because you do not have the ability, expertise
nor skill set to effectively and efficiently rectify errors in your own writing.
You my dear will miss something as simple as the spelling of your own name or
verb tense agreement if you do not hire an editor. And no, your auntie and them
cannot edit your work unless they have the unique skills for the task at hand.
So, what really happens when you hire an editor. First
off, they are not going to take your work and do a total rewrite of what you’ve
taken so long to create. If they do, run, that’s not an editor, that’s a thief.
There are four specific types of editing that you will need for different stages
of your book. Those types include proofreading, line editing, copy editing and
development editing. Depending on your writing level and necessary changes you
should at least have a copy editor look at your work. If you know you haven’t
written a solid piece, then development editing is what you will need. Finally,
a proofreading and line edit will be necessary upon completion of the initial edit.
I know it sounds like a lot, but a good editor will tell you what they can and
cannot do and what it is they believe you need after giving you a free quote.
I will shout it until the end of my writing career:
Yes, you need an editor! My advice is to go out there, after you’ve written
your best work, and hire someone who you can work well with and believes in
your vision. As I went through my process of editing with Critique Editing Services
the relationship with my editor was friendly and we got the work done. Now I can
send it on to the proofreader (another editing company) and get Love Without a
Limit, Dimes, Profiles and Wives Book 2 ready for the open market.
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