One of the most popular stereotypes of self-published books is that they're poorly written. Though this is an unfair judgement to make, it's not completely unfounded. Many people write a book, then go straight to publish it, not even considering that their book could use a second pair of eyes to help improve it. This leaves a mishmash of embarrassing mistakes in their work that not only help to perpetuate the stereotype, but also distract from what would have been a decent read.
Everyone can benefit from a second (or third, or fourth) pair of eyes, whether you're a first time novelist or John Green, because every author makes mistakes. And if your mother isn't offering much help or your best friend doesn't read, it may be time to outsource for editing help.
Hope this helped. :)
T
Everyone can benefit from a second (or third, or fourth) pair of eyes, whether you're a first time novelist or John Green, because every author makes mistakes. And if your mother isn't offering much help or your best friend doesn't read, it may be time to outsource for editing help.
- Find a beta reader. Beta readers are nonprofessional critics that can help you find. Though they may not have the knowledge and the know-how of the English language or rhetorical devices that a professional editor may have, they've read a lot of books and know mistakes when they see them. You can find them through critique groups or even on social media sites like Wattpad.
- Know that there are different types of editing-developmental editing, where the editor searches for ways to improve the plot, copy editing, where the editor searches for grammatical and continuity errors, and proofreading, where someone gives your book a last look-over before it gets published. Within that are different types of edits. For developmental editing, you can ask for a detailed report separate of the manuscript, or "line edits," where the author points out things on manuscript as they go. It's best to get developmental editing before copy editing, because copy editing is more for adding a final polish on your book.
- Get the right copy editor for the right job. Each editor has his or her own preference as to what they like to read, and finding an editor that likes your type of writing benefits both parties-the editor will be more engaged and entertained by your work, and you will get better, more relevant critiques.
- Be patient. Editors, like English teachers, are busy people who don't like to be sent endless emails bugging them for critiques (or grades). Don't be afraid to ask if the wait time is unreasonable, or beyond what is promised, but don't expect an editor to want to put their entire life on hold for your book.
- Be ready for criticism. This seems obvious, but getting your feelings hurt over every critique isn't going to make yourself a better author. It always hurts to learn that you're not the flawless author you hoped to be, but once you've recovered from the initial shock, take deep breaths and listen to your editor. This will probably not be your last criticism, and getting your feelings hurt over every single one is an easy way to burn energy that you could be using for-oh, say, writing blog posts for English class. :)
Hope this helped. :)
T