Why am I doing a self editing set of blogs?

I have been asked, "Why are you doing a SET of self-editing blogs? Won't that cut into your own freelance business?"

My reply is "Because I believe in helping authors. If I can help them get started on edits, and get signed easier then I am thrilled to have done something positive! And no I don't think it will cut into business, because fresh eyes are ALWAYS a plus. *grin*"

Some of you have asked me why I don’t do the "Tips and Tricks" in one blog post- just put it all out there. One reason is because some authors know some of these tricks- so it will be easier to find what you need if they are done as individual blogs. I also don’t want to bog you down with too much information at once. Nothing is worse than a long tiresome lecture, especially if you already know some of the information! *Yawn*

 

As writers we want our manuscripts, our “babies”, to show their true potential. We want them to find the perfect House and a great niche. And we all know that is more likely to happen if we have a great storyline and a clean manuscript. Make the baby shine! These are some easy simple things you can do to help set yourself apart from all others, whether this is your first book or your thirty first.

Also don’t think that if you use all of these tricks you will have a 100% clean manuscript. Each House has their own set of rules; working for five Houses trust me I have learned this! You will still have rounds of edits to go through. I also suggest, if you are unsure, getting a pre-submission edit done. They can be expensive, but they can also be worth the cost. 

Freelance (pre-submission) editors can help you a lot. Especially getting used to dealing with someone who will make you take an outside look at your own work. It is one of the reasons I love doing freelance- you have a bit more time and get more one on one with authors. Make sure you do your homework when choosing a pre-sub editor. It helps if you can talk to them and they are able to get their point across to you on why they think some changes work better. Rude doesn’t mean an awful editor- it just means they have no people skills, lol. Just like kiss ass doesn’t mean great. 

You should find someone who will point out both the good and bad points. I prefer it when I see an “OMG I LOVE this line!” on occasion between the “Repetitive usage” or “? This doesn’t make sense, suggest rewrite of:” ;) Because really, if all you see is a sea of red (or in my case blue) with no comments in a positive manner, you are more likely to give up. This is about making something as perfect as can be, helping others to succeed, not knocking down dreams and staunching creativity. Just because we are showing you what can be changed does not mean we can't show you what is great!

And now I will get off my soap box, lol. but I wanted to answer the question I have gotten a minimum of nine times in one day. And please note- not all editors think the same way- just as people/authors don't all think the same way. I will post Tips and Tricks part two soon! 

Keep writing!

Nicole