Even
if you are an exceptional writer, it is almost impossible to edit your own work objectively and you may miss many things a trained eye can pick up, or may be too close to your novel or work to look at it critically. You're up
against tough competition, in an industry that is increasingly hard to
succeed in. Don't let your manuscript languish in a drawer, send it to an experienced editor like Karin today and give yourself a real shot at publishing success.
An edit conducted by an experienced, skillful publishing professional can:
An edit conducted by an experienced, skillful publishing professional can:
1. Enhance the professionalism of your book, making your work more suitable for publication by ensuring your manuscript is formatted in a style recognised by the Wiley Style Manual 6th Edition (formerly the Australian Government Printing Style Manual), the Chicago Manual of Style, the Oxford Style Guide, or whichever other style guide you or your potential publisher require. Editing your book to the right style can save a publisher a lot of effort and ensure your book is professionally presented if you wish to self-publish.
2. Strengthen your authorial voice, streamline your plot, bring your characters to life, assess your point of view, make your dialogue leap off the page ... and generally enhance your writing style (as well as provide you with useful tips for future writing). This kind of substantive editing and reworking can really help give your work the polish it needs to thrill the publishing professional who pulls your manuscript out of the slushpile.
3. Remove spelling errors, typographical errors, grammatical errors and any "style" errors or errors in word usage that could impede your manuscript's chance of publication. You'll also be able to question the editor about changes, which will improve your grammar, spelling and punctuation in future writing. See Common Writing Errors.
4. Tighten text, if necessary, to condense your manuscript to a suitable length for a publisher. A good editor knows that the longer your manuscript is, the more it will cost to publish. Most book genres have a standard extent that is more appealing to publishers. Many novels, autobiographies and young adult fiction novels have padding that can be removed without affecting the story (or have some text that is tangential to the plot). A professional, experienced editor can help make suggestions that can streamline your work.
5. A professional editor and published author, like Karin Cox, can also help provide you with advice that will hold you in good stead should you decide to self-publish in future. Contact Karin today for an obligation-free quote and sample edit of your manuscript's first page by clicking here.
Some authors see a pre-submission edit as just another expense. Others have a lot of unanswered questions that make them uncertain about going ahead. (Check out FAQ about Editing). A publisher who accepts unsolicited manuscripts does not require this step (don't let anyone fool you that it's a prerequisite—it is not), but it is still a sensible decision. It's sensible because, for all writers (including me), it is nearly impossible to view your own work objectively. You get attached to that long and florid scene with your favourite line in it, even when a reader finds it goes off on a tangent that detracts from the immediacy of the rest of the chapter. Whoops!
Why submit your work unseen by a professional eye and potentially blow your chances, when corrections and suggestions by someone "in the know" might have made all the difference? Having said that, substantive edits can be a considerable expense that not all budding authors can afford, so if you don't want a full edit but still want some objective advice and assistance for a steal ... click here.
Still not convinced? Hey, I won't twist your arm ... I know there are a lot of options out there for writers and a lot of "Predators and Editors" who aren't as ethical as I am. I'm always delighted when I help authors achieve their publishing dreams and I've a history of doing so, efficiently and honestly, because I believe an editor should be an advocate for your work, not an adversary. But it's not for me to tell you what to do. It's your dream, because it's your book. But ... maybe you'd like to check out some hints and tips here or read more about what I have to say about the future of publishing in my blog.
Thanks for visiting and please avail yourself of the information available for free on this site. My passion is writing, editing and publishing and my sense of fulfillment comes from helping others share it and achieve their dreams. I hope that your publishing dreams come true.— Karin Cox
2. Strengthen your authorial voice, streamline your plot, bring your characters to life, assess your point of view, make your dialogue leap off the page ... and generally enhance your writing style (as well as provide you with useful tips for future writing). This kind of substantive editing and reworking can really help give your work the polish it needs to thrill the publishing professional who pulls your manuscript out of the slushpile.
3. Remove spelling errors, typographical errors, grammatical errors and any "style" errors or errors in word usage that could impede your manuscript's chance of publication. You'll also be able to question the editor about changes, which will improve your grammar, spelling and punctuation in future writing. See Common Writing Errors.
4. Tighten text, if necessary, to condense your manuscript to a suitable length for a publisher. A good editor knows that the longer your manuscript is, the more it will cost to publish. Most book genres have a standard extent that is more appealing to publishers. Many novels, autobiographies and young adult fiction novels have padding that can be removed without affecting the story (or have some text that is tangential to the plot). A professional, experienced editor can help make suggestions that can streamline your work.
5. A professional editor and published author, like Karin Cox, can also help provide you with advice that will hold you in good stead should you decide to self-publish in future. Contact Karin today for an obligation-free quote and sample edit of your manuscript's first page by clicking here.
Some authors see a pre-submission edit as just another expense. Others have a lot of unanswered questions that make them uncertain about going ahead. (Check out FAQ about Editing). A publisher who accepts unsolicited manuscripts does not require this step (don't let anyone fool you that it's a prerequisite—it is not), but it is still a sensible decision. It's sensible because, for all writers (including me), it is nearly impossible to view your own work objectively. You get attached to that long and florid scene with your favourite line in it, even when a reader finds it goes off on a tangent that detracts from the immediacy of the rest of the chapter. Whoops!
Why submit your work unseen by a professional eye and potentially blow your chances, when corrections and suggestions by someone "in the know" might have made all the difference? Having said that, substantive edits can be a considerable expense that not all budding authors can afford, so if you don't want a full edit but still want some objective advice and assistance for a steal ... click here.
Still not convinced? Hey, I won't twist your arm ... I know there are a lot of options out there for writers and a lot of "Predators and Editors" who aren't as ethical as I am. I'm always delighted when I help authors achieve their publishing dreams and I've a history of doing so, efficiently and honestly, because I believe an editor should be an advocate for your work, not an adversary. But it's not for me to tell you what to do. It's your dream, because it's your book. But ... maybe you'd like to check out some hints and tips here or read more about what I have to say about the future of publishing in my blog.
Thanks for visiting and please avail yourself of the information available for free on this site. My passion is writing, editing and publishing and my sense of fulfillment comes from helping others share it and achieve their dreams. I hope that your publishing dreams come true.— Karin Cox
