publishing

I’ve wrote THE END what next? ~ Proof Reading and Beta Reading ~

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Congratulations on getting this far, you have now spent even more time along with your editor making sure your work is clean and reads just the way you want it. With your words flowing, the story looking great and all without your characters losing their own special voices. You have invested time and money in this story and can’t wait for the readers to get their hands on it, but first you need to make sure everything is as you think it is and now is the time to get your manuscript proof and Beta read by a whole range of people.

[Read more…] about I’ve wrote THE END what next? ~ Proof Reading and Beta Reading ~

I’ve wrote THE END what next? EDITING (Part 3)

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In this post we will discuss the editing process in a little more detail, for some of you I know this will be a scary thing to do. For others it will serve as a refresher.

Now I know it is a scary thing, you have finally finished your manuscript, you have poured all your blood, sweat and tears into it. You have been through it countless times and edited it just as many, now you are ready for the HUGE step of sending it away. Let me first tell you editors (Or good editors) are really not the spawn of the devil, they really are there to help you and their main goal is to make that book you have been working on the best it can be. After all they are also putting their name out there and word of mouth counts, even in the editing sector of the book industry.

So you finally found the editor that you think fits your needs? CONGRATULATIONS this is a hard job in itself and one you should make sure you pay full attention to. So what are you going to expect from your editor? What sort of edits do you need? Well this is where I am here to help you ……….

Content Editing:
This is a more comprehensive partnership between author and editor, bringing them together as one to make sure the final product is the best it can be. Content editing is designed to address stylistic elements such as concept, tone, characterization, and organization. It will also cover intended word use and genre-specific conventions. The editor’s focus will also be on improving sentence structure, and the editor will ask the author questions – lots of questions – before they give feedback directly to the author. If they think a manuscript might need a little restructuring, so that the flow and readability of the final product will look better, they will give the author this feedback, too. Their aim is to ALWAYS make sure the best product is put out there for the readers and fans to enjoy.

Copy Editing:
Copy editing is a little different; in this the editor will address the technical elements such as grammar, spelling, punctuation and consistency. They do this so that the final product is as error free as possible, so your work can shine when it is published.

By combining the above two elements together, an editor will work with the author to ensure that the intended storytelling and characters are getting across as desired to the audience. They do this by reading as a fan – as well as an editor – so the author gets the best of both worlds.

Once your manuscript has been through the above processes by your chosen editor, I will be doing a separate post covering the best ways to choose your editor. Now you are ready to move onto the next stage. In the next instalment I will cover the need for Proof reading and Beta reading

I’ve wrote “THE END” what next? (Part 2)

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After reading and digesting the first 5 steps last week are you ready for the next 5 that will take you even closer to your end goal? Well here in the second part you will be travelling that much travelled and worn path of other authors and writers like yourself. At the end you will be closer to achieving your dreams.

6. Now when you get the emails back there are less comments and suggestions than you had before, that’s great news and means you are heading in the right direction. No you are not done yet, and it can take more than one or two rounds to get to this point, but finally you got here. You can wipe the sweat off your brow and start making decisions about what you are going to do next.
7. Decide if you want to try and publish the work through a traditional route or if you want to self publish it and get it out there without weeks/months/years of heartache. There will be heartache, rejections will come in, and not everyone will love your work the same way you do, but don’t lose heart, you still have options to make your dreams come true.
8. You have decided to try your hand at self-publishing, everyone else is doing it. It’s got to be easy right? No this is just the next phase, now you need to think about setting up social media, etc. (This topic is for another blog post.) Now what is important for your work is finding an editor, never an easy task and there are many pitfalls to be had when looking. Make sure you get referrals from your friends and fellow authors on who they used for their works. Look at and read books that an editor has edited. Contact editors and see what their charges are. (These vary depending on where you go.)
9. So you have decided upon an editor and you are ready to send off your work. Normally they will ask for a small portion of the book to look through and see if it’s something they can work on and/or give you a quote on what they see is written. Some editors will just charge by the word or by the page, no matter go with your gut and talk to your editor. In the end if you are not happy, do not trust them, or don’t feel like you connect with them, this is not the editor for you. Move on and find someone more suitable that is a fit for you and your work.
10. Finally you have your editor and have sent of your manuscript to be edited, you have discussed what sort and depth of editing you need and can finally sit back and let them do their work. Yes relax; the editing process is not a quick and easy one either. In fact, you are now thinking is all this stress and heartache worth it? Yes it is, just keep your head up and you will get there, you still have many challenges coming your way.

Now you have followed all of these steps and reached the editing stage of your manuscript, congratulations on being one step closer. In my next post I will be going through the various types of editing, what your editor will do and why they are important.

I’ve wrote “THE END” what next?

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Today I am going to start a series of blog posts on what to do once you have finished writing your story, this is a vast topic and my aim is to help you through the process with a few guidelines on what you should be thinking about doing.

So you have written “the end” on your manuscript, a work that you have been piling your blood, sweat and tears into for the past weeks, months and even years. First let me congratulate you on doing something that many don’t manage to complete and that’s finalising your story. You are now one step closer to getting your voice and the voice of your characters heard. But what happens next? Where do you now turn to in order to make your dreams come true?

 

For a first time author this is a daunting task, even for the seasoned pro this can be a stressful time. You are not alone; there are thousands of other authors right where you are. So here are a few things that you need to look at once you have typed those final words.

 

  1. Re-read through your manuscript, edit and see where you can make improvements. (You will find parts that you have penned that will make you laugh, cry and even wonder if you were drinking when you decided to put that down on paper.)
  2. Once you are satisfied you have the best you can without the help of a fresh set of eyes, it’s time to turn to others for help. But where do you find it? Simple, for most of you, you will have people in your social network that you trust to give you their opinion. (We are not talking family and friends here; they are not a good way to see if your story has what it takes to make it in the big wide world.) Reach out and see if some of your connections will help by reading through and advising you or plotting, characters, storyline and flow issues. This is hard to do and not everyone will read your manuscript the same way you do. After all they are not all in your head, so make sure you try and select a variety of people that will critique your work and be honest about it. (Feeling scared yet?)
  3. So you have sent of your work to a few readers and you are pacing anxiously awaiting their verdict, cringing and stressing until that message with your work attached hits your inbox. What do you find? Now this can vary depending on the reader, their experience and how honest they feel they can be with you. Yes as much as it hurts and as much as it really does suck, those honest people that do not pull punches are the ones you need. Read through their comments and take notes of where they found holes. Maybe they gave suggestions or were confused on sections. Read it all, digest it, scream, shout and cry about it. But in the end all of these comments are going to make your work better.
  4. Finally, you have been through all of the returned work, read through the suggestions and dealt with your emotions. What next? Yes, next it’s time for you sit down and edit your work again. Make those changes and go through the book altering and adding/removing where needed. Believe me to this point will seem like a walk in the park compared to when you send it off to a publisher or an editor.
  5. You have made the changes and are happy with what you have done; it’s time to send it back to your readers. Even try and find a few new ones that haven’t seen the work for new advice and comments. Yes, now you return to step 3 and begin pacing again.

 

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week!