Tag: book editing

I’ve never met a writer who hasn’t wanted her reader to get completely lost in the words on the page. While there are many things that separate fact from fiction, there’s one thing that all writers ignore at their peril: a good, hard, honest self-edit. Let’s talk dialogue. Fiction writers learn quickly that there’s nothing as terrible as stiff, unrealistic dialogue to pull a reader out of the story. The first place to start is by cutting out as many dialogue tags as you can.

Novelists love stories and are often motivated to write by the effects a story can have on a reader. There's a real power in being able to touch the emotions of someone, a stranger, who lives far away or even far in the future. What better reason is there to write than to inspire others to follow their dreams? And yet, too many authors waste that opportunity. They confuse their reader with awkward phrasing, distract with careless typos, or turn off a potential buyer with a poor quality product.

You worked hard all through November, writing every day for National Novel Writing Month, and it's December 1st at last. Did you complete a 50,000-word novel?

Great! But then what?

Well, then it’s time to get your book edited, of course!

Every author needs an editor.

Don't believe me? Read this. But what KIND of editing does your book manuscript need? Well, there are at least five different types of book editing, and I'll list them below. Your manuscript may require a combination of these approaches. I recommend hiring a professional editor for any of the first three services on this list. The last two options are good for getting your manuscript as ready as possible before either sending on to a professional editor or going straight to publishing (in the event that you can't afford to hire an editor).

The five most common forms of book manuscript editing

1. Developmental editing A developmental editor assists the author (sometimes through multiple drafts) with elements of structure, concept, content, tone, and overall presentation. A developmental editor may also help with research, competitive market analyses, and chapter outlines. Their aim is to make the text clear, readable, engaging, and marketable. They're kind of like a coach, only without the whistle.

It's the last day of NaNoWriMo. Did you complete a 50,000-word novel? If not, you've still got until midnight!

But then what?

Well, then it's time to get your book edited by a professional editor, of course. Now BookBaby authors get 17% off any of FirstEditing.com's professional book-editing services. Just click HERE and use coupon code: VIPBB17. 

Also, if you're looking for some editing advice, check out the following articles:

1. Your Book Needs Editing, and Here's Why...

Your manuscript isn't perfect, but don't feel ashamed. Every writer needs an editor. Here are 3 reasons why your book will benefit from professional editing.

It's a popular commandment: Thou shalt NOT edit while you write! But rules are made to be broken, right? Some folks spend an enormous amount of time upfront on their "editing" efforts, tweaking each sentence...