Tag Archive | proofing

Book review: Cover to Cover: What First-Time Authors Need to Know about Editing

Periodically I share info about editing. It’s not cheap to have your manuscript edited so for indie-publishing it’s tempting to try and work around paying someone else to do it. Here is another source that doesn’t recommend doing that (and, of course, neither do I. And it’s not just because I am an editor. If you’re serious about making money on your book, you need to have an editor look at it).

As you may have read on this blog, I think you can avoid hiring a proofer if, if, if, if you get at least 3 people to proof your book, three people who haven’t read it yet. Three people who know basic grammar and punctuation. That may be a big IF for some. (For print, it has to be on the actual book – the ARC [Advanced Reader Copy] – because you need to have people make sure things like the headers and footer are correct and the text is formatted correctly [no widows or orphans – lines of text or words left at the top or bottom of a page).

Sandra Beckwith (great book-stuff blogger) reviews this book about editing by Sandra Wendel.

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If you question the need for a book editor, be sure to read my review of “Cover to Cover: What First-Time Authors Need to Know about Editing.”

Source: Book review: Cover to Cover: What First-Time Authors Need to Know about Editing – Build Book Buzz

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The Comprehensive Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with an Editor

May17

Chantel Hamilton is an editor and guest writer on Jane Hamilton’s blog. Her post is a comprehensive discussion about book editing that I would recommend reading if you have any questions about editing. The only thing I disagree with is she says that other writers can not help you with your writing. I think maybe what she meant was other writers shouldn’t be asked to edit your manuscript.

Other writers can definitely help you with your writing. That called a critique group and critique groups can be very beneficial. But in a critique group, your fellow writers aren’t editing, per se. They may catch punctuation and grammar items but they are looking at your piece for the more obvious things: “This sentence confused me.” “Above you have him in the hallway, now he appears in the bathroom. How did he get there?” “Who is saying this?” “You changed POV here.” And they help keep you writing and praise you when you do something they enjoy – which is always nice :).

Granted, these are all things an editor may tell you, but an editor will go through your piece in more detail than a fellow writer. Editors also have a view of your whole piece in their mind. When they are reading chapter 10, they may think “Didn’t the author say this in chapter 2?” They may have to go back and confirm that, but even copyediting is not looking at just what is in the page in front of them; it’s keeping the whole piece in their mind to some degree.

And a writer might be able to edit your book, but most would not want to, even if you paid them. It takes a lot of time and effort to do that and most writers want to spend that time and effort editing (revision) their own stuff. Editors may also be writers (as I am), but an editor wants to edit. It’s their job, and if they are good, they enjoy it. And as Chantel mentions, editors have had training in the “rules” and are very familiar with the standard style guides (Chicago Manual of Style – CMS – and the Associated Press style guide – AP – are the two most common, though there are others).

Note: Even though Chantel defines 4 different types of editing, make sure you understand your editor’s definition of the type of edit they think (or you think) you need. There is some variation out there for these definitions. As long as you both understand what is going to happen, then you should be good to go.

p.s. I think most editors will do a sample copyedit for you for free. It won’t be a long edit, but enough to allow you to compare different editor’s styles. I recommend it when trying to whittle down your editor prospects.

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This post explains four critical types of book editing, why you need an editor, how to choose one, and what your editor can and cannot do.

Source: The Comprehensive Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with an Editor | Jane Friedman

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Top 5 Ways Authors Sabotage Their Own Book by Shayla Eaton

Oct20

from dreamstime.com

In this post, Top 5 Ways Authors Sabotage Their Own Book by Shayla Eaton — The Book Designer, Shayla Eaton really talks about 1 way that authors sabotage their book and 5 reasons why they do it.

Still a good post, though. Editing is SO important. I’ve made the mistake of hiring people that aren’t editing professionals, and I’ve cost myself money (and probably readers) because of it.

The last point Shayla makes is a very good one as well. I always tell my author clients that I can not possible pick up every error – the vast majority, yes – but not every single one. Editors are human too! Even after a professional edit, you need to have someone who has never read the story before, read it for you before you have it printed or even before you have a proof made.

I have learned this the hard way with my third book, I assumed the new editor I hired got all my errors but she hadn’t, of course. I had 30 books printed that I now can’t use because of the mistakes I found. Not many but enough that I don’t want people to see it.

So spend the money to hire a professional editor and take the time to have someone (other than yourself) read it after it has been edited. I’d also encourage you or again, someone else, look at the proof as well. You will be surprised the small things that will still be found. And I’ll share a little proofing trick, go through the story backwards. It makes you slow your reading down and not get into the story as easily. In proofing you shouldn’t be reading the story, you need to be reading the words and the sentences.

(Note: there are other aspects of proofing that need to be looked at as well. Check out this old post for more details about proofing.)