Editing Frenzy

You know that game, Feeding Frenzy?

If you haven't played Feeding Frenzy, then you are missing a treat! :) Awesome game! Anyway, I'll stop promoting Feeding Frenzy and get to the main point.

Lately, I have been discussing my frustration over finding an editor within a reasonable price and getting that high quality. Well, I found an editor that's reasonable and I got the results back from his editing my whole book.

And guess what? Great news: I need to completely revamp it!



*slight hesitation with a sarcastically big grin* Yippee.

No really, let me try that again. I have to redo my whole novel, Iwishacana/Acanawishi!

The excitement is coming. Wait for it, wait for it . . .

There it is! Woohoo! Yeah. Woo. Hoo.

Oh, forget it! I'm not mad or anything but now I have to write the entire history of my imaginary place, redo the beginning, rethink the structure and . . . All kinds of stuff.

Remember when I said that editing is never done? Well, now you know for real that I was serious. Just when you think you are FINALLY done after like ten years of editing, you still have more editing to do. Including bringing it back up to current trends.

Just let this be a lesson to you: Editing is a continuous process. Your novel can always be improved. Just like Hilary Duff's Elixir book could have been greatly improved even though an editor went through it. Which I know, shocker, traditional publishing doesn't guarantee perfection in books?



I know! Shocker! Therefore, and henceforth, don't think that just because I'm a self-publisher that of course there will be spelling and grammatical errors in my books.

If I didn't care or was just in it to make a quick buck, then obviously I would just slap on a fancy cover and try to sell it. But I do care. I care a lot about my readers and their enjoyment of my books. And I want the best for my readers.

I want for them to feel elated when they pick up my books. And a laugh here and there would make my day. Therefore, when I get critical feedback from book reviewers saying that something isn't right with my book I take it seriously.

Some authors do not. Most authors do. And when it is more then one author saying that something is wrong with my novel, then I take it very seriously. Which is why I'm glad I have an editor to review my book.

But please for God's sakes, get a reputable editor. Don't get one just because of their price. Ask about recommendations and previous works. Ask about what they will be editing your book exactly for. If you request grammar, like I did, make sure they edit for grammar only. Anything on top of that will cost you extra.

Make sure to get the price straight too. You don't want to overpay or underpay. That can uber embarrassing.

Yes, not super but uber. You read that right. It's so embarrassing that you take the s off and add a b. :) I know I'm silly.

But on a serious note, if you're going to hire an editor (which I HIGHLY recommend every do regardless if they are going with trad pubbing or self-pubbing) then do your research.