A Published Book is a Finished Product, Not a Work in Progress

Some novice authors aggressively solicit consumer reviews, then evaluate and even occasionally comment upon almost every rating and review attributed to their work. Those whose writing is criticized by readers for containing numerous misspelled words, typos, poor grammar and improper syntax sometimes decry the injustice of placing more emphasis upon established technical writing rules than the story line itself. Still others express their appreciation for the observations and announce that they have learned from them and, in some instances, actually corrected the mistakes. Both responses are equally amateurish and inappropriate.

Proofreading, copy editing, conceptual editing, rewriting and polishing are critical activities essential to the process of converting a promising manuscript into a commercially viable book. The time to apply them is prior to publishing, not afterward. Fledgling authors must not allow impatience, lack of experience and ignorance to negatively impact their chances to succeed in an extremely competitive business. Only a relatively few will ever achieve notable commercial success within the literary world. There is no reason why you may not eventually become one of them.