An Author Without An Editor Is Like…

Like an author without an editor, quite honestly.

Self-publishing is here to stay, so we might as well get used to it. Along with self publishing comes self-editing and frankly, it’s not a good idea. Editing is not just about correct spelling and grammar, it’s about looking at the big picture and suggesting amendments where necessary.

It’s difficult to read your own work and be objective. When I proof my work, I tend to speed read and that means skipping whole chunks of it. In addition, when it comes to a complex explanation, I know what I’m trying to say, so it’s easy for me to say, “fine.” Having an editor read through, gives me another viewpoint.

I turn out the STAC Mysteries for fun. You’ve probably noticed. An idea hits me, a few scenes come together, the final clue which tips the scales dawns on me and I start writing. Before you know it, another STAC tale is complete.

Only it’s not complete. It’s only half way there. It has to pass the stiffest test yet: Maureen Vincent-Northam.

If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know I’ve mentioned this lady many times. Maureen is a Herefordshire lass, but she can still write and speak good English, innit? More than that, she can spot a typo at a thousand paces, and she’s a whodunit aficionado. She is, in short, the best editor I could get for the money… I mean the best editor I could get for whodunits. If the plot doesn’t quite hang together, if the protagonist is acting out of character, if the murder itself is impossible, Maureen will spot it.

As a case n point, consider the next STAC Mystery, The Summer Wedding Murder, due for release quite soon. I finished it, sent it off to Maureen, she pottered with it, dealt with the typos and the other bits and pieces, then sent it back with her report. She guessed whodunit too early. I thought I’d been smart, but I wasn’t smart enough.

Along with this shocking news came a few recommendations to correct the problem. I set to work and it needed another 4,000-5,000 words to put it right, but we did so.

Had I decided to edit the book myself, I would have left it, sent it off to Crooked Cat, and they might have picked up the problem. Like any publisher, they work to fairly tight deadlines in a crowded schedule, and such an event could have resulted in major upheaval.

So it goes the editor before it goes to Crooked Cat. It costs me. Hard cash. And regulars will know that I don’t part with money easily, but it’s worth it in the long run. By the time Crooked Cat receive the manuscript, it may need a couple of tweaks here and there, but no more.

So if you’re considering self-publishing, or you want your M/S in tip-top condition before you send it off to a publisher, do yourself a serious favour and get an editor.

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Click to visit Maureen’s Website