National Grammar Day : Grammar & Writing Tips and #IWSG

The  Insecure Writer's Support Group  (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool  Facebook group ). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

I normally reschedule my Wednesday programming -- Grammar & Writing Tips -- to bring you my #IWSG post.

But today is National Grammar Day!

There's something I truly believe every book needs... an editor.

If you choose not to hire one, please ask a grammar-loving friend or acquaintance to help you out. A wonderful story can help me over editing bumps, but it has to be a killer story. Even then, I can hit my limit.

Although I'm an editor for Indie Books Gone  Wild , I do not edit my own work. Scratch that. I edit it several times, and then I hand it over to another editor. I'm always embarrassed by what she finds (thank you, Jo Michaels !), which just proves how much you need an unbiased eye. 

If you need a handy guide for your self-edits, check out Grammar Girl's Editing Checklist . It's a great resource!

All that being said, I worry myself to death about mistakes. No book is perfect. I've seen traditionally-published books with mistakes. At some point, you have to let it go. Just don't give readers an easy out; there are too many books out there to choose from.

My insecurity monster has enough to feed on, so I make sure editing issues don't fuel the fire.

What's your biggest editing pet-peeve? Can you look past poor editing for the right book?

Hope everyone has an amazing Wednesday and a month full of words!