Goodreads asked Virgil Alexander:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Virgil Alexander Unless you are a recent student of grammar, spelling, creative writing, and story telling you should review those things. It is sad to write your first book, then find out it's a pretty good story but kind of a mess. No matter what you will make mistakes in all of those things. Get a good secretery to do basic copy editing, then a good editor to help you with content and quality of writing. Editors are expensive, but worth it. Finally, don't trust the publisher's galley "typesetter", they make mistakes, too. It might be worthwhile to have a secretary do a copy edit on your galley. Use at least one beta reader before you submit your manuscript.

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