Editing / Proof Reading / Writing

[Georgina]

Having tried to get a couple of books on Smashwords / Amazon, it has been an eye opener to think about the formatting, the editing, cover and so on. I've edited and edited and still find errors.
So I'm sat here and wondering ... does having an editor / proof reader help you write better?
Does it teach you more? What did you learn?
After editing / proof reading, did you think this is so much better now?
Anyone self published and then later got editing/ proof reading for the same book, did sales/views increase?
I am so glad as well to come across this group. Affordability comes to mind!

[J.M.]

Hi Georgina,

I am a qualified editor and proofreader, and completely agree with Susan's advice. Self-publishing unfortunately comes with the job description of 'publisher' as well as writer, and it can be daunting when faced with editing, formatting, proofreading, etc. Most of these jobs can be done yourself if you are willing to take the time to learn, however editing is something that should never be overlooked and should be done by a professional as well as yourself.

I am an editor, but I am also an author, and although I will self-edit to a degree (as you have done by going through it several times), I will always hand my manuscripts over to another editor to read through to ensure there is nothing I have missed.

An editor should teach you something, not simply go through and pick out some spelling mistakes. When working with an author on their manuscript I will always explain any queries or issues I found, explain why something needs to be changed or amended, and give examples and suggestions. I accompany my edits with a detailed report which an author can use to review and learn from their mistakes, making sure that they learn and grow as a writer.

Editing is an investment worth the cost. All editors vary in their costing, but you should always ask for references and experience, as well as asking for samples (many will offer to do a certain word count for free as I do) to be sure that an editor is the correct one for you. You will be entrusting your manuscript to someone so you want to be sure you find someone you believe can bring the best to your story, not necessarily the cheapest.

I hope this information is helpful to you, and if you have any further questions or require further guidance then please feel free to contact me.

Best wishes
Jacqui
www.whitediamondedits.wordpress.com
whitediamondedits[at]gmail.com

[Carol]

Georgina-I am also an experienced copy-editor and a professionally trained proofreader, as well as a published author, and I know the perils of self editing. The fact is, you know your story inside and out, and when you go over it, your brain fills in the holes-it knows what goes in where, and skips the mistakes. That's where a caring copy-editor comes in. They aren't in it primarily for the money, my rates say that if nothing else, they truly are in it to help. Check out my pages at writerreadr.WordPress.com, or contact me at legal2b@yahoo.com, and we'll talk.