When you don't know what to do? #feelinglost

[Allyson]

I've written a manuscript it's currently at 103k words. I've had an amazing friend help me edit to this stage. I've had beta's tell me they love it. I've just sent my final added a few things in that will need to be edited. It's so close to being finished and now I doubt myself after almost two years of working on it. I personally love it why wouldn't I, I wrote it. Now I worry about reviews like it was written bad they found editing mistakes etc. How does one just publish and be happy. There is a part of me that's wants a 2nd or 3rd proof reader or editor to make sure but is that going over the top? Do writers do that?

Any advice??

[[deleted user]]

Hi Allyson,

First off, congrats on getting to this stage! Completing a manuscript/story isn't always easy and many people don't get this far!

Regarding your question, your concerns and doubts are valid, all writers have them and very few are happy when the manuscript is first published because of the fear of mistakes or being ill-received (though the relief and pride felt when one hits the "publish now" button is a great feeling!) Even JK Rowling had to have her publishing house go back in numerous times after publication to fix issues and typos and slip ups that were made, so trust me, it happens!

If you think getting a second edit would put your mind at ease I advise you to do so. Many authors (especially self-published ones) have 2nd and 3rd editors (typically an editor at each level of edits- developmental, line, copy, proofread etc) as it gives insight into issues that can occur at various levels and it also helps you as a writer to see and understand how to fix these issues and better your writing from various angles.

I know this can be a daunting process and that it can at times be overwhelming, but think about it this way, you've come this far, you've done the work, you have the completed manuscript, now fine tuning is all that's needed and the rest will fall into place :)

Hope this helped. If you have any other question feel free to shoot me a message.

Regards,
Amber.

Website: http://editing.drappiertech.com/
Email: editor@drappiertech.com

[Carol]

My name is Carol Tietsworth, and I am a trained proofreader and an experienced editor. Let me be your fresh pair of eyes. Let me proofread or edit your book, and check it for incorrectly spelled words, jumbled tenses and other foibles that you are so far in you can’t see anymore. My rates are uber-low! I charge .003/word for a straight proofreading and .005/word for an all-encompassing edit. I will even read the first 250 words for a free sample. Contact me at legal2b@yahoo.com. References upon request.

[J C]

It's great that you've already had a bunch of people look at it. I think what you're feeling is normal and shows that you care about your book being of a professional standard. I agree with what Amber said, I think getting a professional editor to look at it and a proof read is essential, and getting someone to do a second look over is a good idea too. I've edited stuff for authors that has already been edited and proofread but found lots of mistakes. Eventually, though, you'll have to bite the bullet and just publish, but if you've been thorough (as it sounds like you will be), everything will be fine.

[Erica]

Hi, Allyson. Congratulations on finishing your book! That is a huge accomplishment.

You don't say whether you've hired a professional editor at any point or only done self-editing with the assistance of friends and beta readers. If you haven't used a professional editor, it's always a good idea before putting a book out there, no matter how many times you've been over it yourself. A trained editor will most likely find things you and your friends were not able to.

Many editors provide free sample edits so that you can see what sort of help you'd be getting before committing to a full edit. I recommend getting samples from three or four editors whose credentials seem appropriate to see if it would be valuable for you. Just make sure you pick editors who provide the type of editing you are looking for. As Amber mentioned, there are many levels of editing. You don't want to pay someone to give you lots of advice on your plot and character development if all you are looking for is someone to root out typos and grammar problems. Conversely, if you want to know about your plot and character development, you will be disappointed if you hire a copy editor who will only look for errors, not address big-picture problems.

I think most authors feel the way you do before publishing, but at some point you do have to put your book out there. Having an editor take a look could ease your mind so that you can feel excited rather than nervous. Get a few sample edits and see what you think.

Good luck!

Erica Ellis
www.inkdeepediting.com
Editing so thorough, it's ink deep!

[P.N.]

Yes, writers do that all the time. I am that way with every book I finish and so is every writer I know. Even the ones who consistently turn out good stuff have that self-doubt.

It's what keeps us at it, keeps us honing our craft.

At present, I am revising my first novel, published 25 years ago. It is chock full of passive verbs and other problems that I'm able to fix now that the rights have reverted back to me. It has been professionally edited, but there are still problems.

Let's look at that: a publisher bought the book 25 years ago, I built up a modest fan base who love it, the original editor says I'm a good writer, and the book remained in print for almost a quarter century--yet I'm finding stuff to fix!

So get used to it, it's part of the job. The trick is to not let it freeze you up from writing and developing as a writer. You bull forward and start on the next Big Thing!

I don't know if you're aiming for commercial publication, looking to shop to an agent, or going indie, but I can look at your first 500 words for free and let you know if it's ready to release to the wild yet.

Here's the thing: I read a slush pile for a pro magazine. If a story doesn't hook a reader in the first 500 words, then we don't buy it. So it is with the magazine, so it goes with every publisher in the industry.


OR you can look over my critique service. You pay what you can afford, and all payments are a donation toward a killer vet bill. (What can I say, I love my dogs.) That's for 2500 words, the first 10 pages.

I'll let you know my agent only reads the first 5 pages. No pressure, right? ;-)

My addy is on my website. Just paste your 500 words into the body of your email. Ditto if you decide to use the critique service.

http://www.vampwriter.com/VAMPWRITER_...

Best,

P.N. Elrod
www.vampwriter.com

[Ruth]

Allyson,

You've been given stellar advice here and I can't think of anything to add to it. If you want a sample edit to add to your collection, do let me know. If it would be helpful, I can do short samples of what the different levels of editing look like to give you a sense of what you might want or need.

And congratulations on your novel!

Ruth Feiertag
www.penknife-editing.net

[Allyson]

Thank you all for all your advice . I glad I'm not the only one feeling like this. My editor is a professional editor but not in books. She is trying to make a name now as a book editor. You have all given me a lot to think about.