Hi, I just joined NABBW and this is my first look at the forum and my first time to post. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom. I'm currently scrutinizing my memoir, "Grandma's Letters from Africa: Quaint I Ain't." I'm almost obsessed with catching errors, making revisions, and polishing. The on-line critique groups I belonged to were a huge disappointment (new, inexperienced writers). However, a former professional copy editor has critiqued it, along with several professionals in journalism, and now an English teacher. I found that each brings his/her own perspectives, which is very helpful to me. Nevertheless I long for a good "professional" edit. One I looked into would charge me $2600. Does that seem reasonable for a 300+ (double spaced) page book? We are recently retired and that seems like a lot for our budget. I plan to work with iUniverse (self-publish) because I know others who have worked with them and they have a good product. Also, I have heard that if I have a targeted audience with good marketing options, going the self-published route is a fine option. (Two huge organizations have already agreed to publicize the book, with probably speaking engagements with them). iUniverse offers an editorial "evaluation" (I think that's the word they used). A professional editor will go over the manuscript and make recommendations for revisions and corrections. My big concern is to have this edited well. Should I trust the iUniverse editorial evauation? If not, could anyone recommend an affordable professional editor? Many thanks

Linda Thomas, Wayfaring Wordsmith
"Grandma's Letters from Africa: Quaint I Ain't"

The agent I worked with has a professional editor who is also a ghost writer. The agent sells to some of the major publishing houses so I'm certain this editor is one of the finest.

Feel free to email me and I can get that information for you. It's worth getting another estimate.

I believe that each of us can be a writer, that we all have something unique and special to communicate. Getting our work published is another matter entirely. I suggest doing research on the publishers who are interested in your type of book so you can submit to an appropriate publisher. You might also query agents. Check Writer's Market and Writer's Handbook in the reference department of your local library.

Jacqueline Seewald
author of THE DROWNING POOL, Five Star/Gale 2009
THE INFERNO COLLECTION, Five Star hardcover, Wheeler large print 2008

Linda, remember the old addage, you get what you pay for. While the 2600 does seem a tad high, if you go to the bargain basement, that's what you'll get.

To me, it isn't the dollar sign, its their (the editor's) track record, their former clients feedback, and anything else you can find out about them BEFORE you sign with ANYYYYYYYBODY.

NOT getting the editing done professionally is the SINGLE BIGGEST MISTAKE that first-time authors make.

It sounds like you have a great start on the editing already, but please DO follow through with getting someone who has a clean, LONG history of editing. And don't take their word for it either...or one or two clients. CHECK THEM OUT THOROUGHLY!

Okay, I've used enough caps on this post to make my point. LOL!

I have actually given up finding a publisher...but after reading your post...something twitched in side of me. Maybe I should keep trying...thank you for your good advice.

THere's a good teleseminar in the NABBW archive about deciding which publishing route is best for you. I recommend it to anyone who is considering being published.

JJ is so right! Never publish before having at least one editor go over your work with a fine tooth comb - and then take her advice. In this competitive world, people expect perfection: that is what will make you rise above the rest :-)

LTWW;
Disclaimer: The following comments and opinions are those of One person, who has had published One work of fiction. Having said that, this mystery novel took 4 yrs to write/rewrite, 2 yrs to shop it around, and another 2 yrs to refine/finalize, once a pub house was acquired. So, I have had a bit of experience...

Since your previous professions and background indicate a heavy skill-set with writing, written and spoken English language skills, etc., it seems you already possess the ability to QC your own work, that is, to make sure it is grammatically correct, punctuated correctly, etc. However, the type of editing that is the removal of superfluous words, redundancy, reduction/elimination of adjectives, condensation/consolidation/cuts, etc., is usually something a new author doesn't have experience with. (Ha! previous sentence is improperly constructed :), but then, I'm a fiction writer, so it just doesn't matter!) So, I guess it depends on what kind of editing you're looking to have done to your work. I know that my one humble little fiction book was worked and reworked and reworked, by me, quite successfully (Rev F was the final). As it happens, I'm a technical writer by profession, so I'm pretty good with QC editing, and over the course of numerous revisions, was able to develop a cold-blooded-ness about slashing words. By the time the manuscript got to a real editor at a real publisher, the only type of editing it needed was the aforementioned "cut and consolidate" type. Otherwise, I don't think they'd have been interested. That type of editing (cut/consolidate) was done very well by the Editor at the publication house and was part of what they did for me. So, perhaps you'd be OK with letting the iUniverse person cover that aspect (while you handle the QC aspect), saving yourself a lot of $$.

However, if you aren't quite confident enough in your own QCing skills, and the money you pay out isn't a big issue for you, and you do choose to go the route of finding a professional editor, the key is to research that branch of the biz, and check out Writer Beware and other writer alert-type websites to weed out the predators and bad apples (lots of them out there). An Editor that is going to charge big bucks would surely have several high level references, other clients, etc., to help ease your mind. Otherwise, I'd say you could easily be getting ripped off. Jeff Herman puts out an excellent Writer's Market type book. He lays it on the line about the scam artists, sharks and bloodsuckers out there. Might be worth the $30 or so, to get his book, and read up on his 'bewares' and other insights. I know I learned ALOT about the business, from that particular Writer's Market book.

In case of any interest, (I Had to get in a plug, after all...) my book is CHANCEY DOUBLE-BACK, a work of inspirational fiction (murder mystery/family saga type). You can read sample chapters on my website, (hyperlink in my signature), or go to Amazon.com, Christian Book Distributors.com, B&N.com, etc. It contains no profanity, or sex, and has only 2 scenes of very mild violence.

Good luck with your project. I hope at least a couple of my comments may have given you food for thought. I'll be interested to hear what you do, and what happens.

Jeff Herman's books are also in the public library!

Here's a great site with lots of info about a variety of writing and publishing categories.

http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/