One of the things that most writers never do is get a good editor. Why, is beyond me. The most important thing you can do for your work is have it read over by a professional editor who will give you concrete inputs and criticisms. Professionals do not want you to fail; quite the opposite. But hear me out when I say, "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!"

I had my own book read by many. One, by a trusted friend who didn't blow smoke up my skirt. She was very good but did not have professional training for grammar and other things. But nonetheless, she was available at the time and helped me tremendously get the editing off to a good start. Then another trusted friend...two more...then it was done by a professional editor and unfortunately, it STILL had mistakes.

Why? Because I chose an editor I thought would be good, yet I could afford at the time. I knew he wasn't exactly in the same field...but what the heck, right? Wrong!

While he was a good editor, his expertise was in technical writing, not fiction or humor. So BIG lesson learned there. While he was good with grammar, he wasn't good with ALL grammar...and many other things.

You will never catch all of your own mistakes because you read what you think it says, not what it says. You know subconsciously what you wrote, so regardless of how long you've "walked away from it," you'll never catch them all.

My advice? I couldn't emphasize this enough. Get an editor that has a proven track record and has been doing it for eons. Get an editor who is IN the business of editing whatever genre you are in, not selling camels on the side, they are in the biz of EDITING. Get an editor who will graciously give you past clients to talk to in order to gain valuable insight into their skills. Get one you can't afford NOT to get. DO NOT GET MAMMA OR A FRIEND AND THINK THAT WORKS. IT DOESN'T.

I've known authors who pay anywhere from 1200-3000 to have their manuscripts edited...and I've known authors who paid 2 or 3 hundred. The editor does NOT have to cost you a month's rent to be efficient. Do they have the right credentials? What is their degree in? Camel Sales? How long have they been in the biz? What do their clients say about them? Are the books they've edited along the same line as your own? DO NOT TAKE THEIR WORD FOR IT. CHECK THEM OUT!

The difference in the editors YOU hire should be their SKILL LEVELS and BACKGROUND. And don't check with two or three of their clients. CHECK WITH ALL OF THEM.

Do you think I'm shouting? Good then. Because I am. This is one of the most important steps you'll take in this process. Make it count. I wish someone would have taken me by the ear and pulled me aside before I began this journey. Now all I can say is....lesson learned. I'll never forget it.